§1098-C.__Mental or physical examination

For the purposes of this section, by application for and acceptance of a license to practice, a licensed dental hygienist is considered to have given consent to a mental or physical examination when directed by the board.__The board may direct a dental hygienist to submit to an examination whenever the board determines the dental hygienist may be suffering from a mental illness that may be interfering with the competent practice of dental hygiene or from the use of intoxicants or drugs to an extent that they are preventing the dental hygienist from practicing dental hygiene competently and with safety to patients.__A dental hygienist examined pursuant to an order of the board may not prevent the testimony of the examining individual or prevent the acceptance into evidence of the report of an examining individual.__Failure to comply with an order of the board to submit to a mental or physical examination results in the immediate suspension of the license of the dental hygienist by order of the District Court until the dental hygienist submits to the examination.

§1098-D.__Licensure requirements for graduates of accredited

programs

In order to be licensed as a dental hygienist under this chapter, a person who is a graduate of a dental hygiene program approved by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation or its successor organization must meet one of the following 2 sets of requirements:

1.__Standard licensure.__For standard licensure, the applicant must:

A.__Have received, at least, an associate degree from a dental hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation or its successor organization and have provided a notarized statement from the dean of the school affirming that the applicant has met all applicable degree requirements;

B.__Have completed with a passing grade the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination or the successor to that examination;

C.__Have completed with a passing grade the Northeast Regional Board Dental Hygiene Examination or the successor to that examination;