By Coleman                                      H.B. No. 2930

      75R6171 GJH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to certain qualifications to practice dentistry and dental

 1-3     hygiene.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Article 4545, Revised Statutes, is amended to

 1-6     read as follows:

 1-7           Art. 4545.  QUALIFICATIONS OF APPLICANTS.  (a)  Each

 1-8     applicant for a license to practice dentistry in this state shall

 1-9     be not less than twenty-one (21) years of age and shall present:

1-10                 (1)  proof of graduation from a reputable dental

1-11     college that requires for the awarding of a degree in dentistry the

1-12     equivalent of at least four terms that are at least eight months in

1-13     length; and

1-14                 (2)  evidence of good moral character. [A dental

1-15     college shall be held reputable whose entrance requirements and

1-16     course of instruction are as high as those adopted by the better

1-17     class of dental colleges of the United States, and whose course of

1-18     instruction shall be the equivalent of not less than four (4) terms

1-19     of eight (8) months each.]

1-20           (b)  For purposes of this Act, a "reputable dental college or

1-21     school," "dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental

1-22     Accreditation of the American Dental Association," or "recognized

1-23     and accredited school or college of dentistry," means a dental

1-24     program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the

 2-1     American Dental Association, or its successor accrediting agency

 2-2     recognized by the United States Department of Education, that is

 2-3     offered by an institution of higher education that is accredited by

 2-4     a recognized accrediting agency as defined by Section 61.003,

 2-5     Education Code.

 2-6           SECTION 2.  Section 2, Chapter 475, Acts of the 52nd

 2-7     Legislature, Regular Session, 1951 (Article 4551e, Vernon's Texas

 2-8     Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:

 2-9           Sec. 2.  QUALIFICATIONS.  (a)  A dental hygienist shall be

2-10     not less than eighteen (18) years of age and a graduate of an

2-11     accredited high school or hold a certificate of high school

2-12     equivalency (GED) and be a graduate of a recognized and accredited

2-13     school or college of dentistry or dental hygiene approved by the

2-14     Texas State Board of Dental Examiners in which the course of

2-15     instruction shall be the equivalent of not less than two (2) terms

2-16     of eight (8) months each and who shall have thereafter passed an

2-17     examination given by and before the Texas State Board of Dental

2-18     Examiners on subjects pertaining to dental hygiene, and who shall

2-19     have complied with all of the provisions of this Act and the rules

2-20     and regulations promulgated by the Texas State Board of Dental

2-21     Examiners.

2-22           (b)  For purposes of this Act, a "reputable dental hygiene

2-23     college or school," "dental hygiene school accredited by the

2-24     Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental

2-25     Association," or "recognized and accredited school or college of

2-26     dental hygiene" means a dental hygiene program accredited by the

2-27     Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental

 3-1     Association, or its successor accrediting agency recognized by the

 3-2     United States Department of Education, that is offered by an

 3-3     institution of higher education that is accredited by a recognized

 3-4     accrediting agency as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code.

 3-5           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

3-10     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

3-11     passage, and it is so enacted.