welcome
The purpose of the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners is to ensure that the dental profession merit and receive the confidence of the public and that only qualified persons be permitted to practice dentistry and dental hygiene in the state of North Carolina. Click here for directions to our office.
Notice of Emergency Meeting
The NC State Board of Dental Examiners will conduct an emergency meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 10, 2024. The purpose of the meeting will be to address possible waivers to rules in response to the State of Emergency created in North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Items to be addressed:
- Current sanitation rule 21 NCAC 16J .0101 - .0103 in light of damage to water systems in Western NC.
- Allowing practice in North Carolina by health care professionals that are licensed in other states, but not in North Carolina.
- Allowing retired or inactive health care professionals to provide care.
- Allowing students to provide care if they are at an appropriately advanced stage of professional study.
- Pathway through Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) for dentists and dental hygienists who may wish to provide dental services in the impacted area during the state of emergency.
The public may attend the meeting at the office of the NC State Board of Dental Examiners:
2000 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 160
Morrisville, NC 27560
Update to all General Anesthesia Permit Holders Regarding Office Inspections
General Anesthesia/Sedation Office Inspections Update
In 2019, at the direction of the State Auditor, the NC State Board of Dental Examiners began the process of implementing a general anesthesia/sedation office inspection program. The stated goal of the program was to ensure each dental office that offers anesthesia or sedation services is inspected at least once every five years. At the onset of the program, the NCSBDE agreed to accept the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (A.A.O.M.S.) inspection for general anesthesia permit holders in lieu of a Board inspection. The acceptance of the A.A.O.M.S. inspection was considered a temporary measure during the COVID-19 State of Emergency so that the Board could focus the program primarily on sedation permit holders who were not subject to on-going inspections by any agency.
Recently, the NCSBDE made the decision to start phasing out the acceptance of the A.A.O.M.S. inspection reports for general anesthesia permit holders and to start phasing in the NCSBDE inspections. This decision was made due to the passing of the COVID-19 State of Emergency and recent court rulings that prohibit state agencies from allowing private associations to fulfill state agency obligations. Therefore, please be advised that Inspector Rick Hetzel will be contacting General Anesthesia permit holders soon to start scheduling these inspections.
The purpose of these inspections is not to initiate disciplinary action, but to make certain all offices meet the training, equipment, and facility requirements of the appropriate rule, and to ensure any necessary corrective action is taken to protect the public.
Offices subject to inspections will receive advanced notice of the proposed inspection. Once an inspection date is agreed upon, a checklist of everything that will be subject to inspection will be provided. Again, this is a safety program that focuses on required equipment, training, and documentation. It will be conducted with as little disruption to your schedule as possible. If you have any questions, please contact Inspector Rick Hetzel at 828-578-4817 or by email at rhetzel@ncdentalboard.org. You may also contact Betty Sines at 919-459-1788 or by email at bsines@ncdentalboar.org.
21 NCAC 16Q General Anesthesia and Sedation Rules
Eleven Rules Approved by NC Rules Review Commission on July 31, 2024
At its meeting on July 31, 2024, the NC Rules Review Commission approved eleven new and amended rules that the Board voted to permanently adopt in June. These new and amended rules became effective on August 1, 2024. For a summary of the rule changes and a copy of the new rules now in effect, see below.
21 NCAC 16A .0101 has been amended to remove the definition of “candidate” as unnecessary and to add a definition of “secure electronic transmission.”
21 NCAC 16A .0107 is a new rule setting out information to contact or submit information to the Board.
21 NCAC 16B .0303 has been amended to require test administration agencies to assign at least one Board member to each examination administered in North Carolina for dentists.
21 NCAC 16C .0303 has been amended to require test administration agencies to assign at least one Board member to each examination administered in North Carolina for dental hygienists.
21 NCAC 16H .0104 has been amended to update the education and training requirements for dental assistants and eliminate a restriction related to who can perform coronal polishing.
21 NCAC 16N .0202 has been amended to reflect current procedures for the Board’s rulemaking notice mailing list.
21 NCAC 16N .0501 has been amended to clarify procedures related to a licensee’s or applicant’s right to an administrative hearing and the statutory exceptions to the right to a hearing.
21 NCAC 16N .0502 has been amended to clarify procedures related to a licensee’s or applicant’s request for an administrative hearing.
21 NCAC 16N .0503 has been amended to clarify the Board’s procedures related to granting or denying a request for a hearing.
21 NCAC 16N .0504 has been amended to set out information regarding serving the notice of hearing, to remove provisions related to the notice of hearing that are not required by G.S. 150B-38, and to clarify the procedures around summary suspensions.
21 NCAC 16U .0104 is a new rule establishing and clarifying a licensee’s obligations to cooperate with any Board inquiries, including responding timely, providing accurate and complete information, and being available timely for interviews, among others.
Revised General Anesthesia and Sedation Rules Now in Effect
The North Carolina General Assembly took no action on the revisions to the General Anesthesia and Sedation Rules that were passed by the Board, approved by the Rules Review Commission, then objected to by ten or more individuals which triggered a legislative review. Since no action was taken, the rules became effective on June 17, 2024. The Board wishes to thank the many individuals and organizations who assisted in drafting and preserving the changes to this important set of rules designed to improve public protection.
For a summary of the rule changes and a copy of the new rules now in effect, click here.
Board Adopts Final Language on 21 NCAC 16H .0104
At its meeting on Friday, June 7, 2024, the NC State Board of Dental Examiners approved final wording for amendments to 21 NCAC 16 H .0104 and voted to forward the Rule to the North Carolina Rules Review Commission for final adoption. As proposed, the language of the Rule adopts two substantive changes:
- Paragraph (a)(3) recognizes appropriate military training/certification as a pathway to be classified as a DA II.
- Paragraph (b) removes the amendment, added in 2020, that requires working 3,000 hours before a DA I engaged in “in-office” training is allowed to take a course in coronal polishing that meets the requirements of 21 NCAC 16H .0203(b). Under the proposed change, the supervising dentist would be responsible for determining when a DA I in training can take a qualifying coronal polishing course and would retain responsibility for ensuring that the DA I is directly controlled and supervised while performing the procedure. This is the same standard applied to all delegable DA II functions set out in 21 NCAC 16H .0203(a).
Please note: the amendments to this rule do not change the necessity of completing 3,000 hours of work before a DA I in training may be classified by the employing dentist as a DA II.
To read the proposed rule(s) for publication in the North Carolina Register, click here.
2024 Board Election Results
The results of the most recent Board Election have been tabulated and certified by the CPA Firm of Norton Collar Lund Lilley, PLLC.
Dr. Catherine Watkins of Winston-Salem and Dr. Vincent Allison of Durham were declared the winners. Dr. Watkins will begin her second term and Dr. Allison his first on August 1, 2024.
The Board would like to congratulate Drs. Watkins and Allison on their election and thank Dr. Wright and Dr. Soch for their interest and willingness to serve.
Notice of Timeline for Issuance of Dental and Dental Hygiene Licenses for New Graduates
Licenses will be issued weekly on Fridays for applicants who show complete in the portal. The website verification page may be checked on Monday mornings and newly issued licenses will be mailed that day. If your license does not appear, then your application is not complete and will be issued in the batch following completion. Licenses are only available for pickup during certain hours so arrangements must be made in advance; licenses will not be available for pickup prior to that Monday.
Please note that you must have the license in hand before practicing!! Simply seeing that your license has been issued does not allow you to practice.
NC Dental Board adopts Position Statement on selection of a Dental and Dental Hygiene Compact
To read the statement, click here.
The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners held a Public Hearing to consider changes to its rules 21 NCAC 16A, 16B, 16C and 16N.
The hearing was held on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 6:00 pm. at the Board's offices: 2000 Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 160, Morrisville, NC 27560. The rules have been submitted for permanent adoption and should be under review at the Rules Review Commission.
To read the proposed rule(s) for publication in the North Carolina Register, click here.
The 2024 Renewal Period is now closed! The online renewal system is open from November 1 to March 31 each year.
Dentists and hygienists may update their addresses anytime through our online system:
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Enter your 4 or 5 digit dental/dental hygiene license number (do not enter a leading zero for 4 digit numbers)
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Your PIN number will be the last 4 digits of your social security number
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| Dentists update here | | Hygienists update here |
To renew instructors licenses, anesthesia and sedation permits during the renewal period, go to the License Renewal page and choose the correct system.
As of 2015, we no longer mail renewal certificates for dental and dental hygiene. You may now print your own for no charge immediately after renewing. Log into the system, choose "Print Certificate" from the menu and follow the prompts.
If you hold a DEA license and prescribing privileges in North Carolina, there are extra requirements for renewal. You must have taken a course including at least one hour on the prescribing of opioids, and you must be registered with the NC Controlled Substance Reporting System. Info on both of these requirements may be found on our What's New page.
If your license has already lapsed, Reinstatement applications may also be found on the License Renewal page.
The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners has adopted 21 NCAC 16Q .0103, .0104, .0202, .0302, .0405, and 0703. The Rules Review Commission approved the rules for entry in the NC Administrative Code. However, the Commission received more than 10 written objections to the rules.
Therefore, the newly-adopted Rules 21 NCAC 16Q .0103, .0104, .0202, .0302, .0405, 0703 have not gone into effect. The rules are currently pending indefinitely, subject to legislative review and action. The current versions of Rules 21 NCAC 16Q .0202, .0302, .0405, and .0703 will remain in effect.
To read the notice of text published in the North Carolina Register, click here. To read the text of the adopted rule(s), click here.
To read the Board's statement on the proposed changes to these rules, click here.
Important New Rules Go Into Effect
Two new sets of rules were recently approved by the Rules Review Commission of the NC General Assembly that will widely impact both applicants and current licensees.
- Applicants for a dental or dental hygiene license may now take their clinical examination either on a live patient or a manikin.
Dental:
21 NCAC 16B .0303(d)(1), and
Hygiene:
21 NCAC 16C .0303(d)(1)
- Current dental and dental hygiene licensees must now complete a one-hour continuing education course every two years on the subject of substance abuse and mental health.
Dental:
21 NCAC 16R .0206, and
Hygiene: 21 NCAC 16I .0206
This one-hour course is to be counted among the number of CE hours currently required and DOES NOT add hours to the current requirement. The course may be taken anytime in 2023 or 2024 to meet the requirements of license renewal for 2025 and will follow this once every two-year pattern thereafter.
Verifying compliance with NC CSRS checks: a work in progress
Text copied from NC Medical Board website, as some dentists also affected:
Administrators of the state-run North Carolina Controlled Substances Reporting System (NC CSRS) recently sent letters to some licensees who may not be checking patient prescription histories as required before prescribing certain medicines.
State law requires that prescribers review a patient’s 12-month prescription history in the NCCSRS before prescribing a Schedule II or Schedule III opioid. The requirement went into effect July 7. The full text of the law that mandates NC CSRS use can be read here.
The NC DHHS letters inform prescribers that information about their possible noncompliance has been shared with the appropriate licensing board, which has prompted multiple licensees who believe they have been inappropriately flagged as noncompliant to reach out to NCMB. NCDHHS has provided a report to NCMB and the information is under review. No determinations have been made about how to use the reported information. NCMB is committed to working with NCDHHS to improve this process and will update licensees when it determines what action, if any, to take in response to data provided.
Licensees who believe they have been inappropriately flagged as noncompliant should email NCCSRS at csrs.utilization@dhhs.nc.gov. Please note that the email address included in the NCDHHS letters mailed to prescribers includes a typo that causes messages to bounce back as undeliverable.
Learn more about mandatory use of NC CSRS, including exemptions to the requirement, at www.ncmedboard.org/nccsrs.
Process for Dental Hygienists to be Certified to Administer Local Anesthetics
With the recent passage of SB 146 which allows certification of dental hygienists to administer local anesthetics in North Carolina, the Board has developed temporary rules and a process to receive certification. Click here for the process and instructions on how to submit your documents.
Approval Granted for Dentists to Administer COVID-19 Vaccinations
Please note that the Board experienced a technical problem with Email from around 5:00pm on Thursday, February 11 until around 12:45pm Friday, February 12. If you sent an email during that time and didn't get a response, you may want to resend it. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Alert: Watch out for scammers posing as NC State Board of Dental Examiners
Update: The NC Attorney General's Office has now become aware of this and has posted a warning on their website: view the message online
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Recently the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners has heard from licensees who have been targeted by scammers representing themselves as NCSBDE investigators or officials. We are posting this notice to raise awareness of this possible threat.
Scammers have approached licensed dentists via telephone or letter. The specific scenario presented to the licensee who is the target of the scam seems to vary, but be aware of the following:
• The licensee is told that he or she is under investigation and will receive a disciplinary action unless an immediate payment is made;
• The licensee is told that his or her license is expired, suspended, or that annual registration did not go through and cannot be reinstated without an immediate payment;
• Phone scams may involve multiple “officials” – such as NCSBDE investigators or “Drug Enforcement Administration agents” - who claim to have evidence of wrongdoing by the licensee.
If you receive any communication, via telephone or letter, that demands immediate payment, the NCSBDE advises you NOT to provide any personal or financial information to the individual or individuals requesting it.
• If you are speaking with the caller, HANG UP;
• If you receive a letter that provides a telephone number, DO NOT CALL IT. Scammers may use technology that makes it appear you have dialed the actual North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners when, in fact, you are speaking with a con artist.
You may wish to contact NCSBDE at 919-678 8223 or info@ncdentalboard.org to report the communication received and confirm the current status of your license.
If you have provided personal or financial information to an individual you think may be a scammer, find information on steps you can take to protect yourself below.
What if I gave out my credit card number?
If you provided your credit card number or other financial information to someone you believe may be a scammer, you should immediately notify the credit card issuer and report it as lost/stolen. In addition, you can put a temporary credit freeze on yourself with the three credit bureaus to prevent scammers from opening new accounts in your name. Be aware that you will be unable to obtain instant credit, obtain a loan or request a credit report until you notify the credit bureau to lift the freeze.
Experian
Equifax
TransUnion
I believe my identity may have been stolen
Find information on how to report identity theft at the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
Latest Updates Regarding Covid Sterilization Reports and CPR Information
To read the Board's latest updates regarding COVID Sterilization Reports, click here.
To read the latest information regarding CPR certification, click here.
Important Information!
Board Statements on COVID-19
On May 13, 2020, the NC State Board of Dental Examiners (the Board) voted to adopt two emergency rules which allow for temporary licenses for dentists and dental hygienists during a time of emergency, as authorized pursuant to S.L. 2020-3, s. 4.38 and G.S. 90-28.5. In accordance with S.L. 2020-3 and G.S. 150B-21.1A, the emergency rules became effective on Friday, May 22, 2020. Go to the dental licensing page or the dental hygiene licensing page to read the text of the rules.
Click here to read statement on providing dental services during the COVID-19 pandemic adopted by the NC State Board of Dental Examiners.
The Board statement has been updated to include a link to the most recent guidance issued by the CDC this week, which the Board highly recommends dentists and other dental professionals review prior to providing dental services. The Board continues to monitor COVID-19 developments closely and may issue additional statements as information and changing conditions demand.
Pursuant to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s Executive Order No. 130, Section 3, the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners ("Board") has been authorized to waive or modify regulatory licensure requirements temporarily for persons that meet certain qualifications, where those licensure requirements would prevent or impair allowing those persons to provide care. This licensure application waiver and modification is temporary and is effective only until June 26, 2020, unless Executive Order Nos. 130 and 139 are further extended with a superseding Executive Order. Details may be found on each licensure page: Dental, Hygiene and Intern Posted April 21.
Link to most recent OSHA Guidelines on preparing the workplace for the COVID-19 Virus. Posted April 2.
Here is the latest information regarding COVID-19 released on March 27.
Click here for COVID-19 Definitions of Emergency
Treatment.
Click here regarding use of Teledentistry during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Click here for information from the NC Pharmacy Board regarding Prescribing Abuses during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Click here to read the information we were asked to share by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding COVID-19 on March 20.
Click here to read the Board Statement regarding dental practices and COVID-19 issued on March 18.
Click here to see a State by State comparison on Dental Recommendations on COVID-19.
Click here to read the Board Statement regarding dental practices and COVID-19 issued on March 16.
New State Law Requires Opioid Prescribing Course
Beginning in 2017, as a condition of dental license renewal for 2018, all licensees who prescribe controlled substances MUST complete an annual CE course of at least one hour that shall include, but not be limited to, instruction on controlled substance prescribing practice and controlled substance prescribing for chronic pain management. Courses may be taken in-person or online. See the “What’s New” tab for more information.
Board's E-Newsletter Now Available
The Board is no longer publishing a paper version of "The Dental Board Forum." The new electronic newsletter entitled "E-Forum" is its replacement and will be posted regularly on this website. To view the latest editions click here.
Notice of Request for Early Review by Rules Review Commission and Right to Object
The Board of Dental Examiners is engaged in the process of periodic review of its rules under N.C.G.S. 150B-21.3A. The Board has proposed whether each one of its rules should remain in the Administrative Code, be removed or be readopted; has received public comments on those categorizations; has considered those public comments; and has adopted a final report categorizing its rules.
The next step in the process is for the North Carolina Rules Review Commission (the “RRC”) to review that report and issue a final determination on the categorization of the rules. That review is currently scheduled for February 2019. However, because the Board has already prepared its final report and would like to accelerate the process of streamlining its regulations, the Board has asked the RRC to reschedule its review of our final classifications for the rules to an earlier date. At its October 19, 2017 meeting, the RRC will consider whether to reschedule the RRC’s review to an earlier date. The Board has requested that the review occur at the RRC’s meeting on November 16, 2017.
You have a right to submit public comments on our request for early review of our final rule classifications. The only matter currently before the RRC is whether the review will occur in February 2019, as scheduled, or on an earlier date. The substance of the categorizations will not be reviewed until November 16, 2017 (if the Board’s request is granted).
The RRC will consider objections from the public when it decides whether to grant our early review request. You have a right to submit public comments on our request for early review of our final rule classifications. If you have an objection to the early review request, you should submit it in writing to the RRC before its October 19, 2017 meeting. You can submit your objection:
· By email to: rrc.comments@oah.nc.gov.
· By USPS to: NC Rules Review Commission, 6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6700.
· In person or by delivery service to: NC Rules Review Commission, 1711 New Hope Church Road, Raleigh NC, 27609.
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Functions of the Board of Dental Examiners
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The administration of licensure examinations for dentists and dental hygienists
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The promulgation of rules and enforcement of laws and regulations governing the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene in this state
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The issuance and renewal of licenses to dentists and dental hygienists
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