1. (a) In addition to the general qualifications for licensure contained in §103.1 of this chapter, an applicant for dental hygienist licensure by examination must present proof that the applicant has taken and passed in its entirety the appropriate clinical examination administered by a regional examining board designated by the SBDE.

2. (b) Designated regional examining boards.

   1. (1) The following regional examining boards have been designated as acceptable by the State Board of Dental Examiners as of the effective dates shown:

      1. (A) Western Regional Examining Board, January 1, 1994;
      2. (B) Central Regional Dental Testing Service, January 1, 2002;
      3. (C) Northeast Regional Board, January 1, 2005;
      4. (D) Southern Regional Testing Agency, January 1, 2005; and,
   2. (2) Examination results will be accepted for five years from the date of the examination.
   3. (3) Only results from examinations taken after the indicated acceptance date will be accepted.

3. (c) Remediation.

   1. (1) If an applicant for Texas dental hygienist licensure fails three dental hygiene clinical examination attempts, the applicant must complete forty (40) hours of clinical remediation through a dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (CODA) before approval will be issued to take another clinical examination.
   2. (2) If an applicant fails four or more dental hygiene clinical examination attempts, the applicant must complete eighty (80) hours of clinical remediation through a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program before approval will be issued to take another clinical examination.
   3. (3) All programs of clinical remediation require prior approval by the SBDE. Applicants will be responsible for locating, identifying and obtaining approval from the SBDE prior to registration for any program.
   4. (4) Reexamination must be accomplished within 18 months following the date the SBDE approves a remediation program for the applicant.

Source Note:The provisions of this §103.2 adopted to be effective September 21, 2004, 29 TexReg 9003; amended to be effective February 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 716.