The State Board of Dental Examiners will license dental hygiene applicants by credentials upon payment of a fee, in the amount set by the Board, who meet all SBDE and State of Texas minimum applicant requirements, general licensure qualifications, and all of the following criteria:

1. (1) Has graduated from a dental hygiene school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Dental Hygiene schools so accredited are approved by the State Board of Dental Examiners for purposes of licensing their graduates by credentials;
2. (2) Is currently licensed in good standing in another state, the District of Columbia, or territory of the United States, that has licensing requirements that are substantially equivalent to the requirements of the Texas Dental Practice Act;

3. (3) Has practiced dental hygiene:

   1. (A) For a minimum of three years immediately preceding application to the State Board of Dental Examiners. An applicant has practiced dental hygiene for three years if he or she has been actively engaged in practice for at least twenty-six weeks in each of the past three years preceding application, or
   2. (B) As a dental educator at a dental or dental hygiene school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association for a minimum or five years immediately preceding application to the State Board of Dental Examiners;
4. (4) Is endorsed by the state board of dentistry of the jurisdiction of current practice. Such endorsement is established by providing a copy under seal of the jurisdictional entity of the current dental hygienist's license and by a certified statement that he/she has current good standing in said jurisdiction;
5. (5) Has not been the subject of final or pending disciplinary action in any jurisdiction in which applicant is or has been licensed;
6. (6) Has taken and passed the jurisprudence examination administered by the State Board of Dental Examiners within one year immediately prior to application;
7. (7) Has passed a national written examination relating to dental hygiene as certified by the American Dental Association Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations or other examination approved by the SBDE;
8. (8) Has passed a state or regional general dental hygiene clinical examination;
9. (9) Is reputable, as demonstrated by at least 2 letters of character reference which have been notarized;
10. (10) For applications filed after August 31, 2002, an applicant shall make application with the Professional Background Information Services (PBIS), requesting Level II verification, paying the required fees, and requesting verification be sent to the board for determination of successful background verification.
11. (11) Practice experience described in paragraph (3) of this title must be subsequent to applicant having graduated from a dental hygiene school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association; and
12. (12) Each candidate for licensure by credentials must submit to the Board the required documents and information prescribed in this §103.2 and other documents or information that may be requested, to enable the Board to evaluate an application and take appropriate actions.
13. (13) Shows proof of current CPR certification as required by the Texas Dental Practice Act, Chapter 256, Section 256.101.
14. (14) Submits proof of completion of 12 hours of continuing education taken within the twelve months preceding the date the licensure application is received by the SBDE. All hours shall be taken in accordance with the provisions as cited in §104.1(5) - (7) of this title (relating to Requirements) and §104.2 of this title (relating to Providers).
15. (15) An application for licensure is filed with the State Board of Dental Examiners when it is actually received, date-stamped, and logged-in by the State Board of Dental Examiners along with all required documentation and fee. An incomplete application for licensure and fee will be returned to applicant within three working days with an explanation of additional documentation or information needed.

Source Note:The provisions of this §103.2 adopted to be effective March 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 1422; amended to be effective December 3, 1997, 22 TexReg 11675; amended to be effective July 10, 2000, 25 TexReg 6504; amended to be effective April 17, 2001, 26 TexReg 2833; amended to be effective December 30, 2001, 26 TexReg 10564; amended to be effective April 14, 2002, 27 TexReg 2826.