North Carolina considers changes to dental licensure
Legislation under consideration in North Carolina could bring several changes to dental licensing. The bill would allow issuance of a dental instructor license to out-of-state applicants with 2,000 hours in clinical dentistry or to individuals affiliated with a NC dental school but not licensed as a dentist. The bill would allow the use of mannequins for clinical assessment exams and allow out-of-state dental students to practice for low income or underserved populations if accompanied by a licensed dentist. The bill also includes two measures related to mental health: allowing denial of license due to "evidence of illness, substance use or mental health disorders, or physical abnormalities that would interfere with reasonable skill or safety" and requiring a physical or mental exam before a license is granted or as part of a disciplinary proceeding.