§ 12-220-502 — Construction of dental devices by unlicensed technician

Colorado § 12-220-502

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 12: Professions
• Art.: Dentists, Dental Hygienists, and Dental Therapists

Text

(1) (a)
A licensed dentist who uses the services of an unlicensed technician for the
purpose of constructing, altering, repairing, or duplicating a laboratory-fabricated
intraoral or maxillofacial dental prosthesis, product, or appliance shall furnish the
unlicensed technician with a dental laboratory work order in a form that complies
with rules of the board, which form shall be dated and signed by the dentist for
each separate and individual piece of work. The dentist shall make the dental
laboratory work order in a documented form, and the dentist and the unlicensed
technician shall each retain a copy as a permanent part of the patient record. The
laboratory technician shall retain a copy of the dental laboratory work order in a file
for a minimum of two years. The permanent files of the licensed dentist and the
unlicensed technician must be open to inspection at any reasonable time by the
board or its duly constituted agent. The licensed dentist that furnishes the dental
laboratory work order must have appropriate training, education, and experience
related to the prescribed treatment and is responsible for directly supervising all
intraoral treatment rendered to the patient.

(b) If a patient's care requires that multiple laboratory-fabricated intraoral or
maxillofacial dental prostheses or appliances be fabricated at the same time, it is
permissible to incorporate those products or appliances into a single dental
laboratory work order.

(c) An unlicensed technician that possesses a valid dental laboratory work
order may provide extraoral construction, manufacture, fabrication, supply, or
repair of identified dental and orthodontic devices but shall not provide intraoral
service in a human mouth except under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist
in accordance with section 12-220-501 (3)(d).

(2) If the dentist fails to keep permanent records of dental laboratory work
orders as required in subsection (1)(a) of this section, the dentist is subject to
disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the board.

(3) If an unlicensed technician fails to have in the technician's possession a
dental laboratory work order signed by a licensed dentist with each denture, bridge,
splint, or orthodontic or prosthetic appliance in the technician's possession, the
absence of the dental laboratory work order is prima facie evidence of a violation of
this section and constitutes the practice of dentistry without an active license in
violation of, and subject to the penalties specified in, section 12-220-211.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2020: Entire article amended with relocations, (HB 20-1056), ch. 64, p. 255, � 1, effective September 14. L. 2025: Entire section amended, (SB 25-194), ch. 171, p. 704, � 21, effective August 6.