§ 65-1434 — Licenses issued without examination; qualifications of applicants; appearance before board; "applicant" defined

(a) The board, without examination, may issue a license as a dentist or dental hygienist to an applicant holding a license in another state upon compliance with the requirements of professional qualification and experience set forth in subsection (b). The board shall prepare and adopt a form of application to be submitted by an applicant for a license to be issued under this section. On the receipt of any such application, the board shall conduct such review, verification or other investigation of the applicant and the professional qualifications, background, experience and practice of the applicant as the board deems necessary to assure full compliance with the requirements of this section. Any license so issued may be revoked by the board upon evidence that an applicant has obtained a license under this section through misrepresentation or omission of a material fact in the application or other information submitted to the board.
(b) Each applicant for licensure under this section must evidence the qualifications and meet the following requirements:
(1) Each applicant for licensure as a dentist under this section must meet the requirements set forth in K.S.A. 65-1426, and amendments thereto. Each applicant for licensure as a dental hygienist must meet any applicable requirements set forth in K.S.A. 65-1455, and amendments thereto.
(2) Each applicant shall show evidence of having successfully completed both a national board examination or an equivalent examination accepted by the state in which the applicant has been previously licensed, and a clinical examination, administered by any state or clinical dental testing agency, of equivalent merit to the clinical examination accepted by the board at the time such applicant completed such examinations.
(3) Each applicant for licensure as a dentist under this section shall have held a license to practice dentistry in one or more other states of the United States for the five-year period immediately preceding the date of application and shall have engaged in the active practice of dentistry for at least five years prior to the date of application. Each applicant for licensure as a dental hygienist under this section shall have held a license to practice dental hygiene in another state of the United States for the three-year period immediately preceding the date of application and shall have engaged in the active practice of dental hygiene for at least three years prior to the date of application. Successive and continuous periods of active practice in other states will comply with the active practice requirements of this paragraph (3). For the purpose of determining the period of practice, periods of military service will be considered to the extent approved by the Kansas dental board. Service as a full-time faculty member in a school of dentistry will be considered the practice of dentistry to the extent service involved full-time instruction in dentistry including clinical dentistry. Service as a faculty member in a school of dental hygiene will be considered the practice of dental hygiene to the extent such service involved instruction in dental hygiene including clinical dental hygiene. To be considered for the purposes of this statute, any such school of dentistry or dental hygiene must be approved by the Kansas dental board within the meaning of K.S.A. 65-1426, and amendments thereto.
(4) Each such applicant shall show evidence that the applicant has fully complied with all continuing education requirements imposed by the state or states in which the applicant has been licensed and has practiced during the five years immediately preceding the date of the application. In the event the state or states in which the applicant has been licensed and practiced has no such requirement, the applicant shall provide such information concerning continuing education received by the applicant during the five-year period preceding application as may be required by the board. All applicants must have completed continuing education sufficient to comply with that continuing education required of Kansas licensees during the twenty-four-month period prior to the date of the application for licensure unless the Kansas dental board determines, for good cause shown, that the requirement will work an undue hardship upon the applicant and the requirement is not necessary for the protection of the people of Kansas based upon the training and experience of the applicant.
(5) The applicant shall provide such other information concerning the applicant and the dental education, qualification, experience and professional conduct of the applicant as the board in its discretion deems necessary to its determination to issue a license.
(6) Each applicant shall provide a certificate of the executive director of the board or other agency governing licensure of dentists or dental hygienists of the state in which the applicant has been licensed and has practiced during the required period preceding the date of the application. Such certificate shall state that: (A) The applicant is licensed to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in the state; (B) the license of the applicant has never been suspended or revoked; (C) the applicant has never been the subject of any proceeding for suspension, revocation or other disciplinary action initiated by the board of licensure of any such state during the period the applicant has held a license to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in such state; and (D) no complaint has been filed against the applicant of such substance as, in the judgment of the board of licensure of such state, has required the initiation of proceedings against the applicant. In the event the applicant has practiced dentistry or dental hygiene in more than one other state in the United States, the applicant shall file a similar certificate with respect to such period or periods during which the applicant has practiced in each such state.
(c) The Kansas dental board may direct an applicant to appear before the board at a date, time and place to be determined by the Kansas dental board to answer questions and provide such information concerning the qualifications, background, experience and practice of the applicant as the Kansas dental board may deem necessary.
(d) The term "applicant" as used in this section shall apply to both applicants for licensure as a dentist and applicants for licensure as a dental hygienist unless the context otherwise indicates.

Legislative History

L. 1943, ch. 221, § 18; L. 1983, ch. 209, § 5; L. 1984, ch. 229, § 1; L. 1999, ch. 34, § 3; L. 2002, ch. 38, § 5; L. 2008, ch. 36, § 2; July 1.