(1) The department shall issue an initial temporary license without the examination required by this chapter to any applicant who, as determined by the secretary:
(a) Holds a valid license in another state or Canadian province that allows a substantively equivalent scope of practice in subsection (3)(a) through (j) of this section;
(b) Files with the secretary documentation certifying that the applicant:
(i) Has graduated from an accredited dental hygiene school approved by the secretary;
(ii) Has successfully completed the dental hygiene national board examination; and
(iii) Is licensed to practice in another state or Canadian province;
(c) Provides information as the secretary deems necessary pertaining to the conditions and criteria of the uniform disciplinary act, chapter 18.130 RCW;
(d) Demonstrates to the secretary a knowledge of Washington state law pertaining to the practice of dental hygiene, including the administration of legend drugs; and
(e) Pays any required fees.
(2) The term of the initial temporary license issued under this section is five years and it is renewable upon:
(a) Demonstration of successful passage of a substantively equivalent dental hygiene patient evaluation/prophylaxis examination;
(b) Demonstration of successful passage of a substantively equivalent local anesthesia examination;
(c) Demonstration of didactic and clinical competency in the administration of nitrous oxide analgesia; and
(d) Demonstration of successful passage of an educational program on the administration of local anesthesia and nitrous oxide analgesia.
(3) A person practicing with an initial temporary license granted under this section has the authority to perform hygiene procedures that are limited to:
(a) Oral inspection and measuring of periodontal pockets;
(b) Patient education in oral hygiene;
(c) Taking intra-oral and extra-oral radiographs;
(d) Applying topical preventive or prophylactic agents;
(e) Polishing and smoothing restorations;
(f) Oral prophylaxis and removal of deposits and stains from the surface of the teeth;
(g) Recording health histories;
(h) Taking and recording blood pressure and vital signs;
(i) Performing subgingival and supragingival scaling; and
(j) Performing root planing.
(4)(a) A person practicing with an initial temporary license granted under this section may not perform the following dental hygiene procedures unless authorized in (b) or (c) of this subsection:
(i) Give injections of local anesthetic;
(ii) Place restorations into the cavity prepared by a licensed dentist and afterwards carve, contour, and adjust contacts and occlusion of the restoration;
(iii) Soft tissue curettage; or
(iv) Administer nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia.
(b) A person licensed in another state or Canadian province who can demonstrate substantively equivalent licensing standards in the administration of local anesthetic may receive a temporary endorsement to administer local anesthesia. For purposes of the renewed temporary license, this endorsement demonstrates the successful passage of the local anesthesia examination.
(c) A person licensed in another state or Canadian province who can demonstrate substantively equivalent licensing standards in restorative procedures may receive a temporary endorsement for restorative procedures.
(d) A person licensed in another state or Canadian province who can demonstrate substantively equivalent licensing standards in administering nitrous oxide analgesia may receive a temporary endorsement to administer nitrous oxide analgesia.
(5)(a) A person practicing with a renewed temporary license granted under this section may:
(i) Perform hygiene procedures as provided under subsection (3) of this section;
(ii) Give injections of local anesthetic;
(iii) Perform soft tissue curettage; and
(iv) Administer nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia.
(b) A person practicing with a renewed temporary license granted under this section may not place restorations into the cavity prepared by a licensed dentist and afterwards carve, contour, and adjust contacts and occlusion of the restoration.
(6) The secretary shall issue an initial temporary license to all dental hygienists with an active limited license as of July 23, 2023. The initial temporary license expires five years after the date the initial limited license was issued.
Reviser's note: This section was amended by 2023 c 71 s 1 and by 2023 c 211 s 1, each without reference to the other. Both amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section under RCW 1.12.025 (2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025 (1).
Findings — 2004 c 262: See note following RCW 18.06.050 .