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RDHs...
Planning on moving to Tennessee?
Get information on licensure
Click here
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Moved? Name Changed?
Be sure to report this information within 30 days to the Health Related
Boards
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the reporting form here
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State of TN Health Related Boards
227 French Landing, Suite 300
Herritage Place - Metro Center,
Nashville, TN 37423
1-800-778-4123
Added 1/29/07
TDHA's Lobby Day on the Hill is Wednesday - March 26, 2008 -
7:00 to 12:00
Oral Health information and products will be available for distribution, as TDHA
continues to provide a professional presence and voice on the Hill. Providing
Access to Care is our focus!
Mark your calendars and invite everyone to come be a part of this event.
Added 1/28/08
Finally after waiting 4
long years RDHs can finally take courses for administering local anesthesia that
have been approved by the TN Board of Dentistry. Several TN Dental Hygiene
schools are in the process of setting up programs which will begin soon
Added 5/27/07 - From ADHA
Congressman Albert Wynn
(D-MD) will be announcing the introduction of legislation entitled
"The Essential Oral Health Care Act of 2007" at a press conference
at which ADA's President-Elect Dr. Mark Feldman is expected to
participate. The Wynn legislation: 1) authorizes grants to pilot
community dental health coordinator (CDHC) training programs and to
support volunteer dental projects; 2) provides states the option to
accept increased Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program
funding if states take specified steps to increase access to dental
care, including increasing dental Medicaid reimbursement levels
consistent with market rates; and 3) provides for tax credits for
donated dental services. Congressman Wynn's office declined to include
ADHP pilot projects in the legislation to be introduced although
his staff commented that the idea had "a lot of merit," and noted that
they were not ruling out the inclusion of ADHP pilot projects at
a later point in the legislative process.
Along with Cong. Wynn's efforts, Cong. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) introduced
a bill, H.R. 2371, on May 17th entitled "Deamonte's Law." The
bill is designed to increase the amount of dental services provided in
community health centers and would potentially fund additional pediatric
training programs. Maryland's Senators, Ben Cardin (Dem) and Barbara
Mikulski (Dem), have cosponsored S. 739, the "Bingaman Bill," which
is officially titled the Children's Dental Health Improvement Act. Senators
Cardin and Mikulski are reportedly working on additional dental
legislation.
This flurry of dental legislative activity is directly attributable to
the tragic death of young Marylander Deamonte Driver in February
http://www.adha.org/media/releases/03012007_post.htm, which has
prompted members of the Maryland congressional delegation to take
concrete steps in order to improve access to dental care for underserved
populations. Given the intense interest of Maryland legislators, we are
actively working with our Maryland members to generate grass-roots
activity. This work complements the March meeting of ADHA leadership
with the office of Congressman and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer
(D-MD) with respect to oral health and the ADHP specifically.
More broadly, we are working on Capitol Hill to 1.) promote oral
health as integral to overall health and general well-being;
2) encourage inclusion of pilot projects for the ADHP as a
means to achieve increased access to oral health services; and 3.)
advocate for the inclusion of the shared recommendations of the Dental
Access Coalition, which includes the American Dental Association and the
American Dental Education Association, on reauthorization of the State
Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) (http://www.adha.org/downloads/docs/SCHIP07.pdf).
As you know, ADHA has been quite active with advocacy efforts,
most notably being President Green's recent testimony before Congress
in March
http://www.adha.org/media/releases/04022007_subcommittee.htm
Further, ADHA's state-federal advocacy plan is in full swing,
with our Washington testimony, Hill visits and coalition work
complemented by grassroots efforts in the state. Indeed, in the last
several months, over two dozen visits were conducted by state dental
hygiene leaders in the state or district offices of their federal
legislators.
We will keep you advised of next steps and any action that may
follow. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Regards,
Tim
Tim Lynch, Director of Governmental Affairs
Save the Date!!!!
ADHA's 84th Annual Session
New Orleans, LA
June 20-27, 2007
GET REAL with ADHA's newest member benefit!
REAL TIME new membership processing, as well as
membership updates, renewals and conference registration!
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Added
6/1/06
Criminal
Background Check Required For All New Licensees
Effective June 1, 2006
applicants for
initial licensure in
Tennessee (not renewal or reinstatement)
must
obtain a criminal background check. This affects applicants for dentist, dental
hygiene or registered dental assistant licensure/registration.
Applicants may make their
appointment online at:
IISfingerprint.com.
First screen --Select a
scheduling system.
Click on
Tennessee.
Second screen--Choose
registration in
English or
Spanish.
Third screen --fingerprint
reason. Click on the pop-up menu and scroll down.
Select
“Bureau
of Health and Licensure (TN920390Z).”
Fourth screen--
Enter zip
code.
Select a
location.
Click on
location selected.
Follow instructions to
register for an appointment.
Click on submit.
Applicants who do not have
Internet access may make an appointment for the fingerprint scanning by calling
Identix toll free at (866) 226-2937.
Identix will ask for:
The
Originating Response Indicator [ORI] Number (TN920390Z)
or
The
fingerprint reason (Bureau of Health and Licensure) or
Both the
ORI and fingerprint reason
Applicants
who do not live in Tennessee and are not visiting Tennessee prior to licensure
may contact the Board of Dentistry’s administrative office toll free at (800)
778-4123, extension 25073 to obtain a fingerprint card and instructions for
processing.
Applicants
who have not recently obtained a criminal background check must contact
Identix
Identification Services to make an appointment for the scanning of his/her fingerprints.
The
fee is $56.00 and is paid directly to Identix.
If
both a nationwide and statewide criminal background check has been conducted
within the past six months, the Applicant may have it submitted directly from
the criminal background check provider to the Board’s
administrative office for consideration of fulfillment of this requirement:
Tennessee Board of Dentistry
First Floor, Cordell Hull Building
425 Fifth Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37247-1010
The Board shall determine if
this criminal background check is equivalent to the criminal background checks
provided by Tennessee’s approved vendor. If the Board determines it is not
equivalent and therefore not acceptable, an Identix background check will be
required before the licensure application can be processed.
Added
9/3/04
Licensure Application Fee - Payable each time
an application for licensure is filed. This fee also applies to criteria
approval and educational licensure application
$115.00
Licensure Renewal Fee - Payable biennially by
all licensee, including criteria approved and educational licensee.
$190.00
Added 6/04
Meharry Medical College will be holding N2O Administration courses in July,
September and November.
For more information see the Continuing Education page or download the brochure
here.
Added 4/04
HB3004/SB2138 Local Anesthesia for RDH's
PASSED April 17, 2004 Stay tuned for more information concerning educational
criteria for certification.
For information see the legislation page
Added 4/04
The following programs have been
approved for Nitrous Oxide Monitoring and Administration.
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Meharry Medical College,
School of Dentistry
1005 Dr. DB Todd, Jr., Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37208
(615) 327-6370
Professional Development
Association
1409 Stoner Ridge
Hermitage, TN 37076
(615) 424-6080 or (615) 424-6010 |
Chattanooga State Technical Community College
4501 Amnicola Hwy.
Chattanooga, TN 37406
(423) 697-4481
http://www.dentedonline.com |
Added 2/04
Read the Board of Dentistry's
Newsletter -
Winter 2003
Tennessee Continuing
Education Requirements for Dental Hygienists
Beginning January 1, 2003, each licensed dental hygienist
must successfully complete 30 hours of approved CE during the two calendar years
(January 1 st of an odd-numbered year
through December 31st of the following
even-numbered year). Two hours of the 30 hours are to be in the area of chemical
dependency education.
New licensees
are exempt from the CE requirements during their
initial two calendar year (January 1st
of an odd-numbered year – December 31st of an even-numbered year) cycle starting
with an odd-numbered year if the license was issued during an odd-numbered year
or with the preceding odd-numbered
year if the licensee was issued in an even-numbered year.
Honoring the Retirement of Mary Alice Gaston
Please join in honoring Mary Alice Gaston, RDH, MS, on the occasion of her
retirement, for her Outstanding service to The University of Tennessee Health
Science Center and the profession of Dental Hygiene. Mary Alice retired from
the University on June 30, 2003.
Read More
RDH Licensure Fees
The Board of Dentistry passed the
proposed increase in licensure fees for all dental professions (DDS/DMD, RDH &
RDA). This increase will most likely take place January of 2005 but a
definite date has not been set.
Nitrous Oxide Monitoring &
Administration for RDHs
The course curriculum for Nitrous
Oxide Monitoring & Administration for RDHs has been approved by the Board of
Dentistry in January 2004. Several colleges were approved for the teaching
of this course including Chattanooga State,
Added 4/09/03
Revisions to the continuing education requirements have been made by the Board
of Dentistry please review them
here
Added 4/09/03
The Tennessee Board of Dentistry
recently posted in their newsletter the "Scope of Practice" for dental
hygienists.
Read the recent scope of practice for the BOD Newsletter
Added 2/26/03
TDHA now has an online gift shop
that when you purchase items from this gift shop the proceeds go directly to
support TDHA legislative endeavors. So please visit the gift shop at
www.cafepress.com/tdhagiftshop
Added
1/08/03
TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS DIETARY COUNSELING FOR ADULTS WITH
HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND OTHER RISK FACTORS FOR CHRONIC DISEASE
Although citing insufficient evidence to
recommend for or against routine dietary counseling in the general population of
adult patients, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force today recommended that
primary care clinicians provide dietary counseling for adult patients with high
cholesterol and other known risk factors for diet-related chronic disease such
as high blood pressure and obesity.
These recommendations appear in the January
2003 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and can be
viewed on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Web site at
http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/3rduspstf/diet/.
Previous Task Force recommendations, summaries of the evidence, easy-to-read
fact sheets explaining the recommendations, and related materials are available
from the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse by calling (800) 358-9295 or sending an
email to ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov.
AHRQ encourages you to share this information
with colleagues. Please consider including this recommendation in your
organization's newsletter, publications, or LISTSERVs(r).
Added
12/2002
The
Future of Dental Hygiene
The future of dental
hygiene (working title) report will take place over a three-year period. During
the first year, ADHA has solicited or will solicit input from dental hygienists
throughout the country at the following venues sponsored by ADHA: the annual
session activities forum in Beverly Hills; the 2002 strategic planning session
in Chicago; council meetings; and the 2002 constituent officers' workshop.
>>
More Information
Taken
from
www.adha.org
Added
11/2002
Continuing Education Changes
Information taken from the
Tennessee Board of Dentistry Rules & Regulations
Department of Health: Board of Dentistry
Rule
0460-1-.05
"Beginning January 1, 2003, each
licensed dental hygienist must successfully complete thirty hours of CE in
courses approved by the Board during the two calendar years (January 1st
of an odd-numbered year through December 31st of the subsequent even-numbered
year) that precede the licensure renewal year. At least two hours
of the thirty hour requirement shall pertain to chemical dependency
education."
0460-1-.05 CONTINUING EDUCATION AND C.P.R.
(This has since been updated...see above)
(1) Continuing Education - Hours Required
(a) Each licensed dentist and dental hygienist
must attend and complete fifteen (15) hours of continuing education each
calendar year (January 1-December 31) in courses approved by the Board. A
minimum of one (1) of the required fifteen (15) annual hours must be obtained in
the area of chemical dependency education.
(b) Each registered dental assistant
must attend and complete a minimum of one (1) hour of continuing education each
calendar year (January 1-December 31) in the area of chemical dependency
education. Registered dental assistants who have coronal polishing certification
may apply the one (1) hour required in chemical dependency education to the
seven (7) hour requirement as provided in Rule 0460-4-.04(6)(a)2.
(c) The Board approves courses for only the number of hours contained in the
course. The approved hours of any individual course will not be counted more
than once in a calendar year toward the required hourly total regardless of the
number of times the course is attended or completed by any individual licensee.
(d) Each practitioner is responsible to attend only courses approved by the
Board under Rule 0460- 1-.05(3)(d) if credit for continuing education is desired
unless prior approval under Rules 0460- 1-.05(3)(b) and (e) has been
obtained.
(2) Continuing Education. Proof of
Compliance
(a) The due date for attendance and completion of
the required continuing education hours is December 31 of each year. A grace
period of sixty (60) days will be allowed for submission of the proof required
by subsection (b) but the hours must have been obtained in the preceding
calendar year.
(b) Each dentist and dental hygienist must on their biennial renewal
application, check a box and/or enter a signature which indicates attendance and
completion of the required continuing education hours and that such hours were
obtained during the calendar year of report. (c) Each dentist and dental
hygienist must retain independent documentation of attendance and completion of
all continuing education courses. This documentation must be retained for a
period of three (3) years from the end of the calendar year in which the course
is completed. This documentation must be produced for inspection and
verification, if requested in writing by the
Board during its verification process.
(d) Further, it is the responsibility of the practitioner to obtain
documentation in the form of a certificate
indicating the name of the practitioner attending such course, title of the
course taken, date of the course, number of hours obtained for attending the
course, and verification of the approved
organization sponsoring the course.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Adverse Action Could Be The Result of Not
Maintaining Current Address with Board
(04-18-2000)
Tennessee law requires all dentists, dental hygienists, and registered
dental assistants to keep their addresses current with the Tennessee
Board of Dentistry. Failure to do so could result in adverse action by
the Board. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-1-108(c), requires
licensees to notify the Board within 30 days after an address change.
The address registered with the Board is the address of record where the
Board sends all correspondence, including renewal notices. Dental
practitioners who fail to renew are placed upon the Boards docket for
administrative revocation of their licenses. [A large percentage of
licensees who fail to renew do not receive their renewal notices because
they did not keep their address current with the Board.] During
administrative revocation, it is unlawful for the licensee to practice.
Change of address must be made in writing to the Boards Administrative
Office by completing the Name and Address Change form located under
Applications/ Forms at the Boards web page, or by furnishing a letter
with the old address, new address, and license number of the licensee.
Address changes may be mailed to the Board, or faxed to 615-532-5164,
attention Dental Board Administrator. The Board's mailing address is: TN
Board of Dentistry, 1st Floor Cordell Hull Bldg, 425 5th Avenue North,
Nashville, TN 37247-1010.
See TN Dept. of Health Website for forms and additional information.
Tennessee
Department of Health
SADHA Reports
SADHA sponsored six students to Beverly Hills for the National Meeting. the
attendees were, Amanda Crawford, Ashley Woodruff, Brandi Prince, Leah Lindsey, Tanonni Layne, and Stacey Anderson. They presented their table clinics and
posters. Amanda and Ashley won second place in the poster competition, they won on all three levels local, state, and national. Their research project
was titled "Waiting For A Free Ride?" They would like to recognize Mrs. Wheeler's fifth and sixth grade class, from Johnson Middle School for
allowing them to conduct their study.
SADHA also sponsored a picnic during orientation for our incoming freshman students. It was held at Centennial Park on July 12, 2002. It was an
enjoyable affair the Sophomore students met their Little Sisters (Freshman Students).
We are expecting 30 new students this fall.
We had 99% passing on the National Board and 100% passing the Southern Regional Board. Eight students made a perfect score on the Southern Regional Broad exam.
Carla Newbern
School Representative
News From ADHA
Investigators on
Scope of Practice Eager to Meet with Dental Hygienists
Plans are being made for
investigators researching the dental hygiene scope of practice to meet with
practicing RDHs during Annual Session. Ed Salsberg, MPA, Director of the
SUNY-Albany Center for Health Workforce Studies, will address the board of
trustees on Thursday, June 19. Friday through Monday, investigators
Margaret Lanelier and Paul Will attend networking sessions and caucuses to
garner information on how dental hygienists view their scope of practice.
This study is being
conducted by the State University of New York at Albany which received a grant
from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Let's Give them
our full cooperation!
National Oral Health
Plan
In November, when
Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, held an invitation-only meeting in
Washington, D.C., to discuss the development of a national oral health plan as
called for in the groundbreaking Surgeon General's Report Oral Health in
America. Washington, D.C., counsel Karen Sealander, and I (Stanley Beck, ADHA Ex.
Director) represented ADHA at the meeting. The purpose of the
meeting was to launch the collaborative development of a national oral health
plan, which would build upon the Surgeon General's Report and the Healthy
People 2010 goals that address oral health.
Approximately 80 people
attended, including ADA Executive Director James Bramson, DDS; Rear Admiral
Dushanka Klienman; Chief Dental Officer of the U.S. Public Health Services and
Deputy Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
and numerous other representatives of dental and nondental organizations and
the federal government.
In addition to the
national meeting, regional hearing were held around the country to gather
input from the communities of interest. ADHA was represented at the
following meetings:
Chicago - Ann E. Naber,
RDH, President, and Jan Starr Director of Governmental Affairs
Atlanta - Tammi O. Byrd,
RDH, Vice President
Boston - Jean Conner,
RDH, District 1 Trustee
In addition, There were
dental hygienists on hand representing various constituent dental hygienists
associations. Overwhelmingly, the testimonies given at the hearings
around the country resounded the message that registered dental hygienists are
educated to increase access to care and are underutilized because of
restrictive barriers. IN addition to the verbal testimony, the
association submitted written testimony. Copies have been made available
to member of the board of trustees. ADHA endorsed the two major goals of
the National Oral Health Plan Call to Action: To promote general health
and well being by promoting oral health through critical partnerships at all
levels.
ADHA also endorse the
four guiding principles:
1) Ensure that the
public benefits from the existing and emerging science base. Approaches
must reflect the science and be responsive to the needs of the individuals and
communities;
2) Stimulate and
support critical partnerships among all health professional and beyond.
Successful partnership interventions will be characterized by a focus on oral
health as a subset of overall health and the need for social accountability;
3) Seek social
equity. Effort to reduce disparities in oral health and access to
appropriate oral health care must build upon fundamental societal values of
quality and respect for cultural diversity;
4) Emphasize
prevention and health promotion. Remedies must prioritize prevention and
health promotion and commit to quality and assure sustainability.
In addition, ADHA
recommended the inclusion of a fifth guiding principal: Increase entry
points into the oral health car delivery system. And ADHA addressed the
proposed action element/objectives of the plan:
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Change perception
regarding oral health and disease so that oral health becomes an accepted
component of general health.
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Accelerate the
building of the scientific-and evidence-base and apply science effectively
to improve oral health
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Build an effective
health infrastructure at the local, state and national levels that meeting
the oral health needs of all Americans and integrates oral health
effectively in to overall health.
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Strengthen and
expand oral health research and education capacity.
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Ensure the development
of responsive, competent, diverse and "elastic" workforce.
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Remove know barriers
between people and oral health services.
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Use public-private
partnerships and build upon common goals to improve the oral health of those
who will stuffer disproportionately from oral diseases. ADHA's
access-to-care position paper was distributed to all hearings and submitted
as supplement to the ADHA written testimony in response to the National Oral
Health Plan "Call to Action". To view ADHA's written
testimony, go to
www.adha.org,
Professional Issues - Surgeon Generals Calls for National Oral Health Plan.
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