Recognized dental, dental therapy and dental hygiene schools no longer must register with the state dental board as business entities or facilities, and the board loses authority over people practicing within the schools' clinical departments or laboratories, except for certain convictions and one other cited requirement; complaints about recognized dental schools now go to the school for review.
Official title: licensees; exemptions; business entities
- September 12, 2026
What changes
BeforeThe business entity and facility registration rules listed exemptions, such as dentist-owned practices and government-regulated facilities, but did not list schools.
NowRecognized dental schools, recognized dental therapy schools and recognized dental hygiene schools are exempt from the dental board's business entity registration and facility registration rules.
BeforeDentists, dental therapists and dental hygienists could practice 'for educational purposes on behalf of' a recognized school without the chapter prohibiting it. Students and interns could 'operate' in school or hospital clinics under a dentist's supervision.
NowDentists, dental therapists and dental hygienists may practice 'in the clinical departments or laboratories' of a recognized school. Students and interns may 'practice' in school or hospital clinical departments or laboratories under a dentist's supervision.
-
NowThe dental board has no jurisdiction or authority over anyone, licensed in Arizona or not, who is acting as a supervised student or intern, or practicing in the clinical departments or laboratories of a recognized school. Licensees still fall under board jurisdiction for a conviction described in section 32-1263, subsection A, paragraph 2, and must still comply with section 32-3208.
-
NowIf the board gets a complaint naming a recognized dental school, or arising from dental care at one, it must forward the complaint to the school on a schedule the board sets, but no more than 6 months after receiving it. The school must review the complaint through its internal quality assurance process.
-
NowEach recognized dental school must give the board a yearly list of the licensed dentists, dental therapists and dental hygienists it employs to practice in its clinical departments or laboratories.
Who it affects
- Patients who receive dental care at recognized dental, dental therapy or dental hygiene schools
- Dentists, dental therapists and dental hygienists who practice in the clinical departments or laboratories of recognized schools
- Dental, dental therapy and dental hygiene students and interns
- Recognized dental, dental therapy and dental hygiene schools
- Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners
What you need to do
Nothing.
What the law doesn't answer
- What makes a school 'recognized'
- What kinds of convictions section 32-1263, subsection A, paragraph 2 covers
- What section 32-3208 requires licensees to do
- Whether a school must report the results of its complaint review to the board or to the person who complained
- Whether the yearly employee list and complaint-forwarding rules also apply to dental therapy and dental hygiene schools, since the text names only recognized dental schools
- When during the year the employee list is due
This summary describes the law as enacted. Later laws, court rulings or referendum petitions can change the picture. Check the official text for the current wording.