POLICY
TO RESCIND ACCEPTANCE OF BENCH EXAM ADMINISTERED BY THE UNIVERSITY
OF TEXAS (Houston) AS BEING EQUIVALENT TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT
A FOREIGN TRAINED APPLICANT FOR LICENSURE MUST COMPLETE A LABORATORY
EXAMINATION AND CLINICAL TRAINING IN ALL PHASES OF GENERAL DENTISTRY.
Preamble:
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 4715.10 and Ohio Admin.
Code 4715-18-01 the Ohio State Dental Board (Board) will accept
for licensure foreign trained dental applicants who meet specific
criteria. Due to the changes evident across the United States,
the Board no longer believes that the bench examination administered
by the University of Texas at Houston qualifies a foreign trained
applicant for licensure in the state of Ohio.
The Dental Practice Act requires, among other things, that all
applicants for licensure as a dentist or dental hygienist in the
state of Ohio graduate from an accredited dental college. An exception
exists for foreign dental college graduates.
Ohio
Revised Code 4715.10 states that the Board shall adopt rules establishing
standards for unaccredited foreign dental college graduates which
assures a level of education and training equal to graduates of
accredited dental colleges. The law states that the requirements
must also include science and laboratory examinations, and sufficient
clinical training in an accredited institution to ensure that
foreign trained applicants have training equivalent to accredited
dental college graduates.
Ohio Administrative Code 4715-18-01 states that foreign trained
dental graduates who desires to be licensed in the state of Ohio
must do the following:
- Complete
an application and pay the required fee
- Successfully
complete the appropriate test to demonstrate proficiency in
the English language
-
Successfully complete Parts 1 and 2 of the National Board of
Dental Examiners examination
-
Provide an attestation, acceptable to the Board, by the faculty
of an accredited dental college, which states that the applicant
has had a laboratory examination and clinical training in all
phases of general dentistry and that the applicant possesses
clinical skills equal to graduates of that school.
To
satisfy requirement number 4, foreign trained applicants have
been going to the University of Texas at Houston and taking what
is called a Bench Exam and then receiving the attestation from
that college. It appears that this is the only accredited college
that will provide this attestation. The exam is a five-day event
which costs the applicant approximately $10,000 to take. The University
of Texas at Houston originally developed the exam to qualify foreign
trained dental graduated for licensure in their state. Texas no
longer accepts foreign trained dental graduates for licensure,
but continues for offer this exam to qualify applicants for licensure
in Ohio. Therefore, the Board questions the purpose, function
and administration of this exam, and will no longer accept it
as a way to demonstrate clinical competency as required in the
Dental Practice Act.
At
this time, applications for licensure as a dentist in the state
of Ohio submitted by foreign trained individuals will be reviewed
on a case by case basis to determine whether the requirements
outlined in the laws and rules have been met. It is suggested
that these graduates enroll in a two-year program in an accredited
dental school that includes clinical training and which is commensurate
with the final two years of dental school.
(January 20, 2000)
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