POLICY REGARDING UNLICENSED DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS SCREENING PATIENTS FOR LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS IN THE STATE OF OHIO

Preamble: The purpose of this policy is to address those situations where unlicensed dentists and/or dental hygienists must screen patients and backups for licensure examination in the state of Ohio, and the applicants are not able to screen the patients in an accredited dental/dental hygiene school.

This policy addresses recent graduates from accredited dental or dental hygiene schools who have taken the North East Regional Board (NERB) examination and who were unsuccessful in achieving NERB status. The Board will allow these applicants who must retake the NERB exam to screen patients in a private dental facility if all of the following are met:

• The unlicensed exam applicant is not providing treatment to patients.
• The patients are being screened under direct supervision of an Ohio licensed dentist.
• There is a licensed person in the office who will take x-rays for use by the exam applicant.

The policy only applies to NERB retake situations, as first time exam applicants screen patients in the accredited dental/dental hygiene school as part of the initial preparation for the examination.

(February 17, 1999)