(1) In addition to the method for obtaining a license to practice dentistry or dental hygiene by way of examination as provided by Section 73-9-23, the board, in its sole discretion, may grant a license to a candidate who meets the following criteria:

(a) Submit proof of graduation from a dental school or school of dental hygiene accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA), or its successor commission;

(b) Be engaged in the active practice of dentistry or dental hygiene or in full-time dental education or dental hygiene education for the past five (5) years;

(c) Currently hold a valid, unrestricted and unexpired license in a state whose standards for licensure are determined by the board as equivalent to Mississippi’s standards, and which state grants reciprocity or licensure by credentials to licensees of the State of Mississippi;

(d) Provides an endorsement from all states in which he or she is currently licensed or has ever been licensed to practice dentistry or dental hygiene;

(e) Has not been the subject of pending or final disciplinary action in any state in which the applicant has been licensed;

(f) Is not the subject of a pending investigation in any other state or jurisdiction;

(g) Has passed a state or regional clinical licensure examination and, within the past five (5) years, has not failed a clinical licensure examination administered by another state, jurisdiction, or regional licensing board;

(h) Has not failed at any time, a licensure examination administered by the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners;

(i) Provides a written statement agreeing to appear for interviews at the request of the board;

(j) Has successfully completed all parts of the National Board Examinations of the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, or its successor commission, unless the applicant graduated from an accredited dental or dental hygiene school before 1960;

(k) Successfully passes a written jurisprudence examination;

(l) Provides payment of a nonrefundable application fee as provided in Section 73-9-43; and

(m) In addition, the State Board of Dental Examiners may consider the following in accepting, rejecting or denying an application for licensure by credentialing:

(i) Information from the National Practitioner Data Bank, the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank and/or the American Association of Dental Examiners Clearinghouse for Disciplinary Information.

(ii) Questioning under oath.

(iii) Results of peer review reports from constituent societies and/or federal dental services.

(iv) Substance abuse testing or treatment.

(v) Background checks for criminal or fraudulent activities.

(vi) Participation in continuing education.

(vii) A current certificate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

(viii) Recent patient case reports and/or oral defense of diagnosis and treatment plans.

(ix) No physical or psychological impairment that would adversely affect the ability to deliver quality dental care.

(x) Agreement to initiate practice in the credentialing jurisdiction within a reasonable period of time.

(xi) Proof of professional liability coverage and that the coverage has not been refused, declined, canceled, nonrenewed or modified.

(xii) Any additional information or documentation that the board may stipulate by rule or regulation as necessary to qualify for a license by credentialing.

(2) The board shall be granted sufficient time to conduct a complete inquiry into the applicant’s qualifications for licensure by credentials, and the board may adopt such rules and regulations pertaining to the time needed to conduct investigations and the responsibility of applicants to produce verifiable documentation.

(3) Any applicant failing to meet the criteria in subsection (1) of this section shall not be eligible for a license based on credentials. Upon meeting the criteria in subsection (1) of this section, the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners may, in its discretion, issue to the applicant a license to practice dentistry, or dental hygiene, unless grounds for denial of licensure exist as enumerated in Section 73-9-61. Evidence of falsification in the application for licensure through credentialing will result in revocation of the license.

(4) Any applicant applying for a specialty license by credentials must stay within his or her board recognized specialty and must practice only that specialty within the State of Mississippi. A specialty license holder must hold a general dentistry license before obtaining a specialty license.

(5) The issuance of a license by reciprocity to a military-trained applicant or military spouse shall be subject to the provisions of Section 73-50-1.