Effective 28 Aug 2004

332.261. License as dental hygienist, application, fee, renewal — renewal and reinstatement procedure. — 1. No person shall engage in the practice of dental hygiene without having first secured a license as provided for in this chapter.

2. Any person desiring a license to practice dental hygiene in Missouri shall pay the required fee and make application to the board on a form prescribed by the board pursuant to section 332.241. An application for licensure shall be active for one year after the date it is received by the board. The application becomes void if not completed within such one-year period.

3. All persons once licensed to practice as a dental hygienist in Missouri shall renew his or her license to practice on or before the renewal date and shall display his or her license for each current licensing period in the office in which he or she practices or offers to practice as a dental hygienist.

4. Effective with the licensing period beginning on December 1, 2002, a license shall be renewed every two years. To renew a license, each dental hygienist shall submit satisfactory evidence of completion of thirty hours of continuing education during the two-year period immediately preceding the renewal period. Each dental hygienist shall maintain documentation of completion of the required continuing education hours as provided by rule. Failure to obtain the required continuing education hours, submit satisfactory evidence, or maintain documentation is a violation of section 332.321 and may subject the licensee to discipline. As provided by rule, the board may waive and/or extend the time requirements for completion of the continuing education for reasons related to health, military service, foreign residency or for other good cause. All requests for waivers and/or extensions of time shall be made in writing and submitted to the board before the renewal date.

5. Any licensed dental hygienist who fails to renew his or her license on or before the renewal date may apply to the board for renewal of his or her license within four years subsequent to the date of the license expiration. To renew an expired license, the person shall submit an application for renewal, pay the renewal fee and renewal penalty fee as set by rule, and submit satisfactory evidence of completion of at least thirty hours of continuing education for each renewal period that his or her license was expired as provided by rule. The required hours must be obtained within four years prior to renewal. The license of any dental hygienist who fails to renew within four years of the time his or her license has expired shall be void. The dental hygienist may reapply for a license; provided that, unless application is made under section 332.281, the dental hygienist shall pay the same fees and be examined in the same manner as an original applicant for licensure as a dental hygienist.

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(L. 1969 S.B. 97, A.L. 1981 S.B. 16, A.L. 1983 S.B. 302, A.L. 1993 S.B. 27, A.L. 2001 S.B. 393, A.L. 2004 H.B. 970)