§ 3295. Examination for licensure as hearing aid dispenser

(a) Examinations shall be administered in the manner and places designated by the Director.

(b) The examination shall cover the following: the basic physics of sound, anatomy, and physiology of the ear, structure and function of hearing aids, pure tone audiometry, voice and recorded speech audiometry, interpretation of audiograms as related to hearing aid usage, selection and adaptation of hearing aids, counseling people who are hard of hearing in the appropriate use of hearing aids, identifying situations in which referrals to a physician are appropriate, knowledge of medical and rehabilitation facilities for people who are hard of hearing in this State, and State and federal laws relating to dispensing hearing aids and other areas of knowledge determined by the Director to be necessary.

(c) If the applicant passes the examination and meets the other requirements set forth in this chapter, the applicant shall receive a license upon payment of the license fee.

(d) If an applicant fails the examination, the applicant may retake the examination on one or more occasions upon payment of the examination fee.

(e) The Director shall establish by rule fixed criteria for passing the examination that shall apply to all persons taking the examination.

(f) The Director may waive the examination requirement if the applicant is a hearing aid dispenser regulated under the laws of another state who is in good standing to dispense hearing aids in that state and, in the opinion of the Director, the standards and qualifications required for regulation of hearing aid dispensers in that state are currently at least equal to those required by this chapter.

(g) Licensing standards and procedures shall be fair and reasonable and shall be designed and implemented to measure and reasonably ensure that all applicants are granted licensure if they demonstrate that they possess the minimal occupational qualifications that are consistent with public health, safety, and welfare. They shall not be designed or implemented for the purpose of limiting the number or types of licensees. (Added 1989, No. 60, § 1; amended 1989, No. 250 (Adj. Sess.), § 4(d); 2013, No. 96 (Adj. Sess.), § 179; 2015, No. 38, § 34, eff. Sept. 1, 2015.)