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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the Initial Licensure Requirements/Application Process?
Board Rule # 150-3-.04
- APPLICATION - Found on the board’s web-site under the link for Download Forms.
- NOTARIZED APPLICATION: Completed application form accompanied by a fee of $100.00. Your application will not be processed unless the fee and all supporting documents are received.
- LICENSE VERIFICATION: Official licensure verifications for every dental license ever held. Each letter must indicate the date of licensure, the licensure status (active, inactive, expired, revoked, etc.) standing of license, any disciplinary charges made against you by the licensing board or by any other state agency, and the result of these actions. The applicant must provide a copy of the formal complaint/pleading, outcomes, and a personal written explanation for each instance of discipline. The verification must be submitted with your application IN THE ORIGINAL SEALEDENVELOPE FROM THE BOARD OF EACH LICENSING STATE, and must be dated within four months of Board receipt of your complete application packet.
- DEGREE TRANSCRIPT: An Official Transcript which documents graduation with a D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree from a dental school which is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Education. The transcript must be IN THE ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPE FROM THE COLLEGE. Graduates from a non-accredited school please see Rule 150-3-.04 and O.C.G.A.§ 43-11-40(a)(1)(A) and (B).
- NATIONAL BOARD SCORES: National Board Scores from the ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations. The ADA (1-800-621-8099) will send a copy of National Board scores to state licensure boards only. If you ask the ADA to send our board a copy of your National Board scores, so indicate in your application packet. DO NOT SUBMIT THE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATE. YOUR NATIONAL BOARD SCORE MUST COME DIRECTLY FROM THE ADA TO THE BOARD OFFICE.
- CLINICAL LICENSURE EXAMINATION: Effective January 1, 2006, each candidate for a license to practice dentistry must pass all sections with a score of 75 or higher on the clinical ADEX examination administered by the Georgia Board of Dentistry or a testing agency designated and approved by the Board. The testing agency designated and approved by the Board for the ADEX examination is: Central Regional Testing Service (CRDTS). Once you have taken the ADEX exam, you must submit a notarized copy of your ADEX score card. ADEX scores are valid for five (5) years. CRDTS may be contacted at www.crdts.org or by telephone at: (785) 273-0380.
- The Georgia Board of Dentistry will only consider results from the
- SRTA that were attained between February 22, 1993 and December 31, 2005. If you took SRTA, you must submit a notarized photocopy of your SRTA score card. SRTA may be contacted through their website at www.srta.org or by telephone (757) 318-9082.
- JURISPRUDENCE EXAMINATION: The examination must be downloaded from our website (Download Form link) The study materials are also on our website. (www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/dentistry) The fee for this examination is $25.00, payable to the order of Georgia Board of Dentistry. FEES ARE NON REFUNDABLE. A score of 75 or higher is considered a passing score.
- NATIONAL PRACTITIONER DATA BANK: A National Practitioner
- Data Bank (NPDB) certified report of any pending or final disciplinary actions or malpractice actions against any license ever held by the applicant in any state. All applicants must submit a NPDB report along with a completed application. (NPDB must dated within four months). The ONLY applicants exempted from the requirement of NPDB report submission are those applicants within 6 months of dental school graduation who have never been issued a dental license in any state or U.S. territory. The NPDB report must be received in the ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPE FROM NPDB. Those applications which have any disciplinary or malpractice case(s) (open & closed) will be considered for licensure on a case by case basis, after receipt of all required application materials. For each case, the applicant must submit: 1) a copy of the formal complaint pleadings filed by the plaintiff/complainant or State Regulatory Agency, 2) a copy of the final action, disposition, or settlement, 3) a personal explanation of the disciplinary action or the malpractice claim, and 4) any further information requested by the Board in separate communications. To obtain information (self-query) from the NPDB-HIPDB, please visit www.npdb-hipdb.com, scroll to the right side of the home page, and click Perform a Self-Query. The self-query is $20.00, payable by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). If you do not have Internet access, contact the Customer Service Center at 1-800-767-6732 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fridays).
- CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION: If you have ever been summoned, arrested, taken into custody, indicted, convicted or tried for, or charged with, or pled guilty to, or pled, nolo contender to, a violation of any law or ordinance or the commission of any felony or misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations), (DWI & DUI are not minor traffic violations), or if you have been requested to appear before a prosecuting attorney or investigative agency in any matter you must attach the court disposition. Although a conviction may have been expunged from the records by a court order, it nevertheless must be disclosed on your application. For each occurrence furnish a written statement giving the complete facts in your own words, including in the statement the date, name and nature of the offense, the name and locality of the court, and the disposition of each such matter.
- CPR: Submit a photocopy of your current CPR certification.
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2. What are the requirements for Licensure by Credentials/Application Process?
Georgia Law O.C.G.A § 43-11-41 and Board Rule 150-7-.04
- APPLICATION - Found on the board’s web-site under the link for Download Forms.
- NOTARIZED APPLICATION: Completed application form accompanied by a fee of $3000.00. Your application will not be processed unless the fee and all supporting documents are received.
- LICENSE VERIFICATION: Official licensure verifications for every dental license ever held. Each letter must indicate the date of licensure, the licensure status (active, inactive, expired, revoked, etc.) standing of license, any disciplinary charges made against you by the licensing board or by any other state agency, and the result of these actions. The applicant must provide a copy of the formal complaint/pleading, outcomes, and a personal written explanation for each instance of discipline. The verification must be submitted with your application IN THE ORIGINAL SEALEDENVELOPE FROM THE BOARD OF EACH LICENSING STATE, and must be dated within four months of Board receipt of your complete application packet.
- DEGREE TRANSCRIPT: An Official Transcript which documents graduation with a D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree from a dental school which is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Education. The transcript must be IN THE ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPE FROM THE COLLEGE. Graduates from a non-accredited school please see Rule 150-3-.04 and O.C.G.A.§ 43-11-40(a)(1)(A) and (B).
- NATIONAL BOARD SCORES: National Board Scores from the ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations. The ADA (1-800-621-8099) will send a copy of National Board scores to state licensure boards only. If you ask the ADA to send our board a copy of your National Board scores, so indicate in your application packet. Please do not submit the National Board Certificate. Your scores must come directly from the ADA to the Board Office.
- CLINICAL EXAMINATION: Certification that the applicant has successfully completed with a passing score in each section, a clinical licensing examination in general dentistry conducted by a regional or state testing agency that meets the following criteria:
- Anonymity between candidate and examiners.
- Psychometrically valid procedures for standardization and calibration of the examiners.
- A post examination analysis of the scoring for single examination aberrations. Such verification shall state that the examination included clinical testing on live patients in the following areas:
- Periodontal clinical abilities testing.
- Completion of at least two of the following four areas:
- Class II Amalgam preparation and finish
- Cast Gold preparation and finish, Class II inlay, onlay, partial or full coverage crown
- Class II Composite preparation and finish
- Class III Composite preparation and finish
- Such verification shall also include clinical testing on mannequin or model in the following areas:
- Endodontic clinical abilities testing access opening and root canal fill
- Prosthodontic clinical abilities testing of partial denture, full denture and implant case planning.
- Additional clinical abilities testing modules successfully completed will be considered as substitutes where appropriate for the above requirements if those modules test a similar skill set.
- If the examination completed did not require testing in the above listed modules, the application will need to be considered on an individual basis.
- JURISPRUDENCE EXAMINATION: The examination must be downloaded from our website (Download Form link) The study materials are also on our website. (www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/dentistry) The fee for this examination is $25.00, payable to the order of Georgia Board of Dentistry. FEES ARE NON REFUNDABLE. A score of 75 or higher is considered a passing score.
- NATIONAL PRACTITIONER DATA BANK: A National Practitioner
- Data Bank(NPDB) certified report of any pending or final disciplinary actions or malpractice actions against any license ever held by the applicant in any state. All applicants must submit a NPDB report along with a completed application. (NPDB must dated within four months). The ONLY applicants exempted from the requirement of NPDB report submission are those applicants within 6 months of dental school graduation who have never been issued a dental license in any state or U.S. territory. The NPDB report must be received in the ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPE FROM NPDB. Those applications which have any disciplinary or malpractice case(s) (open & closed) will be considered for licensure on a case by case basis, after receipt of all required application materials. For each case, the applicant must submit: 1) a copy of the formal complaint pleadings filed by the plaintiff/complainant or State Regulatory Agency, 2) a copy of the final action, disposition, or settlement, 3) a personal explanation of the disciplinary action or the malpractice claim, and 4) any further information requested by the Board in separate communications. To obtain information (self-query) from the NPDB-HIPDB, please visit www.npdb-hipdb.com, scroll to the right side of the home page, and click Perform a Self-Query. The self-query is $20.00, payable by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). If you do not have Internet access, contact the Customer Service Center at 1-800-767-6732 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fridays).
- CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION: If you have ever been summoned, arrested, taken into custody, indicted, convicted or tried for, or charged with, or pled guilty to, or pled, nolo contender to, a violation of any law or ordinance or the commission of any felony or misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations), (DWI & DUI are not minor traffic violations), or if you have been requested to appear before a prosecuting attorney or investigative agency in any matter you must attach the court disposition. Although a conviction may have been expunged from the records by a court order, it nevertheless must be disclosed on your application. For each occurrence furnish a written statement giving the complete facts in your own words, including in the statement the date, name and nature of the offense, the name and locality of the court, and the disposition of each such matter.
- CPR: Submit a photocopy of your current CPR certification.
- DEA REGISTRATION: Verification of applicant’s registration with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), from the DEA, even if applicant is not currently registered with the DEA.
- EMPLOYMENT AFFIDAVIT: An affidavit from the applicant stating for the five years immediately preceding application: (A) the dates and locations where the applicant has practiced dentistry; and (B) that the applicant has been in full time clinical practice of a minimum of 1000 hours per year in the hands on treatment of patients. Training programs do not qualify as full time clinical practice. Please note that the practice requirement cannot be waived as it is required by law.
- MALPRACTICE QUESTIONNAIRE: Complete one for each suit and attach the necessary documentation. (If not applicable, write N/A on the form sign, date, and return with application).
- ALL dental licensure by credential applications MUST BE APPROVED by the Board.
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3. How long does it take to receive a license?
From the time we are in receipt of a completed application which does not require board review, it takes approximately 10 – 15 working days for your license to be issued.
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4. What are the education requirements?
Rule # 150-3-.04
DEGREE TRANSCRIPT: An Official Transcript which documents graduation with a D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree from a dental school which is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Education. The transcript must be IN THE ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPE FROM THE COLLEGE. Graduates from a non-accredited school please see Rule 150-3-.04 and O.C.G.A.§ 43-11-40(a)(1)(A) and (B).
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5. What CPR is needed?
See Board Rule # 150-3-.08
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6. Who provides the exam?
Rule # 150-3-.04
- NATIONAL BOARD SCORES: National Board Scores from the ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations. The ADA (1-800-621-8099) will send a copy of National Board scores to state licensure boards only. If you ask the ADA to send our board a copy of your National Board scores, so indicate in your application packet. DO NOT SUBMIT THE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATE. YOUR NATIONAL BOARD SCORE MUST COME DIRECTLY FROM THE ADA TO THE BOARD OFFICE.
- CLINICAL LICENSURE EXAMINATION: Effective January 1, 2006, each candidate for a license to practice dentistry must pass all sections with a score of 75 or higher on the clinical ADEX examination administered by the Georgia Board of Dentistry or a testing agency designated and approved by the Board. The testing agency designated and approved by the Board for the ADEX examination is: Central Regional Testing Service (CRDTS). Once you have taken the ADEX exam, you must submit a notarized copy of your ADEX score card. ADEX scores are valid for five (5) years. CRDTS may be contacted at www.crdts.org or by telephone at: (785) 273-0380.
- The Georgia Board of Dentistry will only consider results from the SRTA that were attained between February 22, 1993 and December 31, 2005. If you took SRTA, you must submit a notarized photocopy of your SRTA score card. SRTA may be contacted through their website at www.srta.org or by telephone (757) 318-9082.
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7. Is a state law exam required?
Rule # 150-3-.04
JURISPRUDENCE EXAMINATION: The examination must be downloaded from our website (Download Form link) The study materials are also on our website. (www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/dentistry) The fee for this examination is $25.00, payable to the order of Georgia Board of Dentistry. FEES ARE NON REFUNDABLE. A score of 75 or higher is considered a passing score.
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8. Is there a form to use to apply for exam?
Contact National Board Examination - ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations at 1-800-621-8099 or Clinical Exam - CRDTS - www.crdts.org or (785) 273-0380.
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9. Is there a form to use to apply for re-exam?
Contact National Board Examination - ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations at 1-800-621-8099 or Clinical Exam - CRDTS - www.crdts.org or (785) 273-0380.
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10. How long do I have to take the exam after completion of the education requirement?
Not specified in Georgia laws or rules.
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11. Who provides exam?
Contact National Board Examination - ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations at 1-800-621-8099 or Clinical Exam - CRDTS - www.crdts.org or (785) 273-0380.
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12. Who schedules the exam?
Contact National Board Examination - ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations at 1-800-621-8099 or Clinical Exam - CRDTS - www.crdts.org or (785) 273-0380.
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13. Is it an international exam?
Contact National Board Examination - ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations at 1-800-621-8099 or Clinical Exam - CRDTS - www.crdts.org or (785) 273-0380.
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14. How long are my scores good?
Rule # 150-3-.04
National Board – No limit listed in laws or rules
ADEX Exam - Five (5) Years
SRTA – no limit listed in laws or rules
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15. How many times can I take the exam?
Rules 150-3-.01(4), (5), and (6)
(4) Any candidate who fails one or two sections of the clinical examination or any combination of one, two, or three sections of the clinical examination, three times must take a remedial course of study designated and pre-approved by the board.
(a) Once the candidate shows written proof of successful completion of the approved course of study, the Board will grant the candidate one additional attempt at successful passage of the clinical licensing examination.
(b) After a fourth failure of one or more sections of the clinical examination, no further attempts will be authorized or scores recognized by the board for licensure in Georgia.
(5) Any candidate who fails three or more sections of the clinical examination three times must successfully complete a one-year American Dental Association-accredited course of study pre-approved by the board.
(a) Once the candidate provides written proof of successful completion of this one-year course of study, the board will grant the candidate one additional attempt at successful passage of the clinical licensing examination.
(b) After a fourth failure of one or more sections of the clinical examination, no further attempts will be authorized or scores recognized by the board for licensure in Georgia
(6) For purposes of this rule, failure of the completed curriculum integrated format type examination shall only be counted as one (1) examination failure. The final section/sections failed with the curriculum integrated format type examination will be applicable to sections (4) and (5) of this rule.
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16. How long does it take to receive exam scores?
Contact the National Board Examination - ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations at 1-800-621-8099 or Clinical Exam - CRDTS - www.crdts.org or (785) 273-0380.
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17. Is there a wait time to retake an exam?
Contact the National Board Examination - ADA Joint Commission on National Dental examinations at 1-800-621-8099 or Clinical Exam - CRDTS - www.crdts.org or (785) 273-0380.
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18. What are the continuing education requirements?
Rule #150-3-.09
Forty (40) hours for the two year renewal period.
Thirty (30) of the required hours must be in clinical science
New licensees may submit proof of ADA accredited dental coursework taken
within the previous 2 years to suffice for the CE requirements for their
first renewal period.
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19. Can I get a temporary license?
Temporary Licenses are not allowed by Georgia law.
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20. What happens if I do not renew my license?
Your license will lapse on July 1st after the renewal year and you will be required to reinstate.
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21. Can I make my license inactive?
Board Rule #150-3-.07
Yes, Inactive status is allowed.
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22. If I make my license inactive how do I reactivate?
Board Rule 150-3-.07
- A licensee may, in the discretion of the Board, have any inactive license restored by:
1. filing the required application and paying the proper fee;
2. providing documentation from a physician or physicians licensed in the State of Georgia that establishes to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant is able to practice with reasonable skill and safety to patients;
3. providing documentation demonstrating current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ("CPR") certification;
4. fulfilling any remedial requirements deemed necessary by the Board as a condition precedent to the licensee resuming his or her practice of dentistry or dental hygiene; and
5. appearing before a Committee of the Board upon request.
- In considering any application for restoration under this Rule, the Board may require that an applicant for restoration of an active license execute releases necessary to obtain documentation of the applicant's complete medical history; the Board may also require the applicant, at his or her own expense, to undergo further examination by physicians designated by the Board.
- As a condition precedent to a license being restored, after 5 years have passed without the applicant being actively engaged in the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene, the Board, in its discretion, may require passage of an examination administered by the Georgia Board of Dentistry or a Regional Testing Agency designated and approved by the Board.
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23. What are the License Renewal Dates?
Rule # 100-2-.02
Required by December 31 of the odd number years.
Late renewal allowed from January 1 of the even year following the renewal year through June 30 of the even year following renewal.
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24. What are the License Reinstatement Requirements?
Rule # 150-3-.05
- Reinstatement Application - Found on the board’s web-site under the link for Download Forms.
- Completed Application accompanied by the appropriate fee. If reinstatement is granted, the license will be required to be renewed by the last day of December in ODD numbered years, regardless of when you were reinstated.
- Official letter(s) of licensure verification for every dental license ever held.
- Each letter must indicate the date of licensure, the licensure status (active, inactive, expired, revoked, etc.) standing of license, any disciplinary charges made against you by the licensing board or by any other state agency, and the result of these actions. The applicant must provide a copy of the formal complaint/pleading, outcomes, and a personal written explanation for each instance of discipline. You should call each state board about fees for these services. The letter(s) must be submitted with your application IN THE ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPE FROM THE BOARD OF EACH LICENSING STATE, and must be dated within four months of Board receipt of your complete application packet.
- Jurisprudence Examination - The examination must be downloaded from our website (Download Forms link) the study materials are also on our website. (www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/dentistry) The fee for this examination is $25.00, payable to the order of Georgia Board of Dentistry. FEES ARE NON REFUNDABLE. A score of 75 or higher is considered a passing score.
- A National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) certified report of any pending or final disciplinary actions or malpractice actions against any license ever held by the applicant in any state. All applicants must submit a NPDB report along with a completed application. (NPDB must be dated within four months of receipt of your application). The ONLY applicants exempted from the requirement of NPDB report submission are those applicants within 6 months of dental school graduation who have never been issued a dental license in any state or U.S. territory. The NPDB report must be received in the ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPE. Those applications which have any disciplinary or malpractice case(s) (open & closed) will be considered for licensure on a case by case basis, after receipt of all required application materials. For each case, the applicant must submit:
- a copy of the formal complaint pleadings filed by the plaintiff/complainant or State Regulatory Agency,
- a copy of the final action, disposition, or settlement,
- a personal explanation of the disciplinary action or the malpractice claim, and 4) any further information requested by the Board in separate communications. To obtain information (self-query) from the NPDB-HIPDB, please visit www.npdb-hipdb.com, scroll to the right side of the home page, and click Perform a Self-Query. The self-query fee is $20.00, payable by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). If you do not have Internet access, contact the Customer Service Center at 1-800-767-6732 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fridays).
- Copy of Court Document or Affidavit explaining any discrepancies of the applicant’s name if documents submitted bear different name(s).[i.e. marriage certificate, divorce decree, legal name change]
- Copy of current CPR card
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae – List chronologically all employment, hospital privileges, specialty training and all other experience in the practice of dentistry/dental hygiene. Include names, beginning and ending dates, and locations, where applicable. Explain any intervals where you were not in training or practicing dentistry.
- Four (4) References (forms attached) - The reference forms must be mailed in with the application IN THE ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPE FROM THE REFERENCE.
- Continuing Education - All licensees are required to have continuing education credits in order to maintain a license in the State of Georgia. Dentists must submit proof of 40 hours of Board approved continuing education obtained within the last two (2) years from the date of submission of application for Board approval. Note: Once reinstated an additional 40 hours for dentists must be obtained for the upcoming renewal period. The hours submitted for reinstatement of license cannot be used to fulfill the requirements for an upcoming license renewal period.
- 10. Malpractice Questionnaire - Be sure to complete one for each suit and attach the necessary documentation. (If not applicable, write N/A on the form sign, date, and return with application).
- 11. Relocation - If you relocate during the time that your application is being processed, you must notify the Board of your new address in writing by fax (478) 207-1699 or mail. This will enable you to receive Board correspondence.
- Reminder: It is against the law to practice dentistry/dental hygiene with a lapsed/expired license. An individual who continues to practice with a lapsed/expired license is subject to a fine and disciplinary action.
- Please note: In accordance with Rule 150-3-.05, as a condition precedent to reinstatement after five (5) years have passed without the applicant being actively engaged in the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene, the Board may, in its discretion, require passage of an examination administered by the Georgia Board of Dentistry or a Regional Testing Agency designated and approved by the Board. In addition, the Board may require documentation from a physician or physicians licensed in the State of Georgia that establishes to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant is able to practice with reasonable skill and safety to patients.
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25. What is the Scope of Practice?
See Georgia law, O.C.G.A. § 43-11-17
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26. Frequently Used Acronyms
AADE – American Association of Dental Examiners
ADA – American Dental Association
CRDTS – Central Regional Dental Testing Service
ADEX – American Dental Examination
ADHLEX – American Dental Hygiene Examination
GDA – Georgia Dental Association
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