Is Your Dental License Current?

Quite a number of support calls and cases have come through with the problem of RDAs and RDHs licenses lapsed. This results in fines and penalties for both the RDA, RDH, and the owner/dentist. It is important that your dental license is current.

Employee Responsibilities

• Maintaining License: It is the individual licensed employee’s responsibility to keep their license current.
• Costs and Compliance: Employees must personally pay to keep their license current, satisfy the required CE, and ensure the Board has an up-to-date address, including a current email address.

Employer Contributions

• License Renewal as a Benefit: If the employer pays for the license renewals, that’s considered a benefit.
• Displaying the License: Employers are responsible for displaying the dental license.

Management’s Role

To prevent lapses, management should actively monitor the status of licenses:

• Regular Checks: Someone in management should check licenses to ensure they are current.
• Tracking Tools:
  • In larger practices, consider tracking license renewal dates in an Excel spreadsheet.
  • Alternatively, set reminders in an appointment calendar to prompt timely action.

Online Verification

You can verify the status of a licensed employee online. For example, in Tennessee, visit: Tennessee LicenseVerification

Conclusion

By clearly defining responsibilities and using tools to track renewal dates, practices can avoid costly penalties and maintain compliance.

Have any questions?