Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B5-2.0135

Current through Reg. 50, No. 222; November 13, 2024

Section 64B5-2.0135 - Dental Hygiene Examination

(1) Practical or Clinical Examination:

(a) Currently, the Florida practical or clinical examination is the Dental Hygiene Examination developed by the American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc. (ADEX) and administered by the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA). Any ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination administered after June 1, 2010, will meet the clinical or practical examination requirement, regardless of the jurisdiction in which the exam was administered.

(b) Dental Hygiene applicants who graduated from a nonaccredited dental college or school that have failed the practical or clinical examination after the first attempt, shall successfully complete a remedial dental hygiene course of a minimum of twenty (20) hours offered by an educational institution accredited as provided in Section 466.007 (2)(b)1., Florida Statutes.

(c) Any dental hygiene applicant, who fails to pass the Practical or Clinical Examination in three (3) attempts, shall not be eligible for reexamination until the successful completion of one academic semester of clinical course work at the senior clinical practice level at a dental hygiene school approved by the American Dental Association Commission on Accreditation. A failure to comply with the remedial course work in this paragraph will result in a denial of licensure or a denial to sit for reexamination.

(d) The Board of Dentistry hereby approves the practical or clinical Dental Hygiene Examination developed by ADEX. All ADEX clinical or practical examination procedures, standards, and criteria are approved and shall remain approved contingent on the Board of Dentistry maintaining representation on the ADEX House of Representatives and the ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Development Committee.

(2) Laws and Rules Examination:

(a) The written examination shall be an examination covering the laws and rules applicable to the practice of a health care profession, the practice of dentistry and the practice of dental hygiene in the State of Florida.

(b) The examination shall, at a minimum, cover the following subject areas:

1. The provisions of Chapter 466, F.S.,

2. The provisions of Chapter 456, F.S.; and,

3. The provisions of Division 64B5, F.A.C.

(c) No more than three percent (3%) of the examination shall cover the topic of Chapter 456, F.S.

(3) All parts of the ADEX shall be completed within eighteen (18) months from the initial start of any portion of the examination or after eighteen (18) months from July 1st of the applicant's last year of dental hygiene school. A failure to complete all parts of the examination within the time frames set forth above will require the applicant to retake the entire examination.

(4) Grading, Passing Results, and Time Requirements:

(a) The practical or clinical examination must be completed with a score of seventy-five (75) points or greater on both portions of the examinations, whether administered in Florida or another jurisdiction.

(b) The written examination shall be completed with a seventy-five percent (75%) or greater.

(5) Historical Note Florida Dental Hygiene Exam:

(a) On March 23, 2012, legislation became effective, SB 1040, which amended Section 466.007, F.S. Beginning July 1, 2012, the amendment made the Florida Dental Hygiene Exam the hygiene examination developed by ADEX.

(b) Prior to the legislative change, the Board voted and implemented the Dental Hygiene Exam developed by ADEX and set June 1, 2010, as the controlling date for acceptance of this exam. Preceding June 1, 2010, the hygiene examination was an independent administered state exam.

(c) In accordance with the applicable rules and statutes, June 1, 2010, is the earliest date the Board shall accept for a valid Dental Hygiene Exam developed by ADEX, as this is the earliest date the Board and Council found the ADEX exam met the requirements of Section 466.007, F.S.

(6) This rule shall be reviewed, and if necessary, repealed, modified, or renewed through the rulemaking process five years from the effective date.

Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 64B5-2.0135

Rulemaking Authority 466.004(4) FS. Law Implemented 466.007 FS.

New 3-16-82, Amended 5-2-84, 5-19-85, 10-8-85, 12-8-85, Formerly 21G-2.135, Amended 12-31-86, 10-19-87, 2-21-88, 5-29-88, Formerly 21G-2.0135, 61F5-2.0135, Amended 11-15-95, Formerly 59Q-2.0135, Amended 10-31-01, 7-6-05, 12-31-09, 10-10-10, 12-28-11, 8-8-12, Amended by Florida Register Volume 41, Number 008, January 13, 2015, effective 1/27/2015, Amended by Florida Register Volume 41, Number 160, August 18, 2015 effective 9/1/2015, Amended by Florida Register Volume 47, Number 076, April 20, 2021 effective 5/3/2021, Amended by Florida Register Volume 48, Number 174, September 7, 2022 effective 9/22/2022, Amended by Florida Register Volume 49, Number 085, May 2, 2023 effective 5/18/2023, Amended by Florida Register Volume 50, Number 050, March 12, 2024 effective 3/24/2024.