Louisiana State Board of Dentistry

In “History of Medicine in Louisiana” Rudolph Matas stated, “In 1880, 14 years ahead of the medical profession, the dentists succeeded in establishing a dental examining board. Through the efforts of the Louisiana State Dental Society, the state legislature in 1880 created a board of dental examiners to license all future practitioners of dentistry. Under the terms of the act, the board was to consist of five members of the state dental society. Although the board was compelled to grant licenses to all individuals possessing diplomas from accredited dental schools, it could examine any other applicant. One of the weakest features of the law was the provision denying the board permission to charge a fee for the license or examination. Thus the board members were compelled to donate their time and pay their own expenses. Another weak provision was one customarily found in all medical practice acts, blanketing into the dental profession all practitioners, regardless of qualifications, engaged in dentistry in the state at the time of passage of the act. Rather surprisingly, the penalties for non-compliance were more severe than was true of most of the medical acts. Violators were to be subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $300. Half of the fines were to go to the dental society and the other half to the education fund of the parish in which the offense was committed.”

In 1894, when the first medical practice act was re-enacted, the Dental Practice Act was amended to allow for enforcement. Violators of the law were considered guilty of a misdemeanor and the district attorneys were to be held responsible for bringing them to court. Further, the president of the Louisiana State Dental Society was authorized to fill unexpired terms of dental examiners, although the initial appointments still remained in the hands of the governor. Mr. Matas also said, “Building upon the foundation laid by the Dental Acts of 1880 and 1894, the board of examiners and the dental society, working in conjunction with the dental schools, gradually raised the licensing requirements and brought full professional status to the dental profession by the opening of the twentieth century.”

The board currently operates under the authority of the Department of Health and Hospitals which is part of the executive branch of state government. The Louisiana State Board of Dentistry consists of fourteen members: thirteen dentists and one dental hygienist. There are no public members. The dental hygienist is selected from a statewide balloting among all dental hygienists. The governor has two at-large appointments which he can make without any formality. The final at large position is reserved for an African-American dentist that is selected by a statewide ballot. The remaining board members come from 9 board districts which are drawn along the same lines as those districts of the Louisiana Dental Association. In these districts, the dentists select three nominees from which the governor appoints one to represent that particular district. The dentists and hygienist board members serve five year terms.

Every year the board elects a president, vice-president and secretary-treasurer. The president presides at all meetings and serves as the board’s executive officer between meetings. The vice-president has historically been in charge of the clinical licensing examination. Now that that function is contracted out, the vice-president serves as an examiner on the regional examination which is administered by the Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA). The secretary-treasurer is the legal custodian of all property, money, minutes, records, proceedings and seal of the board.

The board is charged with the obligation to protect the public through the regulation of the dental and dental hygiene professions. The board regulates the professions through the Dental Practice Act, which is made up of statutes, Title 37:751 et seq., board rules, Louisiana Administrative Code Title 46 and the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control. The Dental Practice Act is on this site under the tab Dental Practice Act. There is also much information on this site including forms which you may download for permits and applications, etc. In addition, the board staff publishes the Bulletin that will provide you with important news regarding changes in the Dental Practice Act as well as the topics facing the board and profession. Feel free to call the board staff anytime Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 4:30. The board staff is here to help both the public and the professional.