A.  Any person applying for or accepting a license or permit to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in this state shall, by applying for or accepting said license or permit, be deemed to have given his consent to submit to physical or mental examinations when so directed by the board, acting upon reasonable cause, and to waive all objections as to the admissibility or disclosure of findings, reports, or recommendations pertaining thereto on the grounds of privileged communications or other personal privileges provided for by law.

B.  Any person applying for, accepting, or holding a license or permit to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in this state shall be deemed, notwithstanding any privilege of confidentiality, to have given his authorization and consent to the disclosure to the board, by any dentist, physician, or other health care provider and by any health care institution, of any and all dental or medical records and information pertaining to such person’s diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and prognosis for any physical or mental condition, disease, illness, deficiency, or infirmity, when the board is acting upon a bona fide complaint and it has reasonable cause to believe that his fitness and ability to practice dentistry or dental hygiene with reasonable skill and safety may be impaired by mental illness or deficiency, or physical illness, including but not limited to deterioration through the aging process or the loss of motor skills, and/or excessive use or abuse of drugs, including alcohol. However, any records or information obtained by the board pursuant to this Section shall not constitute public records and shall be maintained in confidence by the board until and unless such records or information are admitted into the record of proceedings before the board pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. 37:780.  Upon the request of the board, the licensee shall execute a written authorization to allow the board to acquire the health care records as described herein.

C.  Unless the board agrees to accept the surrender of a license, permit, certification, or registration of an individual the board regulates, the individual may not surrender the license, permit, certification, nor registration lapse by operation of law while the individual is under investigation or while charges are pending.  The board may set conditions on its agreement to accept surrender of a license, permit, certification or registration as it sees fit in these circumstances.

Acts 1995, No. 920, §1; Acts 1997, No. 83, §1.