(1) A person who is not licensed or registered to do so, or whose license or registration to do so has been suspended, revoked, or denied, shall not practice as a dentist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant.
(2) Any person who violates subsection (1) of this section is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class A misdemeanor for each subsequent offense.

Attorney's Note

Under the Kentucky Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class A misdemeanorup to 12 months up to $500
Class B misdemeanorup to 90 daysup to $250
For details, see § 532.090

Terms Used In Kentucky Statutes 313.070

  • Action: includes all proceedings in any court of this state. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Board: means the Kentucky Board of Dentistry. See Kentucky Statutes 313.010
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Dental hygienist: means any person who has graduated from a CODA accredited dental hygiene program at an institute of higher learning and has been credentialed as a "Registered Dental Hygienist". See Kentucky Statutes 313.010
  • Dentist: means any person who has graduated from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited dental school and has been conferred with the degree of "Doctor of Medical Dentistry" (D. See Kentucky Statutes 313.010
  • Dentistry: means the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, or surgical, nonsurgical, or related treatment of diseases, disorders, or conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area, or the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body provided by a dentist within the scope of his or her education, training, and experience and in accordance with the ethics of the profession and applicable law. See Kentucky Statutes 313.010
  • Direct supervision: means that the dentist is physically present in the dental office or treatment facility, personally diagnoses the condition to be treated, authorizes the procedures to be performed, remains in the dental office or treatment facility while the procedures are being performed, and evaluates the performance of the individual supervised. See Kentucky Statutes 313.010
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes territories, outlying possessions, and the District of Columbia. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010

(3) The provisions of this section shall not preclude the board from revoking or increasing the suspension period of a person practicing as a dentist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant who has illegally practiced while his or her license or registration is under suspension or has been revoked.
(4) The filing of criminal charges or a criminal conviction for violation of the provisions of this chapter or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder shall not preclude the board from instituting or imposing board disciplinary action authorized by this chapter against any person or organization violating this chapter or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder.
(5) The institution or imposition of disciplinary action by the board against any person or organization violating the provisions of this chapter or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder shall not preclude the filing of criminal charges against or a criminal conviction of any person or organization for violation of the provisions of this chapter or the administrative regulations promulgated thereunder.
(6) (a) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit students from performing dental operations under the supervision of competent instructors approved by the dental school, college, or department of a university. The board may authorize the students of any dental college, school, or department of a university to practice dentistry in any state or municipal institution or public school, or under the board of health, or in a public clinic or a charitable institution. No fee shall be accepted by the student beyond the expenses provided by the stipend.
(b) Students shall be at all times under the direct supervision of a dentist licensed in this state, who is an instructor of the institution at which they are studying.
(7) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit volunteer health practitioners providing services under KRS § 39A.350 to KRS § 39A.366.
(8) Violations of this chapter shall be heard in the Circuit Court of the county in which the alleged offense occurred.
Effective: July 15, 2010
History: Repealed and reenacted 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 85, sec. 12, effective July 15, 2010.
— Amended 1964 Ky. Acts ch. 12, sec. 4. — Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 208, sec.
1, effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. secs. 2636-8, 2636-19.