(1) The Oregon Board of Dentistry may administer written, laboratory or clinical examinations to test professional knowledge and skills.

(2) The examination must be sufficiently thorough to test the fitness of the applicant to practice dental hygiene. The examination must include, written in the English language, questions on any subjects pertaining to dental hygiene.

(3) If a test or examination was taken within five years of the date of application and the applicant received a passing score on the test or examination, as established by the board by rule, the board:

(a) To satisfy the written examination authorized under this section, may accept the results of national standardized examinations.

(b) To satisfy the clinical or laboratory examination authorized under this section:

(A) Shall accept the results of regional and national testing agencies or clinical board examinations administered by other states; and

(B) May accept the results of board-recognized testing agencies.

(4) The board may accept results of board-recognized testing agencies and shall accept the results of regional and national testing agencies or of clinical board examinations administered by other states in satisfaction of the examinations authorized under this section for applicants who have engaged in the active practice of dental hygiene in Oregon, other states, the Armed Forces of the United States, the United States Public Health Service or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for a period of at least 3,500 hours in the five years immediately preceding application and who meet all other requirements for licensure. [Amended by 1963 c.266 § 6; 1983 c.169 § 22; 2001 c.193 § 2; 2003 c.83 § 10; 2005 c.229 § 2; 2009 c.582 § 2; 2019 c.467 § 2]