(a)  Effective beginning in the calendar year 2006, every dentist, dental hygienist, or DAANCE-certified maxillofacial surgery assistant licensed to practice within this state, on or before the first day of May in each even numbered year, shall apply to the Rhode Island board of examiners in dentistry for a biennial license with the board. The applicant shall include satisfactory evidence to the board of examiners in dentistry that, in the preceding two years, the practitioner has completed a prescribed course of continuing dental or dental hygiene education established by the appropriate dental or dental hygiene association and approved by rule or regulation of the director or by the board of examiners in dentistry. If the applicant submits satisfactory evidence to the board that he or she has completed a prescribed course of continuing dental education, dental hygiene, or DAANCE-certified maxillofacial surgery assisting education and has complied with the provisions of § 5-31.1-6, the board shall issue the applicant a license registration for a two-year (2) period commencing on July 1. The board may extend for only one six-month (6) period those educational requirements if the board is satisfied that the applicant has suffered hardship that prevented meeting the educational requirement. No license to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in this state shall be refused, nor any license suspended or revoked, except as:

(1)  Provided for in this chapter; and

(2)  For failure to provide satisfactory evidence of continuing dental, dental hygiene, or DAANCE-certified maxillofacial surgery assisting education as provided for in this section.

(b)  Licensees shall apply for recertification by submitting evidence of continuing dental, dental hygiene, or DAANCE-certified maxillofacial surgery assisting education on a biennial basis. Application for biennial registration shall continue as provided in this section and § 5-31.1-21.