Section 43-11-40. Qualification of applicants; criminal background check

   (a) (1) Applicants for a license to practice dentistry must have received a doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) degree or a doctor of dental medicine (D.M.D.) degree from a dental school approved by the board and accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA) or its successor agency, if any. Those applicants who have received a doctoral degree in dentistry from a dental school not so accredited must comply with the following requirements in order to submit an application for licensure:

      (A) Successful completion at an accredited dental school approved by the board of the last two years of a pre-doctoral program and receipt of the doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) or doctor of dental medicine (D.M.D.) degree; and

      (B) Certification by the dean of the accredited dental school where such supplementary program was taken that the candidate has achieved the same level of didactic and clinical competency as expected of a graduate of the school receiving a doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) or doctor of dental medicine (D.M.D.) degree.

   (2) The board may establish by rule or regulation the requirements for documentation of an applicant's educational and personal qualifications for licensure.

   (3) In order to be granted a license under this Code section, all applicants must pass a clinical examination approved by the board and a jurisprudence examination on the laws of this state and rules and regulations as they relate to the practice of dentistry as established or approved by the board, which shall be administered in the English language.

(b) All applications to the board for a license shall be made through the executive director, who shall then submit all such applications to the board.

(c) Subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-11-47, applicants who have met the requirements of this Code section shall be granted licenses to practice dentistry.

(d) Application for a license under this Code section shall constitute consent for performance of a criminal background check. Each applicant who submits an application to the board for licensure agrees to provide the board with any and all information necessary to run a criminal background check, including but not limited to classifiable sets of fingerprints. The applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with the performance of a background check.

Ga. L. 1920, p. 132, § 7; Code 1933, § 84-709; Ga. L. 1949, p. 1367, § 4; Ga. L. 1963, p. 273, § 1; Ga. L. 1972, p. 843, § 1; Ga. L. 1976, p. 484, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1056, § 4; Ga. L. 1987, p. 932, § 5; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1706, § 19; Ga. L. 2004, p. 720, § 4; Ga. L. 2012, p. 1081, § 1A/SB 338; Ga. L. 2013, p. 192, § 2-10/HB 132.