Meetings

Board Meetings:

The April Board meeting will be held April 5, 2024 beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa, 10 Hightower Place, Florence, AL 35630. 

(256) 246-3600

Agenda:

Agenda

 

 

Announcements

 

BDEAL-Board Opinion (Lead Aprons/thyroid collars)

 

On February 1, 2024, the American Dental Association published a new literature review, and updated its recommendations, relating to ionizing radiation exposure in dentistry. See Benavides, et al., Optimizing radiation safety in dentistry: Clinical recommendations and regulatory considerations, Journal of the American Dental Association (February 1, 2024). The new guidance is notable for its new recommendation that lead aprons and thyroid collars are no longer recommended in routine dental practice.

 

The regulations of the State Department of Public Health require the use of “procedures and engineering controls based upon sound radiation protection principles to achieve occupational doses and public doses that are as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA).” Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-3-26-.03(5). Those rules also do not necessarily require the use of lead aprons or thyroid collars in routine dental imaging.

 

The Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama does not have any generally applicable rule that requires licensees to use lead aprons and/or thyroid collars in connection with routine intraoral radiography.

 

Patients, particularly those accustomed to using lead aprons over an extended period of time, may request that dental practitioners provide them with a lead apron during dental imaging. This is a matter of sound clinical judgment in each particular case.

 

The Board recommends that all dental practitioners review the updated ADA guidance, available at https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(23)00734-1/fulltext, and to incorporate the updated recommendations into their clinical judgment and decision-making processes.

 

Job Openings:

ADHP-Coordinator

 

Emergency Board Rule

Alabama Administrative Code r. 270-X-2-.24 Anesthesia Inspection Teams-Emergency Filing

 

Proposed Board Rule Amendments

Alabama Administrative Code, r. 270-X-5-.09 Non-disciplinary Fines

Alabama Administrative Code, r. 270-X-2-.07 Annual Registration for Dentists

Alabama Administrative Code, r. 270-X-2-.21 Oral Conscious Sedation

Alabama Adminstrative Code, r. 270-X-3-.07 Annual Registration for Dental Hygienists

Alabama Adminstrative Code, r. 270-X-2-.24 Anesthesia Inspection Teams

 

UAB Training Opportunity

Infiltration Anesthesia for Dental Hygiene Procedures*

Location: UAB-School of Dentistry

Dates: April 5-7, 2024

Register: Direct Link  

 

*ATTENTION*

Pursuant to Code of Alabama (1975), §34-9-15 and Alabama Administrative Code, r. 270-X-2-.07, all licenses and permits issued by the Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama shall expire October 1st of each year.  This is NOT a new statute or board rule.  The Board voted to return to the original date provided for in our state law to ensure statutory compliance as an agency.

Should you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact Executive Director W. Blake Strickland at (205) 985-7267, ext. 8, or by email at blake@dentalboard.org.

 

The 2023 Newsletter is published on the "About" page for your viewing pleasure.

 

July 10, 2023 – The Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama, responsible for licensure, monitoring, and ensuring the safe practice of dentists and dental hygienists in their service to the people of Alabama, today announced that American Council on Education (ACE) Learning Evaluations has evaluated and recommended college credit for the Alabama Dental Hygiene Program (17 semester credit hours). This credit award will begin with the 2023-2024 class and will include free transcripts and support services for transferability to universities.

See the press release: Press Release