SEC. 73-9-29. Certification of dental specialists.

Any dentist of this state licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners, who has complied with the requirements specified by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association, in a specialty branch of dentistry or who has otherwise met the requirements of the rules and regulations promulgated by the board may apply for a certificate as a specialist. Such application shall be accompanied by the payment of a fee not to exceed Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) and such application must be on file for at least sixty (60) days prior to the regular meeting of the board, and if the application is accepted the applicant may be notified to appear for examination before the board and a committee of that particular specialty, if available, appointed by the board. Examinations may be oral, written, or both, and the applicant may be required to demonstrate his knowledge and proficiency in the specialty in which he desires to be certified. The board is authorized to certify specialists in all specialty areas approved by the American Dental Association.

Any dentist not licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners but who is eligible to take the Mississippi State Board examination, and is further eligible for specialty examination, may take both examinations at the discretion of the board.

No licensed dentist shall hold himself out to the public as a specialist, or publicly announce as being specially qualified in any particular branch of dentistry, or publicly announce as giving special attention to any branch of dentistry, until he has been issued a certificate by the board authorizing him to do so. Failure to comply shall be cause for his dental license to be revoked or suspended.

Only the following shall be eligible to announce as specialists:

(a) A diplomate of a specialty board approved by the American Dental Association;

(b) A dentist who has complied with requirements as specified by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association for graduate training in the specialty sought to be announced, such training to meet the educational or training requirement for diplomate status;

(c) A dentist who has announced a specialized practice in one (1) of the special areas of dental practice within the State of Mississippi for at least five (5) years prior to January 1, 1970, and who meets the requirements elsewhere in this section may be granted a specialist certificate upon application and payment only of an initial specialty registration fee.

A dentist specialist's certificate shall be revoked upon the revocation of the holder's license to practice dentistry in Mississippi.

SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8757.5; Laws, 1970, ch. 419, Sec. 2; reenacted without change, 1983, ch. 488, Sec. 16; 1987, ch. 385; reenacted, 1991, ch. 483, Sec. 16; 1993, ch. 465, Sec. 4, eff from and after July 1, 1993.

1997 Amendment:

 Reenacted.

SOURCE: 1997 Laws, Chapter 541, Sec. 17, SB2226, Effective June 30, 1997.