WAIVER STATUS
Dental and hygiene licensing exam
State Board of Dentistry guidance allowed dental and hygiene students the option of taking a manakin-based licensing exam for initial licensure during the state of emergency .
The State Board of Dentistry voted in July to continue to allow dental and hygiene students the option of taking the CDCA ’ s ADEX manikin based and Objective Structed Clinical Examination ( OSCE ) through December 31 , 2022 .
Reactivation of expired , inactive & retired license
Waiver allowed eligible dentists with retired , inactive or expired licenses to obtain a license to practice during the state of emergency .
Waiver expires on August 17 , 2021 . Dentists who were granted a license under these circumstances may continue practicing until the license expires . They must meet current eligibility requirements if applying during the next renewal period .
Telehealth services
Waiver allowed out-of-state dentists to provide telehealth services to in-state patients without having a PA license .
Waiver expired . There is no law or regulations in PA explicitly prohibiting the practice the telehealth . Dentists with PA licenses may continue to provide telehealth services so long as they are HIPAA compliant and following all other applicable state and federal laws .
Expanding scope of practice
Waiver allowed dentists to triage ; provide care in hospitals ; accept ER referrals from hospitals ; collect throat cultures ; perform nasal swab tests ; prescribe , administer and dispense medications outside of normal scope of practice .
Waiver expires on August 31 , 2021 , after which dentists should adhere to dentistry ’ s traditional scope of practice under the Pennsylvania Dental Practice Act .
Administering the COVID-19 vaccine
Waiver added other qualified health care professionals , including dentists , to administer the COVID-19 vaccine .
Waiver expires on September 30 , 2021 . Though an amendment to the federal PREP Act supersedes the state ’ s waiver , essentially allowing dentists to continue administering the vaccine at this time , the PA Department of Health may no longer approve dentists as vaccines providers after the waiver expires .
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 19