---
title: HB 322. Ga. Board of Dentistry; issuance of a dental or dental hygiene license for the sole purpose of teaching in an accredited dental, dental hygiene school, or academic medical center; revise provisions
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb322
cite_as: HB 322, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb322
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb322.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb322/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70033
date: 2025-05-09
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb321.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb323.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 1056
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb322.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 322
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-05-09
last_action: Effective Date 2025-07-01
sponsors:
  - Lee Hawkins
  - Ron Stephens
  - Katie Dempsey
  - James Hatchett
  - Matthew Gambill
  - Deborah Silcox
  - Max Burns
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB322/2025
upstream_id: 1960976
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - dental licensing
  - dentistry education
  - medical licensing
  - Georgia Board of Dentistry
---

# HB 322. Ga. Board of Dentistry; issuance of a dental or dental hygiene license for the sole purpose of teaching in an accredited dental, dental hygiene school, or academic medical center; revise provisions

## Text

25 LC 46 1130S/AP
House Bill 322 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Hawkins of the 27th, Stephens of the 164th, Dempsey of the 13th, Hatchett
of the 155th, Gambill of the 15th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 11 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants, so as to re vise provisions regarding the2
Georgia Board of Dentistry issuance of a dental license for the sole purpose of teaching or3
instructing in an accredited dental school or academic medical center in this state; to provide4
for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6
SECTION 1.7
Chapter 11 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to dentists, dental8
hygienists, and dental assistants, is amended by revising subsections (a.1) through (e) of and9
adding a new subsection to Code Section 43-11-42, relating to r eciprocity and criminal10
background check, to read as follows:11
"(a.1)(1) The board may issue, in its discretion, without exami nation, a teacher's or12
instructor's license to a dentist who has graduated from a scho ol, college, or advanced13
dental education program approved by the board and accredited by the Commission on14
Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA) or its successor agency,15
if any, for the sole purpose of teaching or instructing, in an accredited dental college,16
H. B. 322
- 1 -
25 LC 46 1130S/AP
advanced dental education program, or training clinic in this state, those procedures and17
services recognized in this state to be within the scope of pra ctice of such person's18
professional license. Those applicants who have received a doctoral degree in dentistry19
from a dental school not so accredited must comply with the following requirements in20
order to submit an application for licensure such teacher's or instructor's license:21
(A)(i) Successful completion at an accredited dental school ap proved by the board22
of the last two years of a program leading to the doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) or23
doctor of dental medicine (D.M.D.) degree; or24
(ii) Successful completion at an accredited dental school or college approved by the25
board of at least a two-year advanced education program in one of the dental26
specialties recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA) or in an advanced27
dental education program in general dentistry; or28
(iii) Successful completion of at least two one-year advanced dental education29
programs in general dentistry at an accredited dental school or college approved by30
the board; or31
(iv) Successful completion of a one-year program in operative dentistry at a dental32
school or college approved by the board and a one-year advanced dental education33
program in general dentistry at an accredited dental school or college approved by the34
board; and35
(B) Certification by the dean of the accredited dental school where such supplementary36
program was taken that the candidate has achieved the same leve l of didactic and37
clinical competency as expected of a graduate of the school receiving a doctor of dental38
surgery (D.D.S.) or doctor of dental medicine (D.M.D.) degree.39
(A) The applicant is or has been licensed to practice dentistry in another state, country,40
or territory;41
(B) The applicant shall submit a letter of recommendation from the dean or director of42
the teaching institution at which he or she is seeking employme nt along with43
H. B. 322
- 2 -
25 LC 46 1130S/AP
verification of an executed employment offer for the full-time or part-time position that44
the applicant is applying to fill. Such recommendation shall verify that the applicant45
has met or been approved under the credentialing standards of a dental school or an46
academic medical center with which the person is to be affiliated; such dental school47
or academic medical center shall be accredited by the Commissio n on Dental48
Accreditation of the American Dental Association or The Joint Commission;49
(C) The applicant has never failed the Georgia dental licensure examination;50
(D) The applicant has never had a dental license revoked in this state or another state,51
country, or territory; and52
(E) The applicant shall have a current cardiopulmonary resusci tation (CPR)53
certification.54
(2) The board may establish by rule or regulation the requirements for documentation of55
an applicant's educational and personal qualifications for licensure under this subsection.56
(3) In order to be granted a license under this subsection, all applicants must shall pass57
a jurisprudence examination on the laws of this state and rules and regulations as they58
relate to the practice of dentistry as established or approved by the board, which shall be59
administered in the English language.60
(b) Any license issued under subsection (a.1) of this Code section authorizes the licensee61
to practice dentistry only while engaged in the performance of the licensee's duties as an62
employee of the accredited school or college or only in connect ion with programs or63
training clinics affiliated with or endorsed by such school or college. Such licensee shall64
not practice dentistry with such license outside of such authorization.65
(b)(c) The board may issue, in its discretion, without examination, a license to dentists for66
the sole purpose of practicing public health dentistry in an of ficial state or a local health67
department or to render dental services to patients in state op erated eleemosynary or68
correctional institutions, provided that these dentists possess a license in another state, are69
in good standing in said state, and have graduated from an accredited dental college. Such70
H. B. 322
- 3 -
25 LC 46 1130S/AP
license shall be considered to be a temporary license which shall be valid for a period to71
be established by board rule.72
(c)(d) The cost of such teacher's, instructor's, or temporary public health license shall be73
established by the board.74
(d)(e) Any license issued or considered for issuance under this Code section shall be75
subject to the provisions set forth in Code Section 43-11-47.76
(e)(f) Application for a license under this Code section shall const itute consent for77
performance of a criminal background check. Each applicant who submits an application78
to the board for licensure agrees to provide the board with any and all information79
necessary to run a criminal background check, including but not limited to classifiable sets80
of fingerprints. The applicant shall be responsible for all fe es associated with the81
performance of a background check."82
SECTION 2.83
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.84
H. B. 322
- 4 -

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

House Bill 322 rewrites the rules for how the Georgia Board of Dentistry issues special teaching licenses to dentists who want to instruct at accredited dental schools or academic medical centers in the state.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia law lets the Board of Dentistry issue a special no-exam teaching license to dentists so they can instruct at accredited dental schools, advanced dental education programs, or academic medical centers. This bill replaces the old qualification pathway, which focused on where an applicant earned their dental degree and required extra supplementary coursework certified by a dean, with a new set of requirements focused on the applicant's professional history and job offer.

Under the new version of O.C.G.A. section 43-11-42, an applicant must already be or have been licensed to practice dentistry elsewhere, must submit a dean or director's letter confirming a real full-time or part-time job offer at the teaching institution, must never have failed the Georgia dental licensing exam or had a license revoked anywhere, and must hold current CPR certification. The bill also adds a new subsection clarifying that this teaching license only allows practice tied to the licensee's teaching duties, and it makes the jurisprudence exam mandatory rather than discretionary. The rest of the code section, covering temporary public health licenses, license costs, and criminal background checks, is renumbered but left substantively the same.

### What it does

- Removes the prior requirement that teaching-license applicants from unaccredited dental schools complete specific supplementary degree programs certified by a dean.
- Requires teaching-license applicants to already be, or have been, licensed to practice dentistry in another state, country, or territory.
- Requires applicants to submit a letter from the dean or director of the hiring school confirming a verified full-time or part-time job offer and that credentialing standards were met.
- Bars anyone who has ever failed the Georgia dental licensure exam or had a dental license revoked anywhere from getting this teaching license.
- Adds a new requirement that applicants hold a current CPR certification.
- Adds a subsection clarifying the teaching license only covers work tied to the licensee's teaching duties at the accredited school or affiliated programs.

### Who it affects

The bill affects dentists seeking special no-exam licenses to teach at Georgia's accredited dental schools, advanced dental education programs, or academic medical centers, as well as the Georgia Board of Dentistry, which reviews these applications, and the dental schools and academic medical centers that employ these teaching dentists.

### Why it matters

Dentists who want to teach in Georgia without taking the full licensing exam will face a different set of hurdles: proof of a real job offer, a clean licensing history, and CPR certification, rather than proof of specific supplemental coursework tied to where they earned their degree. This could change who qualifies to teach at Georgia dental programs.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. section 43-11-42(a.1) to remove the prior pathway requiring supplementary coursework certification for graduates of unaccredited dental schools.
- New paragraphs (A) through (E) require prior licensure elsewhere, a dean's or director's letter verifying an executed job offer, a clean exam and revocation history, and current CPR certification.
- A new subsection (b) limits the teaching license to practice performed while carrying out teaching duties at the affiliated school or its programs.
- The jurisprudence exam requirement is changed from discretionary ('may') to mandatory ('shall') for all applicants under this subsection.
- Subsequent subsections on temporary public health licenses, license costs, background checks, and criminal background check consent are relettered but not substantively changed.
- Section 2 repeals all conflicting laws.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-05-09)
- Last action: Effective Date 2025-07-01 (2025-05-09)
- Sponsors: Lee Hawkins, Ron Stephens, Katie Dempsey, James Hatchett, Matthew Gambill, Deborah Silcox, Max Burns
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70033

> The history, votes, and amendments (1,056 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb322.md?full=1