Colorado § 12-220-302 - Persons exempt from operation of this article.

§ 12-220-302. Persons exempt from operation of this article.

(1) This article 220 does not apply to the following practices, acts, and operations:

(a) Practice of the profession of physician or surgeon by a physician or surgeon licensed under the laws of this state to practice the profession unless the physician or surgeon practices dentistry as a specialty;

(b) The administration of an anesthetic for a dental operation by a qualified anesthetist licensed pursuant to article 240 of this title 12 or a nurse licensed or registered pursuant to article 255 of this title 12;

(c) The practice of dentistry, dental therapy, or dental hygiene in the discharge of their official duties by graduate dentists, dental surgeons, dental therapists, or dental hygienists in the United States armed forces, public health service, Coast Guard, or veterans administration;

(d) Students or residents regularly employed by a private hospital or by a city, county, city and county, or state hospital under an advanced dental education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or its successor commission and approved and registered by the board;

(e) The practice of dental therapy or dental hygiene by instructors and students or the practice of dentistry by students or residents in schools or colleges of dentistry, schools of dental therapy, schools of dental hygiene, or schools of dental assistant education while the instructors, students, or residents are participating in accredited programs of the schools or colleges;

(f) The practice of dentistry, dental therapy, or dental hygiene by dentists, dental therapists, or dental hygienists licensed in good standing by other states or countries while appearing in accredited or board-approved programs of dental education or research, at the invitation of any group of licensed dentists, dental therapists, or dental hygienists in this state who are in good standing, so long as the practice is limited to five consecutive days in a twelve-month period and the name of each person engaging in the practice is submitted to the board, in a format approved by the board, at least ten days before the person performs the practice;

(g) The filling of dental laboratory work orders of a licensed dentist, as provided by section 12-220-502, by any person, association, corporation, or other entity for the construction, reproduction, or repair of prosthetic dentures, bridges, plates, or appliances to be used or worn as substitutes for natural teeth or for restoration of natural teeth, or replacement of structures relating to the jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent and associated structures;

(h) The performance of acts by a person under the direct or indirect supervision of a dentist licensed in Colorado when authorized pursuant to the rules of the board or when authorized under other provisions of this article 220;

(i) The practicing of dentistry, dental therapy, or dental hygiene by an examiner representing a testing agency approved by the board, during the administration of an examination;

(j) The practice of dentistry by dentists licensed in good standing by other states while providing care as a volunteer, at the invitation of any group of licensed dentists, dental therapists, or dental hygienists in this state who are in good standing, so long as the practice is limited to five consecutive days in a twelve-month period and the name of each person engaging in the practice is submitted to the board, in a format approved by the board, at least ten days before the person performs the practice;

(k) The practice of dental therapy by dental therapists licensed in good standing by other states while providing care as a volunteer, at the invitation of any group of licensed dentists, dental therapists, or dental hygienists in this state who are in good standing, so long as the practice is limited to five consecutive days in a twelve-month period and the name of each person engaging in the practice is submitted to the board, in a format approved by the board, at least ten days before the person performs the practice, and the dental therapists treat patients only under direct supervision of a licensed dentist in compliance with section 12-220-508; or

(l) The practice of dental hygiene by dental hygienists licensed in good standing by other states while providing care as a volunteer, at the invitation of any group of licensed dentists, dental therapists, or dental hygienists in this state who are in good standing, so long as the practice is limited to five consecutive days in a twelve-month period and the name of each person engaging in the practice is submitted to the board, in a format approved by the board, at least ten days before the person performs the practice, and the dental hygienists treat patients only under direct supervision of a licensed dentist.

Source: L. 2020: Entire article amended with relocations, (HB 20-1056), ch. 64, p. 236, § 1, effective September 14. L. 2022: (1)(c), (1)(e), (1)(f), (1)(i), and (1)(j) amended, (SB 22-219), ch. 381, p. 2717, § 17, effective January 1, 2023. L. 2025: (1)(b), (1)(f), (1)(g), and (1)(j) amended and (1)(k) and (1)(l) added, (SB 25-194), ch. 171, p. 695, § 7, effective August 6.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-220-112 as it existed prior to 2020.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 22-219, see section 1 of chapter 381, Session Laws of Colorado 2022.