Colorado § 12-220-502 - Construction of dental devices by unlicensed technician.

§ 12-220-502. Construction of dental devices by unlicensed technician.

(1) (a) A licensed dentist who uses the services of an unlicensed technician for the purpose of constructing, altering, repairing, or duplicating a laboratory-fabricated intraoral or maxillofacial dental prosthesis, product, or appliance shall furnish the unlicensed technician with a dental laboratory work order in a form that complies with rules of the board, which form shall be dated and signed by the dentist for each separate and individual piece of work. The dentist shall make the dental laboratory work order in a documented form, and the dentist and the unlicensed technician shall each retain a copy as a permanent part of the patient record. The laboratory technician shall retain a copy of the dental laboratory work order in a file for a minimum of two years. The permanent files of the licensed dentist and the unlicensed technician must be open to inspection at any reasonable time by the board or its duly constituted agent. The licensed dentist that furnishes the dental laboratory work order must have appropriate training, education, and experience related to the prescribed treatment and is responsible for directly supervising all intraoral treatment rendered to the patient.

(b) If a patient's care requires that multiple laboratory-fabricated intraoral or maxillofacial dental prostheses or appliances be fabricated at the same time, it is permissible to incorporate those products or appliances into a single dental laboratory work order.

(c) An unlicensed technician that possesses a valid dental laboratory work order may provide extraoral construction, manufacture, fabrication, supply, or repair of identified dental and orthodontic devices but shall not provide intraoral service in a human mouth except under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist in accordance with section 12-220-501 (3)(d).

(2) If the dentist fails to keep permanent records of dental laboratory work orders as required in subsection (1)(a) of this section, the dentist is subject to disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the board.

(3) If an unlicensed technician fails to have in the technician's possession a dental laboratory work order signed by a licensed dentist with each denture, bridge, splint, or orthodontic or prosthetic appliance in the technician's possession, the absence of the dental laboratory work order is prima facie evidence of a violation of this section and constitutes the practice of dentistry without an active license in violation of, and subject to the penalties specified in, section 12-220-211.

Source: L. 2020: Entire article amended with relocations, (HB 20-1056), ch. 64, p. 255, § 1, effective September 14. L. 2025: Entire section amended, (SB 25-194), ch. 171, p. 704, § 21, effective August 6.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-220-139 as it existed prior to 2020.