Oklahoma § 59-328.26 - Dental student or dental hygiene student intern,

§ 59-328.26. Dental student or dental hygiene student intern,

resident, or fellow permit.

A. The Board of Dentistry may, without examination, issue a

dental student intern, resident or fellowship permit to a student or

graduate of an approved dental school or college, or a residency

program approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

Upon meeting the qualifications and upon approval of the dean or the

governing body of any public or private institution any person may

request a dental student or dental hygiene student intern, resident

or fellow permit to be issued from the Board, with limited duties as

defined in the permit. A fellowship permit may only be given to a

person currently participating in a fellowship program affiliated

with an accredited dental school.

B. A dental student or dental hygiene student intern, resident

or fellowship permit shall not be issued to any person whose license

to practice dentistry in this state or in another state has been

suspended or revoked, or to whom a license to practice dentistry has

been refused.

C. A dental student or dental hygiene student intern, resident

or fellowship permit shall not authorize the holder to open an

office for the private practice of dentistry, or to receive

compensation for the practice of dentistry, except a salary paid by

the federal government or this state, or their subdivisions, or the

public or private institution where the holder of the dental student

intern, resident or fellowship permit will be employed.

D. A dental student or dental hygiene student intern with a

valid dental student intern permit may work under the direct

supervision of a licensed dentist for compensation upon meeting the

following criteria:

1. The dental student or dental hygiene student intern shall

notify the Board of the supervising dentist;

2. A dental student or dental hygiene student intern, having

finished the first year of dental school, may assist in all duties

of a dental assistant pursuant to the administrative rules of the

Board;

3. A dental student intern, having finished the second year of

dental school, may assist in all duties permitted in paragraph 2 of

this subsection, radiation safety, coronal polishing and sealants;

and

4. A dental student intern, having finished the second semester

of the third year of dental school, may provide scaling, root

planing, and local anesthesia.

E. A dental or dental hygiene student intern, resident or

fellowship permit shall automatically expire when the permit holder

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

is no longer participating in the program offered by the college of

dentistry, the accredited dental college or the institution.

F. The issuance of a dental student intern, resident or

fellowship permit by the Board shall in no way be considered a

guarantee or predetermination of any person to receive a full

license issued by the Board.

G. Dental student intern or resident or fellowship permits may

be renewed annually at the request of the dean of the college or

program director of the program approved by CODA and at the

discretion of the Board.

H. Residents and Fellows with a valid permit may supervise

student dental clinics under the authority of the Dean or Associate

Dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry.

I. Students currently enrolled at the University of Oklahoma

College of Dentistry or an accredited dental hygiene or dental

assisting program shall be exempted from Sections 328.19 and 328.21

of this title while participating in an educational program located

at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry or the clinic of

an accredited dental hygiene or dental assisting program. A

licensed dentist, hygienist or faculty license holder shall be

physically present in the facility whenever students of dentistry,

dental hygiene or dental assisting are performing a clinical dental

procedure on patients.

Added by Laws 1970, c. 173, § 26, eff. July 1, 1970. Amended by

Laws 1990, c. 51, § 121, emerg. eff. April 9, 1990; Laws 1996, c. 2,

§ 7, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 2012, c. 270, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 2012;

Laws 2013, c. 405, § 7, eff. July 1, 2013; Laws 2015, c. 229, § 14,

eff. July 1, 2015; Laws 2017, c. 302, § 4, emerg. eff. May 17, 2017;

Laws 2021, c. 566, § 7, emerg. eff. May 28, 2021; Laws 2025, c. 273,

§ 8, eff. Nov. 1, 2025.