CO Dental Jurisprudence flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Dental Practice Act citation

Colorado's dental statute is C.R.S. Title 12, Article 220; it defines practice, licensure, scope, and discipline and authorizes the Board to adopt rules.

SB25-194 purpose

2025 legislation expanding the dental workforce by authorizing a licensed dental therapist tier with defined education, supervision, and scope to improve access in underserved areas.

Unlicensed practice consequence

Practicing without a valid license is a criminal offense and grounds for discipline; the Board may seek cease-and-desist orders and civil penalties per violation.

Delegation responsibility

A supervising dentist remains legally responsible for tasks delegated to hygienists and assistants, which must fall within statutory scope and Board rules.

Grounds for discipline

Unprofessional conduct, scope violations, impairment, infection-control failures, and licensure or billing fraud can lead to admonition, suspension, revocation, or fines.

Informed consent duty

Dentists must obtain informed consent before treatment, disclosing diagnosis, risks, benefits, and alternatives; it is a statutory and common-law obligation.

Board rule citation

Colorado Dental Board rules appear at 3 CCR 709-1 and cover licensure, sedation permits, infection control, records, advertising, and disciplinary procedure.

Infection control standard

Board rule incorporates CDC and OSHA standards: hand hygiene, PPE, sterilization monitoring, and sharps safety are enforceable requirements, not optional guidance.

Record retention rule

Patient records must be retained for a defined period after last treatment (generally at least seven years, longer for minors) and transferred on patient request.

Sedation permit tiers

Anesthesia/sedation permits are tiered from minimal to moderate to deep/general; each tier requires specific training, equipment, monitoring, and rescue capability.

Advertising rule

Board rules prohibit false, deceptive, or misleading advertising, including misrepresentation of specialty status, credentials, or guaranteed treatment outcomes.

Disciplinary hearing process

Complaints proceed through intake, investigation, possible interim suspension, hearing before an administrative law judge or Board panel, and appeal rights.

Abandonment as misconduct

Unilaterally terminating care without notice, reasonable transition, or access to records constitutes patient abandonment and unprofessional conduct under Board rules.

Board policy status

Board policies are interpretive guidance clarifying how statutes and rules apply; they are persuasive but subordinate to statute and formally adopted rule.

Public notice types

Notices include rulemaking announcements, meeting agendas and minutes, position statements, and emergency or interim guidance posted on the DORA website.

Rulemaking procedure

Under the State Administrative Procedure Act, rulemaking requires published notice, a public comment period, and publication of the adopted rule in the Colorado Code of Regulations.

Teledentistry policy

Board policy addresses teledentistry by requiring an established patient relationship, appropriate records, informed consent, and the same standard of care as in person.

Monitoring Board notices

Licensees are expected to follow published Board policies and notices; ignorance of published guidance is not a defense in a disciplinary matter.

Emergency guidance effect

Interim or emergency guidance may temporarily modify operational requirements during public health emergencies; compliance is expected once the notice is published.

Public records access

Board minutes, position statements, and rulemaking notices are public records that licensees may rely on to show good-faith compliance when rules are ambiguous.

Dental licensure requirements

Licensure requires graduation from an accredited dental program, passing a recognized clinical/regional exam such as ADEX or CDCA, and any required jurisprudence exam.

Renewal cycle

Colorado dental and hygienist licenses renew biennially through an online process requiring fee payment and attestation that continuing education is complete.

CE hour requirement

Dentists must complete a defined number of CE hours per renewal cycle, including mandatory hours in infection control and opioid or prescribing-related topics.

Accepted CE providers

CE must come from Board-accepted providers such as ADA CERP or AGD PACE; licensees retain certificates for audit and produce them on Board request.

Licensure by endorsement

Out-of-state licensees may apply by credentials or endorsement, meeting separate requirements and fees before Colorado licensure is granted.

Permit renewal

Anesthesia and sedation permits require separate renewal and CE; an active license alone does not authorize those procedures if the permit has lapsed.

Self-reporting duty

Licensees must report discipline in another jurisdiction or certain criminal convictions to the Board within the rule-specified timeframe; failure is unprofessional conduct.

Expired license practice

Practicing on an expired license is unlicensed practice; reinstatement may require late fees, CE make-up, and Board review before reactivation.

Inactive license status

Inactive or retired status limits practice; returning to active practice requires application, fee payment, and demonstration of current CE compliance.

Jurisprudence exam

Applicants may be required to pass a Colorado dental jurisprudence exam covering the Practice Act and Board rules as a condition of initial licensure.

CE audit

The Board conducts random CE audits; licensees must document hours with certificates showing provider, date, topic, and hours, or face discipline.

Patient record transfer

On patient request, records must be transferred promptly under Board rule; withholding records to collect a debt can constitute unprofessional conduct.