Thursday Troubleshooter: Whoops! This RDH let her license expire. What can she do?

QUESTION: Like an idiot, I let my hygiene license expire a few years ago. I was going through a lot personally professionally and with my family, and I made the bad decision of not keeping my license current. It's probably been five years since my license was current. Is there any way to get it back without going through school or boards again? Any help would be appreciated. I'm from Pennsylvania.

ANSWER FROM MARIA PERNO GOLDIE, RDH, MS, editor, RDH eVillage Focus: Anyone who has let their professional license expire needs to look up the Practice Act for their state. In this case, here is the answer for Pennsylvania.

106. Reactivation of licenses and certificates. (a) Dentists and dental hygienists who have failed to renew their licenses and expanded function dental assistants who have failed to renew their certificates may apply for reactivation on forms prescribed by the Board. The applicant for reactivation shall pay the current biennial renewal fee, provide evidence of current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and shall submit a notarized affidavit identifying the period of time in which the applicant did not practice in this Commonwealth. Effective with the 1999-2001 renewal period, licensees and certificate holders shall also complete the continuing education requirements for the renewal periods during which the license or certificate was not renewed.

(b) In addition to the requirements in subsection (a), an applicant for reactivation who has failed to renew for more than five years may be subject to reexamination under section 3.1(b) of the act (63 P. S. § 122.1.(b)).

(c) An applicant for reactivation who practiced in this Commonwealth without a current license or certificate shall pay a later renewal fee of $5 for each month or part of a month during which the unauthorized practice occurred, as provided in section 225 of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs Fee Act (63 P. S. § 1401-225). In addition, the applicant shall pay the biennial renewal fee for each biennium during which unauthorized practice occurred. The payment of late fees and biennial renewal fees does not preclude the Board from taking disciplinary action against a dentist or dental hygienist who practice without a current license or an expanded function dental assistant who practices without a current certificate.(1)

1. http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/049/chapter33/subchapBtoc.html

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