dental board; membership

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill text confirms the specific membership composition and appointment terms, but does not provide a separate effective date beyond 'general effective date' or details on transition for current members.

HB2906: Changing the State Dental Board Membership

This law requires that one of the six dentist members on Arizona's State Board of Dental Examiners must be an actively practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

What This Bill Does

• Requires one of the six licensed dentists on the board to be an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in active practice at the time of appointment.
• Keeps the total number of members at eleven, including dentists, hygienists, public members, and a business entity representative.

Who It Names or Affects

• The State Board of Dental Examiners (BODEX).
• Licensed dentists who apply to serve on the board, specifically oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
• The Arizona Governor, who appoints all members.

Terms To Know

State Board of Dental Examiners (BODEX)

The group that regulates and licenses dental professionals in Arizona.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeon

A dentist who specializes in surgery on the head, neck, face, and jaws.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not state a specific date when this rule becomes effective beyond the general enactment timeline.
• The text does not explain how many current board members might need to change if they do not meet the new surgeon requirement immediately.

Official Summary Text

HB2906 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2906

dental board; membership

Purpose

Requires one of
the six licensed dentists on the State Board of Dental Examiners (BODEX) to be
an actively practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

Background

BODEX regulates
and licenses dental professionals, including dentists, dental consultants,
dental hygienists, denturists and dental therapists. BODEX also reviews
complaints against licensees and business entities, conducts investigations and
is authorized to take disciplinary action for violations of state laws relating
to the profession. BODEX consists of 11 members, including: 1) six licensed
dentists; 2) two licensed dental hygienists; 3) two public members; and 4) one
business entity member. Members are appointed by the Governor for four-year
terms, beginning and ending on January 1 (
A.R.S.
� 32-1203
).

Oral
maxillofacial surgery is a specialized medical field that diagnoses and treats
diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face and jaws, including the
hard and soft tissues of this region. Oral maxillofacial surgeons perform
procedures such as dental implants and reconstructive surgery, facial trauma
repair, cosmetic facial enhancements, corrective jaw surgery and cleft lip and
palate surgery
(
American
Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires one of the six licensed dentist members of BODEX to be an oral
and maxillofacial surgeon in active practice at the time of appointment.

2.

Makes technical changes.

3.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

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Prepared by
Senate Research

March 16, 2026

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Current Bill Text

Chapter 0118 - 572R - H Ver of HB2906

House Engrossed

dental board;
membership

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

CHAPTER 118

HOUSE BILL 2906

AN
ACT

Amending section 32-1203, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to the state board of dental examiners.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 32-1203, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
32-1203.

State board of dental examiners; members; qualifications; terms

A. The state board of dental examiners is
established consisting of six licensed dentists,
one of whom is
an oral and maxillofacial surgeon
who is in active
practice at the time of appointment,
two licensed dental hygienists, two
public members and one business entity member
. all
members shall be
appointed by the governor for a term of four years, to
begin and end on January 1.

B. Before appointment by the governor, a prospective
member of the board shall submit a full set of fingerprints to the governor for
the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check pursuant to
section 41-1750 and Public Law 92-544. The department of public
safety may exchange this fingerprint data with the federal bureau of
investigation.

C. The business entity member and the public members
may participate in all board proceedings and determinations, except in
preparing, giving or grading examinations for licensure. Dental
hygienist board members may participate in all board proceedings and
determinations, except in preparing, giving and grading examinations that do
not relate to dental hygiene procedures.

D. A board member shall not serve more than two
consecutive terms.

E. For the purposes of this section, the business
entity member must be an employee or owner of a registered business entity
pursuant to section 32-1213 and may not include a person who is licensed
pursuant to this chapter.
END_STATUTE

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 4, 2026.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 5, 2026.