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HB1366 • 2026

Dentistry; increase penalties for unlawful practice of.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-9-57, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR ILLEGALLY PRACTICING DENTAL HYGIENE AND DENTISTRY WITHOUT A LICENSE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Crime
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Mansell
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Increase Penalties for Unlicensed Dental Practice

This bill increases the penalties for practicing dental hygiene or dentistry without a license in Mississippi.

What This Bill Does

  • Increases fines and jail time for people who practice dental hygiene illegally, from $2,000 to $5,000 and up to six months in jail.
  • Makes it a felony with higher penalties for the first offense of practicing dentistry without a license: fines between $3,000 and $10,000 and one to three years in prison.
  • Increases penalties even more for repeat offenses of unlicensed dental practice: fines over $10,000 and up to ten years in prison.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who practice dental hygiene or dentistry without a license
  • Victims of illegal dental practices

Terms To Know

Felony
A serious crime that can lead to more than one year in prison.
Misdemeanor
A less serious crime that usually results in a fine or up to one year in jail.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
  • It only affects Mississippi if it had been passed.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (H) Referred To Public Health and Human Services

Official Summary Text

Dentistry; increase penalties for unlawful practice of.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1366 *HR31/R1282* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR31/R1282
PAGE 1 (GT\JAB)

To: Public Health and Human
Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Mansell

HOUSE BILL NO. 1366

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-9-57, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR ILLEGALLY PRACTICING DENTAL HYGIENE AND 2
DENTISTRY WITHOUT A LICENSE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. Section 73-9-57, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 5
amended as follows: 6
73-9-57. (1) * * * Any person * * * who shall practice, 7
attempt, or offer to practice * * * dental hygiene illegally 8
without a license within the meaning of this chapter, * * * shall 9
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be 10
fined not less than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) nor more than 11
Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or be imprisoned in the county 12
jail not less than two (2) months nor more than six (6) months. 13
(2) Any person who shall practice, attempt, or offer to 14
practice dentistry illegally without a license within the meaning 15
of this chapter shall be guilty of the crime of "practicing 16
dentistry without a license", and upon conviction, he or she shall 17
be guilty of a felony, and: 18
H. B. No. 1366 *HR31/R1282* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R1282
PAGE 2 (GT\JAB)
ST: Dentistry; increase penalties for unlawful
practice of.
(a) For the first violation, the person shall be fined 19
not less than Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00), nor more than 20
Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), imprisoned in the custody of 21
the Department of Corrections not less than one (1) year, nor more 22
than three (3) years, or both. 23
(b) For any second or subsequent violation, the person 24
shall be fined not less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), 25
imprisoned in the custody of the Department of Corrections not 26
less than three (3) years, nor more than ten (10) years, or both. 27
(c) For any violation of this section, the court may, 28
in addition to the fines described in this subsection, require 29
reimbursement of any costs suffered by the victim related to 30
repair or damage caused as a result of the illegal practice of 31
dental hygiene or dentistry. 32
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 33
and after July 1, 2026. 34