New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVII, Issue
8 / April 21, 2026
TITLE 16 OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
LICENSING
CHAPTER 5 DENTISTRY (DENTISTS, DENTAL HYGIENISTS,
ETC.)
PART 23 DENTAL HYGIENISTS, CONTINUING
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
16.5.23.1 ISSUING AGENCY: New Mexico
board of dental health care.
[16.5.23.1 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.1 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.2 SCOPE: The provisions
of Part 23 of Chapter 5 apply to all licensed dental hygienists who are
applying to renew their license.
[16.5.23.2 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.2 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.3 STATUTORY
AUTHORITY: Part 23 of Chapter 5 is promulgated pursuant
to the Dental Health Care Act, Section 61-5A-10 NMSA 1978 (1996 Repl. Pamp.).
[16.5.23.3 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.3 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.4 DURATION: Permanent.
[16.5.23.4 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.4 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.5 EFFECTIVE
DATE:
April 21, 2026 unless a later date is cited at the end of a section.
[16.5.23.5 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.5 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.6 OBJECTIVE: To establish
criteria for continuing education for dental hygienists licensed in New Mexico.
[16.5.23.6 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.6 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.7 DEFINITIONS: [RESERVED]
[16.5.23.7 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.7 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.8 HOURS
REQUIRED: Forty five hours of continuing education are
required during each triennial renewal cycle as defined in 16.5.1 NMAC. Continuing education received after
submission of renewal materials but prior to actual expiration date may be used
for the requirements of the next renewal cycle.
Continuing education requirements are pro-rated at 15 hours per year for
individuals licensed for less than three years.
Initial licenses issued for less than a full year require 15 hours of
continuing education for the first renewal.
[16.5.23.8 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.8 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.9 COURSES
REQUIRED: Continuing education coursework must
contribute directly to the practice of dental hygiene and must comply with the
requirements of 16.5.1.15 NMAC of these rules.
The following courses are required for license renewal:
A. Proof of current basic life support (BLS) or
cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification
accepted by the American heart association, the American heart
association (AHA), the American red cross (ARC), or the American safety and
health institute/health and safety institute (ASHI/HSI); cannot be a self-study course.
B. infection
control: as further defined in 16.5.1.16
NMAC, a course in infection control techniques and sterilization procedures per
renewal period.
C. Ethics and jurisprudence. Proof of completion of a
course in ethics or jurisprudence that includes topics related to the New
Mexico dental health care act and board rules.
[16.5.23.9 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.9 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.10 VERIFICATION
OF CONTINUING EDUCATION: The committee will select renewal
applications for verification of continuing education. Audit requests will be included with the
renewal notice and those selected individuals will be asked to submit proof of
compliance with the continuing education requirements. Continuing education
records may be audited by the committee at any time. The records identified in Subsection F of
16.5.1.15 NMAC are considered acceptable forms of documentation. Continuing education records must be
maintained for four years.
[16.5.23.10 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.10 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
16.5.23.11 EMERGENCY
DEFERRAL:
A. A
licensee unable to fulfill the continuing education requirements may apply to
the committee for an emergency deferral of the requirements due to extenuating
circumstances as defined in 16.5.1.7 NMAC.
Deferrals of up to four months may be granted by a designee of the
committee.
B. A
licensee practicing or residing outside the United States shall not be required
to fulfill the continuing education requirements for the period of the absence.
(1) The committee must be notified prior to license expiration
that the licensee will be outside the US, including the period of the absence.
(2) Upon return to the US, the licensee shall complete the
continuing education required for the years of practice within the US during
the renewal cycle, or apply for an emergency deferral.
[16.5.23.11 NMAC - Rp,
16.5.23.11 NMAC, 4/21/2026]
HISTORY OF 16.5.23 NMAC:
Pre-NMAC History: The material in this part was derived from
that previously filed with the commission of public records - state records
center and archives as:
Article XIII, Disciplinary
Proceedings, filed 3/12/1981.
Article XIII, Disciplinary
Proceedings, filed 1/12/1982.
Article XIII, Disciplinary
Proceedings, filed 3/30/1982.
That applicable portion of
Article XIII, Disciplinary Proceedings replaced by BOD Rule 12, Continuing
Education Requirements, filed 2/9/1989.
That applicable portion of
BOD Rule 12, Continuing Education Requirements replaced by BODHC Rule DH 5-95,
Dental Hygienists, Continuing Education Requirements, filed 5/5/1995.
History of Repealed Material:
16.5.23
NMAC, Dental Hygienists, Continuing Education
Requirements (filed 3/16/2006) Repealed effective 4/21/2026.
Other History:
BODHC Rule DH 5-95, Dental
Hygienists, Continuing Education Requirements (filed 5/5/1995) was renumbered,
reformatted, amended and replaced by 16 NMAC 5.23, Dental Hygienists,
Continuing Education Requirements, effective 9/30/1996.
16 NMAC 5.23, Dental
Hygienists, Continuing Education Requirements (filed 9/17/1996) renumbered,
reformatted, amended and replaced by 16.5.23 NMAC, Dental Hygienists,
Continuing Education Requirements effective 4/17/2006.
16.5.23
NMAC, Dental Hygienists, Continuing
Education Requirements (filed 3/16/2006) Replaced by 16.5.23 NMAC, Dental Hygienists, Continuing Education Requirements
effective 4/21/2026.