New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVII, Issue 8 / April 21, 2026

This is an amendment to 16.5.19 NMAC, Section 9, effective 4/21/2026.

16.5.19.9 DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS: Each applicant for a dental hygiene license by examination must submit the required fees and following documentation:

[A. completed application, applications are valid for one year from the date of receipt;

B. official transcripts or an original letter on letterhead with an embossed seal verifying successfully passing all required courses from the dental hygiene program, to be sent directly to the board office from the accredited program;

C. copy of clinical examination score card or certificate;

D. copy of national board examination certificate or score card;

E. proof of having taken a course in infection control technique or graduation from dental hygiene school within the past 12 months;

F. proof of current basic life support (BLS) or cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification accepted by the American heart association, the American red cross, or the American safety and health institute (ASHI); cannot be a self/study course;

G. verification of licensure in all states where the applicant holds or has held a license to practice dental hygiene or a related profession; verification must be sent directly to the board office from the other state(s) board, must include an embossed seal, and must attest to the status, issue date, expiration date, license number, and other information contained on the form; and

H. the appropriate status report from a board designated professional background service must be received by the board office directly from a board designated professional background service; the results of the background check must either indicate no negative findings, or if there are negative findings, those findings will be considered by the committee.]

A. completed application, applications are valid for one year from the date of receipt;

B. official transcripts verifying successfully passing all required courses from the dental hygiene program, to be sent directly to the board office from the accredited program;

C. proof of having taken a course in infection control technique and sterilization procedures as defined in 16.5.1.16 NMAC or graduation from dental hygiene school within the past 12 months;

D. 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 within the past 12 months;

E. national board examination certificate or score card;

F. official board-approved clinical examination score card or certificate;

G. official report from the national practitioner’s data bank and the American association of dental examiners clearinghouse;

H. the appropriate status report from a board designated professional background service must be received by the board office directly from a board designated professional background service; the results of the background check must either indicate no negative findings, or if there are negative findings, those findings will be considered by the committee;

I. proof of current basic life support (BLS) or cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification accepted by 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; and

J. verification of licensure in all states where the applicant holds or has held a license in good standing to practice dentistry, or other health care profession; verification must be sent directly to the office from the other state(s) board, must attest to the status, issue date, license number, and other information contained on the form.

[16.5.19.9 NMAC - Rp, 16.5.19.9 NMAC, 5/31/2023; A, 4/21/2026]