The State Board of Dental Examiners adopts amendments to §104.1, concerning requirements without changes to the proposed text as published in the April 26, 2002, issue of the Texas Register (27 TexReg 3425).

The deleted section no longer has any function. It was added to implement a statutory change that is now fully in place. The Dental Practice Act was amended in 1999 to change the continuing education requirement from 36 hours in three years to 12 hours in each year. Since in 1999 some licensees may have already accumulated the full 36 hours for the next three years, certain "bridging" provisions between the old scheme and the new needed to be in place. That was the purpose of §104.1(2). The bridging period is now over and the rule section is no longer needed. The agency is repealing §104.1(2) in its entirety. The remainder of §104.1 remains unchanged with no proposed amendments to the current language.

No comments were received regarding adoption of the proposal.

The amended rule is adopted under Texas Government Code §§2001.021 et seq.; Texas Civil Statutes, the Occupations Code, §254.001 which provides the State Board of Dental Examiners with the authority to adopt and enforce rules necessary for it to perform its duties, and to ensure compliance with laws relating to the practice of dentistry, and §257.005 which provides continuing education requirements for dentists and dental hygienists.