In Louisiana, can anyone own a dental practice as long as a dentist is employed to examine and treat patients?

• A. Only corporations may own
• B. Non-dentists are prohibited from ownership
• C. Anyone may own a dental practice as long as a dentist is employed to examine and treat patients
• D. Only licensed dentists may own

Answer: (C)

Ownership of a dental practice in Louisiana is restricted by the corporate practice of dentistry. Non-dentists cannot own a dental practice; the ownership must be by licensed dentists or by a professional corporation controlled by dentists. A dentist may hire and employ others to work in the practice or provide management services, but that does not grant ownership to non-dentists. This structure protects clinical decisions and standards of care by keeping ownership in the hands of licensed professionals. So the accurate understanding is that ownership is limited to licensed dentists (directly or through dentist-owned professional corporations), not open to anyone simply because a dentist is employed to examine or treat patients.