What should Janet do to regain her Louisiana hygiene license after a four-year lapse?

• A. Apply for reinstatement
• B. Re-enroll in dental hygiene program
• C. Take a mandated hiatus
• D. Seek temporary license only

Answer: (A)

When a license lapses, the way back to practice is through reinstatement with the licensing authority. For a Louisiana dental hygienist, that means submitting a reinstatement application to the Louisiana Board of Dentistry, not re-enrolling in a dental hygiene program or seeking a temporary license. The board will require you to meet current renewal standards, which typically includes submitting documentation of continuing education completed during the lapse period and paying the applicable fees. Depending on the board’s rules, you may also need to complete certain board-approved activities or examinations before the license can be reinstated. You can’t practice again until the board grants reinstatement.

Re-enrolling in a dental hygiene program isn’t appropriate because that path is for students, not licensed professionals seeking to restore a license. A mandated hiatus isn’t a recognized route to regain licensure, and a temporary license wouldn’t restore the full, active license after a lapse—you’d still need to pursue reinstatement to practice legally.