Which are grounds for non-issuance, suspension, revocation, or restrictions on a dental hygiene license?

• A. DUI conviction
• B. Entering drug rehabilitation program
• C. Disciplinary action by another state's licensing agency
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that licensure actions for dental hygienists are about safeguarding public safety and ensuring practitioners meet ongoing professional standards. A DUI conviction signals impairment that can directly affect safe patient care, so a licensing board can view it as a legitimate reason to restrict, suspend, or revoke a license or to require specific conditions to maintain practice. Entering a drug rehabilitation program shows the practitioner acknowledges a substance-use issue and is engaging in treatment; boards often respond with monitored reentry, mandatory treatment commitments, or temporary restrictions to ensure patient safety while the individual stabilizes. Disciplinary action by another state's licensing agency is relevant because professional standards are shared across jurisdictions; boards commonly apply reciprocal discipline or rely on those findings to take action so the public is protected even when conduct is discovered in another state. When these scenarios are considered together, they cover the typical ways a board may deny issuance or impose suspension, revocation, or restrictions, illustrating why all of these conditions can justify action on a license.