Which Louisiana state agency oversees the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry?

• A. Department of Health and Hospitals.
• B. Louisiana Department of Education.
• C. Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners.
• D. Louisiana Department of Public Safety.

Answer: (A)

In Louisiana, health-related licensing boards are overseen by the state health department to ensure public protection and consistent regulation of health professions. The Louisiana State Board of Dentistry operates under the Department of Health and Hospitals, which provides the regulatory framework, oversight, and support for licensing, discipline, and policy direction for dental professionals.

The other agencies have different roles: the Department of Education licenses and regulates teachers and education-related staff, not dentists; the Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners governs physicians and certain medical practitioners, not dental professionals; and the Department of Public Safety handles safety, law enforcement, and related functions, not the licensing of dental practitioners. Thus, the Department of Health and Hospitals is the correct overseeing agency.