Indiana law sets dental and respiratory care licensing rules

Dental hygiene applicants must meet education, character, and exam requirements to receive a license. Applicants must graduate from a recognized dental hygiene school or qualify through the listed foreign dental degree route. Applicants must pass an exam and may take it no more than three times. Applicants using the foreign dental degree route must submit transcripts and a satisfactory credential review. These provisions took effect July 1, 2026.

Dental hygienists and dental assistants may give nitrous oxide under a licensed dentist's direct supervision if they meet the listed qualifications. This applies to dental hygienists and dental assistants working under a licensed dentist's direct supervision. A worker must have at least one year of dental practice experience or graduate from an approved program, complete an approved three-hour course, and show skill on at least five patients. The supervising dentist must verify these steps, set the maximum dose, and ensure use follows professional guidelines. These provisions took effect July 1, 2026.

Respiratory care applicants must meet education and safety requirements and pass the exam required for their application date. These requirements apply to people seeking an Indiana respiratory care practitioner license. Applicants must meet an education route and have no disqualifying conviction or out-of-state discipline for endangering the public. The text requires a board-approved licensing or certification exam before January 1, 2028, and both parts of the national registered respiratory therapist exam after December 31, 2027. These provisions took effect July 1, 2026. The national exam requirement applies after December 31, 2027.

The committee must issue a temporary permit to an eligible respiratory care applicant within 30 days after a completed application, if the person pays a fee. This applies to people seeking an Indiana respiratory care practitioner license who meet one of the listed routes. A person may qualify through an out-of-state license or certificate, approved national credentialing where the person's state does not license or certify respiratory care practitioners, or approval to take the next exam and graduation from an approved program. The permit ends when the person receives a license or the committee rejects the license application. The committee may renew it for good cause if the person misses the next exam. These provisions took effect July 1, 2026. A permit ends when the person receives a license or the committee rejects the application; it may be renewed for good cause after a missed exam.

Respiratory care students with a permit may perform only completed, documented course procedures under close supervision. This applies to respiratory care students who receive a committee-issued permit. Students may not perform permitted procedures on critical care patients. One practitioner may supervise no more than three permit holders at a time. Students must meet in person with a supervisor or designated respiratory care practitioner each working day; that person must review and countersign medical record entries within seven days. These provisions took effect July 1, 2026. A student permit lasts no longer than two years and may end sooner under the listed conditions.