Bill would set appointments for North Carolina's dental board

Eleven board members would be appointed by the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Labor Commissioner. The North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners would have four Governor appointees, four General Assembly appointees, and three Labor Commissioner appointees. Appointees must meet the qualifications for dentists, dental hygienists, or public consumer members. Consumer members cannot have specified ties to dental services, health care licensing, or the board. Current members would finish their terms. Three newly created seats would be filled within 30 days after the act becomes law; other appointments would follow as current terms end.

Each occupational licensing board would adopt rules for complaints, discipline, and enforcement, including enforcement against people without its license. These duties would apply to occupational licensing boards across North Carolina. Boards would also have to make complaint information available on their websites, accept complaints electronically, and provide a written description of each complaint's final outcome. These provisions would take effect October 1, 2026, and apply to actions arising on or after that date.

A licensing board could investigate unlicensed activity and notify people or businesses that it believes their conduct may violate the law. These provisions concern occupational licensing boards and people or businesses that do not hold the board's license. A notice could not say the board had found a violation or order someone to stop. It would have to explain that only a court can decide whether the law was broken and impose a remedy or penalty. These provisions would take effect October 1, 2026, and apply to actions arising on or after that date.