New Mexico. Board of Dental Health Care

The Board of Dental Examiners was established in 1893 (1893 NM Laws, Chp. 60, Sec. 1-13). In 1971 the Dental Act abolished the Board of Dental Examiners and created the Board of Dentistry (1971 NM Laws, Chp. 125, Sec. 1-23). The Board of Dentistry was administratively attached to the Regulation and Licensing Dept. by executive order in 1985 (85-34). The Board is subject to the Sunset Act which established a periodic review and evaluation of the need and continued existence of certain state agencies, boards, and commissions by the Legislature (1985 NM LAws, Chp. 87, Sec. 4; 1991 NM Laws, Chp. 189, Sec. 7-8). In 1994 the Board of Dentistry was abolished and its duties were transferred to the newly created Board of Dental Health Care (1994 NM Laws, Chp. 55, Sec. 1-41). The Board of Dental Health Care is administratively attached to the Regulation and Licensing Dept. The functions of the Board are to issue licenses, to certify dental assistants, to license dental hygienists through the Dental Hygienists Committee, and to discipline unprofessional dentists, assistants, and hygienists.