NEED HELP from all of you to Promote Licensure by Credential in Hawaii

[straightsmile4u]

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Hi,
I am trying to get licensed in Hawaii. Since last year... there has been no opportunity to get a license in Hawaii due to some lawsuits with the Hawaii Dental Board. THe existing Hawaii exam was thrown out by the attorney general.
There are many people hanging, just trying to get a license.
SB568 passed- offering licensure by credential but at the last minute the Dental Board inserted a loophole.
They are now trying to create a whole new and unstested pilot exam to be give in in August and December, but they are only going to announce the contents and the dates of the exam about 6-8 weeks in advance.
If you are at all interested in working in Hawaii or just promoting licensure by credential in general, I am appealing for a letter-writing campaign to some of the people involved to let them know that they should accept licensure by credential per SB568 AND that 6-8 weeks isn't enough time to prepare for an examination. I am assuming that most states/regionals give at least 6 months to post the dates and the content of the exam, right?

TO read more about the situation:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7950248/
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/commreports/SB568_HD2_HSCR1563_.htm

TO get involved (please help!) Please send letter ASAP (preferably by mid June at the latest) to:

1.Commerce and Economic Development Division
Attn: Deputy Sherrie Wong
425 Queen Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813


2.Attorney General Mark Bennett
425 Queen Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

3.Hawaii Dental Board
Attn: Jimmy Kobashigawa
DCCA-PVL
Att: DENTAL
P.O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801

You can also e-mail me for more info:
[email protected]

THanks!

 

[dentalQ&A]

What other states do are independent of what happens in Hawaii. Hawaii's state dental board will determine its own rules for the dental board. I'm unsure whether the Hawaii state legislature can impact those rules by making its own laws--you need to review the Hawaii Laws and Rules for the answer. Going back to whether 6-8 weeks is enough--that's a personal decision. Remember, boards test for minimal competency--they're not expecting you to be anything more than a minimally competent dentist!

 

[Divineimpetus]

Hi,
I am trying to get licensed in Hawaii. Since last year... there has been no opportunity to get a license in Hawaii due to some lawsuits with the Hawaii Dental Board. THe existing Hawaii exam was thrown out by the attorney general.
There are many people hanging, just trying to get a license.
SB568 passed- offering licensure by credential but at the last minute the Dental Board inserted a loophole.
They are now trying to create a whole new and unstested pilot exam to be give in in August and December, but they are only going to announce the contents and the dates of the exam about 6-8 weeks in advance.
If you are at all interested in working in Hawaii or just promoting licensure by credential in general, I am appealing for a letter-writing campaign to some of the people involved to let them know that they should accept licensure by credential per SB568 AND that 6-8 weeks isn't enough time to prepare for an examination. I am assuming that most states/regionals give at least 6 months to post the dates and the content of the exam, right?

TO read more about the situation:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7950248/
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/commreports/SB568_HD2_HSCR1563_.htm

TO get involved (please help!) Please send letter ASAP (preferably by mid June at the latest) to:

1.Commerce and Economic Development Division
Attn: Deputy Sherrie Wong
425 Queen Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813


2.Attorney General Mark Bennett
425 Queen Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

3.Hawaii Dental Board
Attn: Jimmy Kobashigawa
DCCA-PVL
Att: DENTAL
P.O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801

You can also e-mail me for more info:
[email protected]

THanks!

I am really sorry to hear what's happening over there. The interesting thing is that my girlfriend just told me that her Uncle [a dentist is Kailua] can only refer their patients to one Oral Surgeon. I wonder if this is why.

 

[straightsmile4u]

What other states do are independent of what happens in Hawaii. Hawaii's state dental board will determine its own rules for the dental board. I'm unsure whether the Hawaii state legislature can impact those rules by making its own laws--you need to review the Hawaii Laws and Rules for the answer. Going back to whether 6-8 weeks is enough--that's a personal decision. Remember, boards test for minimal competency--they're not expecting you to be anything more than a minimally competent dentist!

Actually, the Hawaii legislature has complete control over the rules with the Hawaii Dental Board; I was involved in the process. That is why SB568 was passed. The HDB can't do anything without the legislature's approval.

The state of Hawaii has not allowed any licensure at all for anybody for over a year. This is just wrong!
In addition, I am doubting you've ever even taken a board exam yourself; it's a totally horriffic process and finding patients... especially without the help of a dental school enviornment is very difficult. It can't be done so quickly.
The reason for my advocacy and my request for help is because there are a lot of "local" graduates out there who are thinking that Hawaii will just accept their regional boards or licensure-by-credential. These brad-ah's are crusing and have no idea of what's in store for them when they return home in July. They are going to be in for a very rude awakening. With a little effort, we can change things here for the better, and make things more fair.
How can you , as a state, just cancel the existing state exam and not allow anybody in since July '04... there are dentists who have been just waiting around for a whole year and working as DA's for $10 and hour. They are now only going to be given 6 weeks to scramble and find patients and study for a written exam?
It's wrong...plain and simple.
So again, if anybody wants to get involved... please contact me.
[email protected]
THanks! 🙄

 

[dentalQ&A]

In addition, I am doubting you've ever even taken a board exam yourself; it's a totally horriffic process and finding patients... especially without the help of a dental school enviornment is very difficult. It can't be done so quickly."

Actually, I've taken two dental boards, one being at a different institution, and I passed both without any problems. It's almost comical how many dentists like to complain about the boards to dental students. Perhaps it makes dentists feel better about themselves by making it seem like they overcame a "horrific" and impossible test. Or perhaps those dentists are insecure about their abilities to take another exam and use the term "unfair" as an excuse. I'll let TV's Dr. Phil answer that one. To all dental students reading this: "DO NOT BE AFRAID". Dental licensing works, it's fair and anyone who wants to pass and is minimally competent, will. In my opinion, I'd rather take a couple licensing tests and avoid a lengthy residency--this is why dental licensing is much better than what physicians have to do. And like I said in previous posts, licensing is a state's rights issue, and if you want to be involved in your state's politics, have fun. Perhaps if people who wanted a Hawaii license just took the test, rather than complain about it, they'd already be licensed and working like the many existing Hawaii dentists.

 

[adamlc18]

In addition, I am doubting you've ever even taken a board exam yourself; it's a totally horriffic process and finding patients... especially without the help of a dental school enviornment is very difficult. It can't be done so quickly."

Actually, I've taken two dental boards, one being at a different institution, and I passed both without any problems. It's almost comical how many dentists like to complain about the boards to dental students. Perhaps it makes dentists feel better about themselves by making it seem like they overcame a "horrific" and impossible test. Or perhaps those dentists are insecure about their abilities to take another exam and use the term "unfair" as an excuse. I'll let TV's Dr. Phil answer that one. To all dental students reading this: "DO NOT BE AFRAID". Dental licensing works, it's fair and anyone who wants to pass and is minimally competent, will. In my opinion, I'd rather take a couple licensing tests and avoid a lengthy residency--this is why dental licensing is much better than what physicians have to do. And like I said in previous posts, licensing is a state's rights issue, and if you want to be involved in your state's politics, have fun. Perhaps if people who wanted a Hawaii license just took the test, rather than complain about it, they'd already be licensed and working like the many existing Hawaii dentists.

So what do you say about someone like an oral surgeon who wants to practice in a state like Florida? If a surgeon is just getting out of residency, it will have been at least 4 years since he has done anything like a Class II prep and restoration. Why should he have to do that to practice as an oral surgeon? Same goes for ortho, etc.

 

[dentalQ&A]

So what do you say about someone like an oral surgeon who wants to practice in a state like Florida? If a surgeon is just getting out of residency, it will have been at least 4 years since he has done anything like a Class II prep and restoration. Why should he have to do that to practice as an oral surgeon? Same goes for ortho, etc.

Let me quote myself from my previous entry:
"Or perhaps those dentists are insecure about their abilities to take another exam and use the term "unfair" as an excuse"

Specialties are branches of general dentistry--they're not above general dentistry. Part of being a dental specialist is being a minimally competent general dentist. I would hope a specialist would have the minimal basic hand skills to do basic dental procedures.

 

[gryffindor]

Hi,

Have you contacted ASDA? (I know you've already graduated dental school.)I think they have a student appointed as "licensure consultant" who might be able to help you with your letter writing campaign and get some of the other ASDA students involved. The issue you described above sounds sorta like similar licensure issues that ASDA tackled when I was in dental school. Go to their website www.asdanet.org and either check on there who the licensure consultant is or give ASDA a call tomorrow and get the info from them.

 

[straightsmile4u]

Hi,

Have you contacted ASDA? (I know you've already graduated dental school.)I think they have a student appointed as "licensure consultant" who might be able to help you with your letter writing campaign and get some of the other ASDA students involved. The issue you described above sounds sorta like similar licensure issues that ASDA tackled when I was in dental school. Go to their website www.asdanet.org and either check on there who the licensure consultant is or give ASDA a call tomorrow and get the info from them.

Actually, there are a few specialists involved (including myself) who haven't done preps in years. And yes, if you are not straight out of school.. BE AFRAID! Board exams are fine right out of school (I've done several-passed no problem) but after residency if you are a specialist.. you really loose the edge and the desire.
In addition, as a specialist you pledge to only work within your specialty and doing any general dentistry brings on other legal issues.
No worries, It's already gone the class-action legal routeas of yesterday. If anybody wants to hop on board- let me know!
A message for the dental students out there- take all the board exams you ever think you'll need to take RIGHT after dental school. Never wait!

 

[dentalQ&A]

Be afraid? You should be ashamed of yourself--trying to use fear as a tool to motivate dental students into joining your self-serving campaign. Why not focus your energy into trying to re-establish GME funding for the advanced training programs, like ortho. I know why you won't--you won't benefit from it. I better stop typing because I'm going to start repeating myself...