Regulations

Stay up to date on rules and requirements affecting Washington dentists.

Recent Regulatory News

Apr 5, 2023

ADA Answers Your Questions on New DEA Registration Requirement Effective June 27

Effective June 27, 2023, prescribers of controlled substances, including dentists, must complete eight hours of one-time training on safely prescribing controlled substances (Schedules II, III, IV, and/or V) in order to receive or renew their registration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Mar 21, 2023

ADA Receives Clarification On No Surprises Act

Dental providers and facilities are “generally required to provide uninsured patients with a good faith estimate of expected charges” unless the patient is enrolled in an excepted benefit plan or coverage such as a stand-alone dental plan, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid.

Mar 3, 2023

Review DQAC's Proposed Anesthesia Rules

For more than three years, the Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC) has been working to update Washington state’s dental anesthesia rules. WSDA encourages members to review the proposed rules and submit questions or concerns via email or virtually at DQAC's March 10 business meeting.

Mar 3, 2023

Secretary of Health Mask Order to End April 3

Effective April 3, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will end the Secretary of Health Statewide Face Covering Order currently in effect for health care (including dental).

Mar 2, 2023

Reminder: ASL Interpreter Provider Obligations

A dental office is considered to be a place of public accommodation and thus is prohibited from discriminating for any reason due to a disability. Accordingly, dental offices are required to provide an interpreter if one is needed to effectively communicate with a hearing-impaired patient.

Mar 2, 2023

Reminder: Dental Infection Control Requirements

The Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC) previously finalized dental infection control rules in December 2020, and the majority of these rules became effective January 2021. The rules apply to settings wherever dentistry is provided in Washington and include several requirements that dentists must comply with.

Feb 28, 2023

DQAC Dental Inclusion Committee Meeting – March 29

The Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC) has formed a Dental Inclusion Committee to begin rulemaking to comply with health equity education requirements. The Committee will meet on March 29.

Feb 24, 2023

DQAC Business Meeting – March 10

The Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC) will hold its next business meeting in a hybrid format on Friday, March 10 at 10:00 AM.

Feb 21, 2023

Employment Law Webinars from L&I

The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has created a series of free webinars for both employers and employees, covering employment law topics including workers’ rights, job posting requirements, overtime rules, and the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act.

Feb 16, 2023

Proposed Dental Licensure Fee Increase – June 1

In order to address the annual operating shortfall of the Dental Quality Assurance Commission, the Department of Health is proposing to increase dental licensure fees, effective June 1, 2023.

DQAC Interested Parties Email List

Get regulatory updates as they occur by subscribing to the DQAC interested parties email list.

DQAC Business Meeting Dates

Find a list of upcoming DQAC meeting dates and other information here.

WSDA Committee on Regulatory Affairs

The Committee on Regulatory Affairs focuses on regulatory issues handled by DQAC and other government agencies handling regulatory issues relevant to dentistry.

To inquire about joining the Committee on Regulatory Affairs, members may email WSDA at info@wsda.org.