Senate Committee Votes Down Hand-Skills Exam Amendment
Today, the WV Senate Government Organization Committee rejected an amendment to Senate Bill 458 – Governor’s Universal Licensing Bill that would have required a clinical hand-skills exam for dental and dental hygiene licensure.
Dr. Bill Klenk, President of the WV Board of Dentistry, read a joint statement from the Board and the WVDA urging the inclusion of this amendment. He emphasized that while we do not oppose the bill itself, we believe a hand-skills requirement is necessary to preserve patient safety.
Senator Mike Woelfel (D-Cabell), whose father was a dentist, offered the amendment—but the committee voted it down.
Immediate Action Required
Please contact your Senator on the Committee TODAY and urge them to support an amendment to SB 458 that requires a clinical hand-skills exam for licensure!
Senators on the Government Organization Committee
Eastern Panhandle Dental Society Senators
- Senator Patricia Rucker – (304) 357-7957 or patricia.rucker@wvsenate.gov
- Senator Jason Barrett – (304) 357-7933 or jason.barrett@wvsenate.gov
- Senator Tom Willis – (304) 357-7867 or tom.willis@wvsenate.gov
Kanawha Valley Dental Society Senators
- Senator Anne Charnock – (304) 357-7854 or anne.charnock@wvsenate.gov
- Senator Glen Jeffries – (304) 357-7866 or glenn.jeffries@wvsenate.gov
- Senator Rupie Phillips – (304) 357-7857 or rupie.phillips@wvsenate.gov
Marshall-Wetzel-Tyler Society Senator
- Senator Chris Rose – (304) 357-7902 or chris.rose@wvsenate.gov
New River Society Senators
- Senator Brian Helton – (304) 357-7807 or brian.helton@wvsenate.gov
- Senator Mark Maynard – (304) 357-7808 or mark.maynard@wvsenate.gov
Wheeling District Dental Society Senator
- Senator Laura Chapman – (304) 357-7918 or laura.chapman@wvsenate.gov
Potomac Valley Dental Society Senator
- Senator Darren Thorne – (304) 357-7980 or darren.thorne@wvsenate.gov
Additional Contact
- Senator Bill Hamilton – (Braxton, Webster, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur, Barbour, Pendleton) – (304) 357-7906 or bill.hamilton@wvsenate.gov
Joint Statement of WV Board of Dentistry and WV Dental Association
The West Virginia Board of Dentistry regulates the practice of dentistry to ensure public health, safety, and welfare. We license DDS, DMD, and RDH professionals.
Current licensing is already universal in West Virginia, as we accept results from national and regional board exams. Military dentists or spouses are issued licenses within 15 days by state law.
Dental care involves invasive procedures and biological, chemical, and physical risks. Dentists undergo at least 8 years of education and must perform precise movements in a small space—the human mouth. Not all who graduate pass clinical hand-skills exams.
Over 80% of states require clinical hand-skills exams. We believe this minimal competency standard is essential to protect patients.
Request to the Legislature:
- Exempt dental and hygiene licensure from the bill
- OR include the following language:
“At a minimum, the written exam and clinical hand-skill exam for dental and dental hygiene licensure recognition shall remain a requirement.”
This would allow licensure for professionals from the 82% of states that already require a clinical hand-skill exam.
