§30-4-4. Board of Dental Examiners.

(a) The West Virginia Board of Dental Examiners is continued and on July 1, 2013, the board shall be renamed the West Virginia Board of Dentistry. The members of the board in office on the date this section takes effect shall, unless sooner removed, continue to serve until their respective terms expire and until their successors have been appointed and qualified.

(b) The Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint:

(1) Six licensed dentists;

(2) One licensed dental hygienist;

(3) One nationally certified dental assistant or currently practicing dental assistant with a minimum of ten years experience; and

(4) One citizen member who is not licensed under the provisions of this article and does not perform any services related to the practice of dentistry.

(c) The West Virginia Dental Association may submit recommendations to the Governor for the appointment of the licensed dentists board members, the West Virginia Association of Dental Hygienists may submit recommendations to the Governor for the appointment of a Dental Hygienist board member and the West Virginia Dental Assistant Association may submit recommendations to the Governor for the appointment of a dental assistant board member.

(d) A person connected with a commercial entity that may derive financial gain from the profession of dentistry and a person employed as full-time faculty with a dental college, school or dental department of a university are not eligible for appointment to the board.

(e) After the initial appointment term, the appointment term is five years. A member may not serve more than two consecutive terms. A member who has served two consecutive full terms may not be reappointed for at least one year after completion of his or her second full term. A member may continue to serve until his or her successor has been appointed and qualified.

(f) Each licensed member of the board, at the time of his or her appointment, shall have held a license in this state for a period of not less than five years immediately preceding the appointment.

(g) Each member of the board shall be a resident of this state during the appointment term.

(h) A vacancy on the board shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired term of the member whose office is vacant.

(i) The Governor may remove any member from the board for neglect of duty, incompetency or official misconduct.

(j) A licensed member of the board immediately and automatically forfeits membership to the board if his or her license to practice is suspended or revoked in any jurisdiction.

(k) A member of the board immediately and automatically forfeits membership to the board if he or she is convicted of a felony under the laws of any jurisdiction or becomes a nonresident of this state.

(l) The board shall elect annually one of its members as president and one member as secretary who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the board.

(m) Each member of the board is entitled to receive compensation and expense reimbursement in accordance with article one of this chapter.

(n) A simple majority of the membership serving on the board at a given time is a quorum for the transaction of business.

(o) The board shall hold at least two meetings annually. Other meetings shall be held at the call of the president or upon the written request of four members, at the time and place as designated in the call or request.

(p) Prior to commencing his or her duties as a member of the board, each member shall take and subscribe to the oath required by section five, article four of the Constitution of this state.

(q) The members of the board, when acting in good faith and without malice, shall enjoy immunity from individual civil liability while acting within the scope of their duties as board members.