Regulations

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

Recent Regulatory News

May 10, 2023

Submit Public Comment on the Military Family Leave Act by June 9

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has released a draft administrative policy to provide guidance on the Military Family Leave Act requirements for employers. L&I is holding a public feedback session on Tuesday, May 23, and the draft policy will be open for public comment until Friday, June 9.

May 10, 2023

Upcoming Employment Law Webinars from L&I

Learn about key employment laws at upcoming L&I webinars. Webinar topics include Employer Guide to Workers’ Rights, Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, Isolated Worker Protections, Know Your Worker Rights and White Collar (EAP) Overtime Exemptions.

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.

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.