Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-328.7

and election districts - Vacancies.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 212

A. Pursuant to Section 39 of Article V of the Oklahoma

Constitution, there is hereby created the Board of Dentistry which

shall be an agency of state government. The Board shall adopt a

seal, sue and be sued in its own name, and implement and enforce the

provisions of the State Dental Act.

B. 1. The Board shall consist of eight dentist members, one

dental hygienist member and two members who shall represent the

public. One dentist member shall be elected by the dentists

residing in each of the eight geographical districts established by

subsection D of this section. The residence of the dentist members

shall be determined by the primary location listed on the dentists'

licenses. The dental hygienist member shall be elected at-large by

the dental hygienists residing in this state who are legally

licensed to practice dental hygiene therein. The two public

representative members shall be appointed by the Governor, subject

to confirmation by the Senate. No public representative member may

be a dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant, dental laboratory

technician, or holder of a permit to operate a dental laboratory, or

be related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to

any such person.

2. Before assuming duties on the Board, each member shall take

and subscribe to the oath of office or affirmation provided in

Article XV of the Oklahoma Constitution, which oath or affirmation

shall be administered and filed as provided in the Article.

3. Each member of the Board shall hold office for a term of

three (3) years and until a successor in office is elected and

qualified. Board members shall not serve for more than three (3)

consecutive terms. To be eligible to be elected to and serve on the

Board, a dentist or dental hygienist must have been licensed to

practice in this state for at least five (5) years, and for the five

(5) years prior to the date of counting the ballots, not have been

subject to a penalty imposed by the Board or another state board.

C. 1. a. Nominations for dentist members of the Board shall be

by petition signed by at least ten dentists residing

in the district to be represented by the nominee.

b. Nominations for the dental hygienist member of the

Board shall be by petition signed by at least ten

dental hygienists residing in this state.

2. The elections shall be by secret ballot. The ballots shall

be mailed by the Board to those entitled to vote at least thirty

(30) days prior to the date of counting of the ballots and shall be

returned by mail to the office of the Board, then opened and counted

at a meeting of the Board. In other respects, elections shall be

conducted as provided by the rules of the Board.

3. a. Only dentists residing in a district shall be entitled

to vote to elect the Board member from that district.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 213

b. Only dental hygienists residing and licensed in this

state shall be entitled to vote to elect the dental

hygienist Board member.

D. For the purpose of nominating and electing dentist members

of the Board, this state shall be divided into eight geographical

districts, which shall consist of the following counties within the

following districts:

District No. 1: Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woods, Alfalfa,

Grant, Kay, Ellis, Woodward, Major, Garfield, Noble, Dewey, Blaine,

Kingfisher and Logan.

District No. 2: Tulsa and Creek.

District No. 3: Roger Mills, Custer, Beckham, Washita, Harmon,

Greer, Kiowa, Caddo, Jackson and Tillman.

District No. 4: Canadian, Grady, McClain, Comanche, Cotton,

Stephens, Jefferson, Garvin, Murray, Carter and Love.

District No. 5: Oklahoma.

District No. 6: Lincoln, Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Seminole,

Okfuskee, Hughes, Pontotoc, Coal, Johnston, Marshall and Bryan.
No. 2: Tulsa and Creek.

District No. 3: Roger Mills, Custer, Beckham, Washita, Harmon,

Greer, Kiowa, Caddo, Jackson and Tillman.

District No. 4: Canadian, Grady, McClain, Comanche, Cotton,

Stephens, Jefferson, Garvin, Murray, Carter and Love.

District No. 5: Oklahoma.

District No. 6: Lincoln, Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Seminole,

Okfuskee, Hughes, Pontotoc, Coal, Johnston, Marshall and Bryan.

District No. 7: Mayes, Wagoner, Cherokee, Adair, Okmulgee,

Muskogee, Sequoyah, McIntosh, Haskell, Pittsburg, Latimer, LeFlore,

Atoka, Pushmataha, Choctaw and McCurtain.

District No. 8: Osage, Payne, Washington, Nowata, Craig, Ottawa,

Rogers, Delaware and Pawnee.

E. 1. Dentist members of the Board may be recalled and removed

from the Board in a special recall election to be conducted by the

Board upon receipt of a written recall petition signed by at least

twenty percent (20%) of the dentists residing in the district

represented by the member who is the subject of the recall petition.

Only dentists residing in the affected district may vote in the

special recall election.

2. The dental hygienist member of the Board may be recalled and

removed from the Board in a special recall election to be conducted

by the Board upon receipt of a written recall petition signed by at

least twenty percent (20%) of the licensed dental hygienists

residing in this state. Only dental hygienists residing and

licensed in this state shall be entitled to vote in the special

recall election.

3. Special recall elections shall be by secret ballot. The

ballots shall be mailed by the Board to those entitled to vote at

least thirty (30) days prior to the date of counting the ballots and

shall be returned by mail to the office of the Board, then opened

and counted at a meeting of the Board. In other respects, special

recall elections shall be conducted as provided by the rules of the

Board. If a majority of the votes cast in the special recall

election are in favor of recalling the Board member, the member

shall be removed from the Board effective on the date the results of

the special recall election are certified by the Board.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 214

F. 1. A vacancy among the dentist members of the Board shall

be filled by a special election in the district of the vacancy for

the unexpired term within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs.

2. A vacancy of the dental hygienist member on the Board shall

be filled by a special election in this state for the unexpired term

within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs.

3. Nominations shall be made and special elections shall be

conducted in the same manner as provided in subsection C of this

section. If no one is nominated within forty-five (45) days from

date of vacancy, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the

Board. A vacancy among the public representative members of the

Board shall be filled by appointment by the Governor, subject to

confirmation by the Senate.