2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 12 - Professions and Occupations
Health Care
Article 35 - Dentists and Dental Hygienists
Part 1 - General Provisions
§ 12-35-138. Dentist peer health assistance fund

(1) (a) Effective July 1, 2004, as a condition of renewal in this state, every renewal applicant shall pay to the administering entity that has been selected by the board pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this subsection (1) an amount not to exceed fifty-nine dollars per year, which maximum amount may be adjusted on January 1, 2005, and annually thereafter by the board to reflect changes in the United States bureau of statistics consumer price index for the Denver-Boulder consolidated metropolitan statistical area for all urban consumers or goods, or its successor index. Such fee shall be used to support designated providers that have been selected by the board to provide assistance to dentists needing help in dealing with physical, emotional, or psychological problems that may be detrimental to their ability to practice dentistry. Such fee shall not exceed one hundred dollars per year per licensee.

(b) The board shall select one or more peer health assistance programs as designated providers. To be eligible for designation by the board, a peer health assistance program shall:

(I) Provide for the education of dentists with respect to the recognition and prevention of physical, emotional, and psychological problems and provide for intervention when necessary or under circumstances that may be established by rules promulgated by the board;

(II) Offer assistance to a dentist in identifying physical, emotional, or psychological problems;

(III) Evaluate the extent of physical, emotional, or psychological problems and refer the dentist for appropriate treatment;

(IV) Monitor the status of a dentist who has been referred for treatment;

(V) Provide counseling and support for the dentist and for the family of any dentist referred for treatment;

(VI) Agree to receive referrals from the board;

(VII) Agree to make its services available to all licensed Colorado dentists.

(c) The administering entity shall be a qualified, nonprofit private foundation that is qualified under section 501 (c) (3) of the federal "Internal Revenue Code of 1986", as amended, and shall be dedicated to providing support for charitable, benevolent, educational, and scientific purposes that are related to dentistry, dental education, dental research and science, and other dental charitable purposes.

(d) The responsibilities of the administering entity shall be to:

(I) Collect the required annual payments, directly or through the board;

(II) Verify to the board, in a manner acceptable to the board, the names of all dentist applicants who have paid the fee set by the board;

(III) Distribute the moneys collected, less expenses, to the designated provider, as directed by the board;

(IV) Provide an annual accounting to the board of all amounts collected, expenses incurred, and amounts disbursed; and

(V) Post a surety performance bond in an amount specified by the board to secure performance under the requirements of this section. The administering entity may recover the actual administrative costs incurred in performing its duties under this section in an amount not to exceed ten percent of the total amount collected.

(e) The board, at its discretion, may collect the required annual payments payable to the administering entity for the benefit of the administering entity and shall transfer all such payments to the administering entity. All required annual payments collected or due to the board for each fiscal year shall be deemed custodial funds that are not subject to appropriation by the general assembly, and such funds shall not constitute state fiscal year spending for purposes of section 20 of article X of the state constitution.

(2) (a) Any dentist who is a referred participant in a peer health assistance program shall enter into a written agreement with the board prior to such dentist becoming a participant in such program. Such agreement shall contain specific requirements and goals to be met by the participant, including the conditions under which the program will be successfully completed or terminated, and a provision that a failure to comply with such requirements and goals shall be promptly reported to the board and that such failure shall result in disciplinary action by the board.

(b) Notwithstanding section 12-35-129 and section 24-4-104, C.R.S., the board may immediately suspend the license of any dentist who is referred to a peer health assistance program by the board and who fails to attend or to complete such program. If such dentist objects to such suspension, he or she may submit a written request to the board for a formal hearing on such suspension within ten days after receiving notice of such suspension, and the board shall grant such request. In such hearing the dentist shall bear the burden of proving that his or her license should not be suspended.

(c) Any dentist who is accepted into a peer health assistance program in lieu of disciplinary action by the board shall affirm that, to the best of his or her knowledge, information, and belief, he or she knows of no instance in which he or she has violated this article or the rules of the board, except in those instances affected by the dentist's physical, emotional, or psychological problems.

(2.5) If a dentist is arrested for a drug- or alcohol-related offense, the dentist shall refer himself or herself to the peer health assistance program within thirty days after the arrest for an evaluation and referral for treatment as necessary. If the dentist self-refers, the evaluation by the program is confidential and cannot be used as evidence in any proceeding other than before the board. If a dentist fails to comply with this subsection (2.5), the failure, alone, is not grounds for discipline under sections 12-35-129 and 12-35-129.1 unless the dentist has also committed an act or omission specified in section 12-35-129, other than an act or omission specified in section 12-35-129 (1) (e) or (1) (f).

(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create any liability on behalf of the board or the state of Colorado for the actions of the board members in making grants to peer assistance programs, and no civil action may be brought or maintained against the board or the state for an injury alleged to have been the result of the activities of any state-funded peer assistance program or the result of an act or omission of a dentist participating in or referred by a state-funded peer assistance program. However, the state shall remain liable under the provisions of the "Colorado Governmental Immunity Act", article 10 of title 24, C.R.S., if an injury alleged to have been the result of an act or omission of a dentist participating in or referred by a state-funded peer assistance program occurred while such dentist was performing duties as an employee of the state.

(4) The board is authorized to promulgate rules necessary to implement the provisions of this section.