Chapter 447

447.25 447.25 Additional rights to indemnification and allowance of expenses.

447.25(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), ss. 447.17 and 447.21 do not preclude any additional right to indemnification or allowance of expenses that a director or officer may have under any of the following:

447.25(1)(a) (a) The articles, constitution or bylaws.

447.25(1)(b) (b) A written agreement between the director or officer and the dental society.

447.25(1)(c) (c) A resolution of the board of directors.

447.25(1)(d) (d) A resolution, after notice, adopted by a majority vote of members who are entitled to vote.

447.25(2) (2) Regardless of the existence of an additional right under sub. (1), the dental society may not indemnify a director or officer, or permit a director or officer to retain any allowance of expenses unless it is determined by or on behalf of the dental society that the director or officer did not breach or fail to perform a duty he or she owes to the dental society which constitutes conduct under s. 447.17 (2) (a) 1., 2., 3. or 4. A director or officer who is a party to the same or related proceeding for which indemnification or an allowance of expenses is sought may not participate in a determination under this subsection.

447.25(3) (3) Sections 447.15 to 447.31 do not affect a dental society’s power to pay or reimburse expenses incurred by a director or officer in any of the following circumstances:

447.25(3)(a) (a) As a witness in a proceeding to which he or she is not a party.

447.25(3)(b) (b) As a plaintiff or petitioner in a proceeding because he or she is or was an employee, agent, director or officer of the dental society.

447.25 History History: 1987 a. 13.

447.27 447.27 Court-ordered indemnification.

447.27(1) (1) Except as provided otherwise by written agreement between the director or officer and the dental society, a director or officer who is a party to a proceeding may apply for indemnification to the court conducting the proceeding or to another court of competent jurisdiction. Application shall be made for an initial determination by the court under s. 447.19 (5) or for review by the court of an adverse determination under s. 447.19 (1), (2), (3), (4) or (6). After receipt of an application, the court shall give any notice it considers necessary.

447.27(2) (2) The court shall order indemnification if it determines any of the following:

447.27(2)(a) (a) That the director or officer is entitled to indemnification under s. 447.17 (1) or (2). If the court also determines that the dental society unreasonably refused the director’s or officer’s request for indemnification, the court shall order the dental society to pay the director’s or officer’s reasonable expenses incurred to obtain the court-ordered indemnification.

447.27(2)(b) (b) That the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, regardless of whether indemnification is required under s. 447.17 (2).

447.27 History History: 1987 a. 13.

447.29 447.29 Indemnification and allowance of expenses of employees and agents. A dental society may indemnify and allow reasonable expenses of an employee or agent who is not a director or officer to the extent provided by the articles, constitution or bylaws, by general or specific action of the board of directors or by contract.

447.29 History History: 1987 a. 13.

447.31 447.31 Insurance. A dental society may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of an individual who is an employee, agent, director or officer of the dental society against liability asserted against and incurred by the individual in his or her capacity as an employee, agent, director or officer, or arising from his or her status as an employee, agent, director or officer, regardless of whether the dental society is required or authorized to indemnify or allow expenses to the individual against the same liability under ss. 447.17, 447.21, 447.25 and 447.29.

447.31 History History: 1987 a. 13.

447.34 447.34 Reliance by directors or officers. Unless the director or officer has knowledge that makes reliance unwarranted, a director or officer of a county or district dental society organized or continued under s. 447.12 may, in discharging his or her duties to the dental society, rely on information, opinions, reports or statements, any of which may be written or oral, formal or informal, including financial statements and other financial data, if prepared or presented by any of the following:

447.34(1) (1) An officer or employee of the dental society whom the director or officer believes in good faith to be reliable and competent in the matters presented.

447.34(2) (2) Legal counsel, certified public accountants licensed under ch. 442, or other persons as to matters the director or officer believes in good faith are within the person’s professional or expert competence.

447.34(3) (3) In the case of reliance by a director, a committee of the board of directors of which the director is not a member if the director believes in good faith that the committee merits confidence.

447.34 History History: 1987 a. 13; 2001 a. 16.

447.36 447.36 Consideration of interests in addition to members’ interests. In discharging his or her duties to a county or district dental society organized or continued under s. 447.12 and in determining what he or she believes to be in the best interests of the dental society, a director or officer may, in addition to considering the effects of any action on members, consider the following:

447.36(1) (1) The effects of the action on employees, suppliers and customers of the dental society.

447.36(2) (2) The effects of the action on communities in which the dental society operates.

447.36(3) (3) Any other factors the director or officer considers pertinent.

447.36 History History: 1987 a. 13.

447.38 447.38 Limited liability of directors and officers.

447.38(1) (1) Except as provided in subs. (2) and (3), a director or officer of a county or district dental society organized or continued under s. 447.12 is not liable to the dental society, its members or creditors, or any person asserting rights on behalf of the dental society, its members or creditors, or any other person, for damages, settlements, fees, fines, penalties or other monetary liabilities arising from a breach of, or failure to perform, any duty resulting solely from his or her status as a director or officer, unless the person asserting liability proves that the breach or failure to perform constitutes any of the following:

447.38(1)(a) (a) A willful failure to deal fairly with the dental society or its members in connection with a matter in which the director or officer has a material conflict of interest.

447.38(1)(b) (b) A violation of criminal law, unless the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was lawful or no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

447.38(1)(c) (c) A transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal profit.

447.38(1)(d) (d) Willful misconduct.

447.38(2) (2) Except as provided in sub. (3), this section does not apply to any of the following:

447.38(2)(a) (a) A civil or criminal proceeding brought by or on behalf of any governmental unit, authority or agency.

447.38(2)(b) (b) A proceeding brought by any person for a violation of state or federal law where the proceeding is brought pursuant to an express private right of action created by state or federal statute.

447.38(3) (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to a proceeding brought by a governmental unit, authority or agency in its capacity as a private party or contractor.

447.38 History History: 1987 a. 13.

447.38 Annotation Cooperative indemnification. La Rowe and Weine. WBB Sept. 1988.

447.40 447.40 Informed consent. Any dentist or dental therapist who treats a patient shall inform the patient about the availability of reasonable alternate modes of treatment and about the benefits and risks of these treatments. The reasonable dentist standard is the standard for informing a patient under this section. The reasonable dentist standard requires disclosure only of information that a reasonable dentist would know and disclose under the circumstances. The dentist’s or dental therapist’s duty to inform the patient under this section does not require disclosure of any of the following:

447.40(1) (1) Detailed technical information that in all probability a patient would not understand.

447.40(2) (2) Risks apparent or known to the patient.

447.40(3) (3) Extremely remote possibilities that might falsely or detrimentally alarm the patient.

447.40(4) (4) Information in emergencies where failure to provide treatment would be more harmful to the patient than treatment.

447.40(5) (5) Information in cases where the patient is incapable of consenting.

447.40(6) (6) Information about alternate modes of treatment for any condition the dentist or dental therapist has not included in his or her diagnosis, assessment, or treatment plan at the time the dentist or dental therapist informs the patient.

447.40 History History: 2013 a. 345; 2023 a. 87.

subch. II of ch. 447 SUBCHAPTER II

DENTIST AND DENTAL
HYGIENIST COMPACT

447.50 447.50 Dentist and dental hygienist compact.

447.50(1) (1) Title and purpose. This statute shall be known and cited as the dentist and dental hygienist compact. The purposes of this compact are to facilitate the interstate practice of dentistry and dental hygiene and improve public access to dentistry and dental hygiene services by providing dentists and dental hygienists licensed in a participating state the ability to practice in participating states in which they are not licensed. The compact does this by establishing a pathway for a dentists and dental hygienists licensed in a participating state to obtain a compact privilege that authorizes them to practice in another participating state in which they are not licensed. The compact enables participating states to protect the public health and safety with respect to the practice of such dentists and dental hygienists, through the state’s authority to regulate the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene in the state. The compact:

447.50(1)(a) (a) Enables dentists and dental hygienists who qualify for a compact privilege to practice in other participating states without satisfying burdensome and duplicative requirements associated with securing a license to practice in those states;

447.50(1)(b) (b) Promotes mobility and addresses workforce shortages through each participating state’s acceptance of a compact privilege to practice in that state;

447.50(1)(c) (c) Increases public access to qualified, licensed dentists and dental hygienists by creating a responsible, streamlined pathway for licensees to practice in participating states.

447.50(1)(d) (d) Enhances the ability of participating states to protect the public’s health and safety;

447.50(1)(e) (e) Does not interfere with licensure requirements established by a participating state;

447.50(1)(f) (f) Facilitates the sharing of licensure and disciplinary information among participating states;

447.50(1)(g) (g) Requires dentists and dental hygienists who practice in a participating state pursuant to a compact privilege to practice within the scope of practice authorized in that state;

447.50(1)(h) (h) Extends the authority of a participating state to regulate the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene within its borders to dentists and dental hygienists who practice in the state through a compact privilege;

447.50(1)(i) (i) Promotes the cooperation of participating state in regulating the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene within those states;

447.50(1)(j) (j) Facilitates the relocation of military members and their spouses who are licensed to practice dentistry or dental hygiene;

447.50(2) (2) Definitions. As used in this compact, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions shall apply:

447.50(2)(a) (a) “Active military member” means any person with full-time duty status in the armed forces of the United States, including members of the national guard and reserve.

447.50(2)(b) (b) “Adverse action” means disciplinary action or encumbrance imposed on a license or compact privilege by a state licensing authority.

447.50(2)(c) (c) “Alternative program” means a nondisciplinary monitoring or practice remediation process applicable to a dentist or dental hygienist approved by a state licensing authority of a participating state in which the dentist or dental hygienist is licensed. This includes, but is not limited to, programs to which licensees with substance abuse or addiction issues are referred in lieu of adverse action.

447.50(2)(d) (d) “Clinical assessment” means examination or process, required for licensure as a dentist or dental hygienist as applicable, that provides evidence of clinical competence in dentistry or dental hygiene.

447.50(2)(e) (e) “Commissioner” means the individual appointed by a participating state to serve as the member of the commission for that participating state.

447.50(2)(f) (f) “Compact” means this dentist and dental hygienist compact.

447.50(2)(g) (g) “Compact privilege” means the authorization granted by a remote state to allow a licensee from a participating state to practice as a dentist or dental hygienist in a remote state.

447.50(2)(h) (h) “Continuing professional development” means a requirement, as a condition of license renewal to provide evidence of successful participation in educational or professional activities relevant to practice or area of work.

447.50(2)(i) (i) “Criminal background check” means the submission of fingerprints or other biometric-based information for a license applicant for the purpose of obtaining that applicant’s criminal history record information, as defined in 28 CFR 20.3 (d), from the federal bureau of investigation and the state’s criminal history record repository, as defined in 28 CFR. 20.3 (f).

447.50(2)(j) (j) “Data system” means the commission’s repository of information about licensees, including but not limited to examination, licensure, investigative, compact privilege, adverse action, and alternative program.

447.50(2)(k) (k) “Dental hygienist” means an individual who is licensed by a state licensing authority to practice dental hygiene.

447.50(2)(L) (L) “Dentist” means an individual who is licensed by a state licensing authority to practice dentistry.

447.50(2)(m) (m) “Dentist and dental hygienist compact commission” or “commission” means a joint government agency established by this compact comprised of each state that has enacted the compact and a national administrative body comprised of a commissioner from each state that has enacted the compact.

447.50(2)(n) (n) “Encumbered license” means a license that a state licensing authority has limited in any way other than through an alternative program.

447.50(2)(o) (o) “Executive board” means the chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer and any other commissioners as may be determined by commission rule or bylaw.

447.50(2)(p) (p) “Jurisprudence requirement” means the assessment of an individual’s knowledge of the laws and rules governing the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene, as applicable, in a state.

447.50(2)(q) (q) “License” means current authorization by a state, other than authorization pursuant to a compact privilege, or other privilege, for an individual to practice as a dentist or dental hygienist in that state.

447.50(2)(r) (r) “Licensee” means an individual who holds an unrestricted license from a participating state to practice as a dentist or dental hygienist in that state.

447.50(2)(s) (s) “Model compact” means the model for the dentist and dental hygienist compact on file with the council of state governments or other entity as designated by the commission.

447.50(2)(t) (t) “Participating state” means a state that has enacted the compact and been admitted to the commission in accordance with the provisions herein and commission rules.

447.50(2)(u) (u) “Qualifying license” means a license that is not an encumbered license issued by a participating state to practice dentistry or dental hygiene.

447.50(2)(v) (v) “Remote state” means a participating state where a licensee who is not licensed as a dentist or dental hygienist is exercising or seeking to exercise the compact privilege.

447.50(2)(w) (w) “Rule” means a regulation promulgated by an entity that has the force of law.