(a) The State Board of Dentistry shall consist of the Secretary of Health, or his designee, the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection in the Office of the Attorney General, or his designee, the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs and twelve additional members, who shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of a majority of the members elected to the Senate. Two members shall represent the public at large. Eight members shall have been licensed and engaged in the actual practice of dentistry in this Commonwealth during a period of not less than ten years immediately preceding their appointment. One member shall be a dental hygienist licensed to practice dental hygiene in this Commonwealth and shall have been engaged in the practice of dental hygiene for a period of at least three years immediately preceding appointment. One member shall be an expanded function dental assistant who is authorized under this act as an expanded function dental assistant, has been engaged in the practice of expanded function dental assisting in this Commonwealth continuously for at least three years prior to appointment and does not practice as a dental hygienist.

(b) The term of office of each professional and public member shall be six years from his appointment or until his successor has been duly appointed and qualified according to law, but no longer than six months beyond the six-year period. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms. In the event that any member should die or resign or otherwise become disqualified during his term of office, his successor shall be appointed in the same way and with the same qualifications as set forth in subsection (a) and shall hold office for the unexpired term.

(c) A majority of the members of the board serving in accordance with law shall constitute a quorum for purposes of conducting the business of the board. Except for temporary and automatic suspensions under sections 4.1 and 5.1,¹ a member may not be counted as part of a quorum or vote on any issue unless he or she is physically in attendance at the meeting.

(d) The board shall annually select, from among its members, a chairman and a secretary.

(e) Each member of the board, other than the Secretary of Health, or his designee, the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, or his designee, and the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs, shall receive sixty dollars ($60) per diem when actually attending to the work of the board. Members shall also receive the amount of reasonable traveling, hotel and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with Commonwealth regulations.

(f) A member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings shall forfeit his seat unless the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs, upon written request from the member, finds that the member should be excused from a meeting because of illness or the death of an immediate family member.

(g) The board is subject to evaluation, review and termination in the manner provided in the act of December 22, 1981 (P.L. 508, No. 142), known as the “Sunset Act.”²

(h) A public member who fails to attend two consecutive statutorily mandated training seminars in accordance with section 813(e) of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L. 177, No. 175), known as “The Administrative Code of 1929,”³ shall forfeit his or her seat unless the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs, upon written request from the public member, finds that the public member should be excused from a meeting because of illness or the death of a family member.