37-4-104. Twelve-month period for disposition of deceased or disabled dentist's practice by personal representative -- restrictions. - Montana Statutes

     37-4-104. Twelve-month period for disposition of deceased or disabled dentist's practice by personal representative -- restrictions. (1) For the purpose of selling or otherwise disposing of a deceased or a disabled licensee's dental practice and for a period not to exceed 12 months, a person who is not licensed to practice dentistry but who is the personal representative of the estate of a deceased dentist or the personal representative of a disabled dentist may contract with a dentist to manage the dental practice at an establishment where dental operations, oral surgery, or dental services are provided.
     (2) A personal representative may not:
     (a) govern the clinical sufficiency, suitability, reliability, or efficacy of a particular service, product, process, or activity as it relates to the delivery of dental care;
     (b) preclude or otherwise restrict a dentist's ability to exercise independent professional judgment over all qualitative and quantitative aspects of the delivery of dental care;
     (c) allow any person other than a dentist to supervise and control the selection, compensation, terms, conditions, obligations, or privileges of employment or retention of clinical personnel in the dental practice;
     (d) determine or limit a fee charged by the dentist or limit the methods of payment accepted by a dentist or the dentist's practice; or
     (e) limit or define the scope of services offered by the dentist.
     (3) For the purposes of this section:
     (a) "clinical" means having a significant relationship, whether real or potential, direct or indirect, to the actual rendering or outcome of dental care, the practice of dentistry, or the quality of dental care being rendered to a patient;
     (b) "disabled" has the same meaning as provided for the term "permanently and totally disabled" in 15-30-2110; and
     (c) "personal representative" of the estate of a deceased dentist has the same meaning as provided for the term in 72-1-103.
     (4) The 12-month period provided for in subsection (1) begins when:
     (a) the personal representative of the estate of a deceased dentist files a verified copy of the death certificate of the deceased with the department; or
     (b) the personal representative of the disabled dentist files a verified copy of a document signed by a licensed physician that attests to the dentist's disability.

     History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 151, L. 1997.