(a) The Department of Insurance, any agent or examiner of the department, or any other person appointed by the department shall have the power of visitation and examination into the affairs, transactions, accounts, business records, and assets of any such dental service plan corporation, shall have free access to all of the books, papers, and documents that relate to the business of the corporation, may summon and qualify witnesses under oath, and may examine its officers, agents, and employees or other relative persons regarding the affairs, transactions, and condition of the corporation. The corporation whose affairs are examined shall pay to the department for deposit into the State Treasury the traveling expenses and any other expenses of the examiner or other person making the examination which shall be credited as provided by Section 22-21-383.

(b) If the department has reason to believe that any person has violated or is violating any provision of this article, or upon written complaint signed by any interested person indicating that any such violation exists, the department shall conduct such examination or investigation as it deems necessary of the accounts, records, documents, and transactions pertaining to or affecting the affairs of the dental service plan corporation or of any person who solicits, negotiates, effectuates, procures, receives, delivers, or forwards any contract of such a corporation or who collects or forwards any consideration paid by a person contracting for dental services or benefits from such a corporation.