(a) No person shall practice dentistry or dental hygiene in the State of Alabama unless licensed or permitted by the board and registered annually as required by this chapter. The secretary-treasurer of the board shall issue to each licensee an initial registration form which shall contain space for the insertion of name, address, date, and number of license certificate, and other information as the board shall deem necessary. The licensee shall sign and verify the accuracy of the registration before a notary public after which he or she shall forward the registration to the secretary-treasurer of the board together with a fee. Each subsequent registration shall be made in electronic format or by United States mail upon a form to be determined by the board. On or before October 1 of each year, every dentist and dental hygienist licensed or permitted to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in the state shall transmit either online or by United States mail to the secretary-treasurer of the board the completed form prescribed by the board, together with a fee established by the board pursuant to this chapter, and receive thereafter the current annual registration certificate authorizing him or her to continue the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene in the state for a period of one year. Any license or permit previously granted under the authority of this chapter or any prior dental practice act shall automatically be suspended if the holder thereof fails to secure the annual registration certificate before January 1, each year. Any dentist or dental hygienist whose license or permit is automatically suspended by reason of failure, neglect, or refusal to secure the annual registration certificate shall be reinstated by the board upon payment of the penalty fee plus all accrued annual registration fees up to a maximum of five years, accompanied with the prescribed form for annual registration of the license or permit. Upon failure of any licensee or permittee to file application for the annual registration certificate and pay the annual registration fee on or before November 30, each year, the board shall notify the licensee or permittee by mail addressed to the last address of record that the application and fee have not been received and that, unless the application and fee are received on or before the first day of January, the license or permit shall be automatically suspended. The board shall notify the licensee or permittee by mail addressed to the last address of record of the effective date of the automatic suspension and the provisions for registration of the license or permit. The board shall waive the annual payment of fees herein provided for and issue a current annual registration certificate to any licensee or permittee who, because of age or physical disability, has retired from the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene or who is suffering a malady of a lingering or permanent nature. The board by rule shall waive annual registration and the payment of fees while any licensee is on temporary active duty with any of the Armed Forces of the United States. The waiver of fees herein provided shall be effective so long as the retirement because of age or physical disability or temporary active duty continues.

(b) The board shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for the adoption of a program of continuing education for its licensees by October 1, 1991. After that date, the successful completion of continuing education program requirements shall be a requisite for renewal of licenses and permits issued pursuant to this chapter.