§59-328.7.

§59-328.7.
   
   A. 1. Pursuant to Section 39 of Article V of the Oklahoma
   Constitution, there is hereby created the Board of Dentistry which
   shall be an agency of state government. The Board shall adopt a seal,
   sue and be sued in its own name, and implement and enforce the
   provisions of the State Dental Act.
   
   2. Whenever the term "The Board of Governors of the Registered
   Dentists of Oklahoma" or a term of like import appears in the Oklahoma
   Statutes, it shall mean the Board of Dentistry.
   
   B. 1. The Board shall consist of eight dentist members, one dental
   hygienist member and two members who shall represent the public. One
   dentist member shall be elected by the dentists residing in each of
   the eight geographical districts established by subsection C of this
   section. The dental hygienist member shall be elected at-large by the
   dental hygienists residing in this state who are legally licensed to
   practice dental hygiene therein. The two public representative members
   shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the
   Senate. No public representative member may be a dentist, dental
   hygienist, dental assistant, dental laboratory technician, or holder
   of a permit to operate a dental laboratory, or be related within the
   third degree of consanguinity or affinity to any such person.
   
   2. Before assuming duties on the Board, each member shall take and
   subscribe to the oath of office or affirmation provided in Article XV
   of the Oklahoma Constitution, which oath or affirmation shall be
   administered and filed as provided in the Article.
   
   3. Each member of the Board shall hold office for a term of three (3)
   years and until a successor in office is elected and qualified. Board
   members shall not serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms. To
   be eligible to be elected to and serve on the Board, a dentist or
   dental hygienist must have been licensed to practice in this state for
   at least five (5) years, and for the five (5) years prior to the date
   of counting the ballots, not have been subject to a penalty imposed by
   the Board or its predecessor board.
   
   C. For the purpose of nominating and electing dentist members of the
   Board, this state shall be divided into eight geographical districts,
   which shall consist of the following counties within the following
   districts:
   
   District No. 1: Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woods, Alfalfa,
   Grant, Kay, Ellis, Woodward, Major, Garfield, Noble, Dewey, Blaine,
   Kingfisher and Logan.
   
   District No. 2: Tulsa and Creek.
   
   District No. 3: Roger Mills, Custer, Beckham, Washita, Harmon, Greer,
   Kiowa, Caddo, Jackson and Tillman.
   
   District No. 4: Canadian, Grady, McClain, Comanche, Cotton, Stephens,
   Jefferson, Garvin, Murray, Carter and Love.
   
   District No. 5: Oklahoma.
   
   District No. 6: Lincoln, Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Okfuskee,
   Hughes, Pontotoc, Coal, Johnston, Marshall and Bryan.
   
   District No. 7: Mayes, Wagoner, Cherokee, Adair, Okmulgee, Muskogee,
   Sequoyah, McIntosh, Haskell, Pittsburg, Latimer, LeFlore, Atoka,
   Pushmataha, Choctaw and McCurtain.
   
   District No. 8: Osage, Payne, Washington, Nowata, Craig, Ottawa,
   Rogers, Delaware and Pawnee.
   
   D. A vacancy among the dentist members of the Board shall be filled by
   a special election in the district of the vacancy for the unexpired
   term within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs, as provided in
   Section 328.9 of this title. A vacancy of the dental hygienist member
   on the Board shall be filled by a special election in the state for
   the unexpired term within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs, as
   provided in Section 328.9 of this title. Nominations shall be made in
   the same manner as provided in Section 328.9 of this title, or if no
   one is nominated within forty-five (45) days from date of vacancy, the
   vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Board. A vacancy among
   the public representative members of the Board shall be filled by
   appointment by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate.