A dentist who is practicing or will practice dentistry, under a false, assumed or fictitious name, either as an individual, firm, corporation or otherwise requires a fictitious name permit under Business & Professions Code section 1701 (g).
However, a fictitious name permit is not required by a corporation if practicing under the corporate name. If a corporation wishes to practice under a name other than its corporate name, then a permit is required. A permit is also not required for an individual practicing under his or her name with a pratice area, i.e. Dr. John Smith, General Dentistry, or Dr. Joanne Smith, practice limited to endodontics.
A fictitious name permit expires when the qualifying license expires and must be renewed every two years. The location where the applicant or applicants practice must be owned or leased by the applicant or applicants, and the practice conducted at that place must be wholly owned and entirely controlled by the applicant or applicants. Business & Professions Code section 1701.5 (c). Permits are address specific. Furthermore, permits may not be transferred by one licensee to another.
A corporation (and an association or partnership or a group of three or more dentists) may practice under a fictitious name if it holds a valid permit for such name issued by the Board. The fictitious name must contain the family name of one or more the past, present or prospective associates, partners, shareholders or members of the group, and one of the following: Dental Group, Dental Practice, or Dental Office, as per Business & Professions Code section 1701.5.
Restrictions on names that may be used:
Under Business & Professions Code section 1701.5 (c), the fictitious name must include at least the family name of the applicant or one of the applicants, or the name(s) of one or more of the past, present, or prospective associates, partners, shareholders, or members of the group as well as one of the following designations: "dental group", "dental practice" or "dental office." The name may also include descriptive language such as regional or geographic references, and may denote a practice area, as long as it is truthful and not misleading.
