(a) No person may establish, operate or administer a dental plan organization, or sell or offer to sell, or solicit offers to purchase, or receive advance or periodic consideration in conjunction with any dental plan organization, utilizing in the aggregate the services of more than 1 full-time equivalent dentist without obtaining and maintaining a certificate of authority pursuant to requirements of this chapter.
(b) Within 90 days after September 23, 1981, every dental plan organization utilizing in the aggregate the services of more than 1 full-time equivalent dentist shall submit an application for a certificate of authority to the Commissioner. A dental plan organization may continue to operate until the Commissioner acts upon the application. If the application is denied, the dental plan organization shall be treated as if its certificate of authority has been revoked.
(c) An application for a certificate of authority shall be in a form prescribed by the Commissioner, shall be verified by an officer or authorized representative of the dental plan organization and shall include the following:
(1) All basic organizational documents of the dental plan organization such as the articles of incorporation, articles of association, partnership agreement, trade name certificate, trust agreement, shareholder agreement or other applicable documents and all amendments to those documents;
(2) The bylaws, rules and regulations or similar documents regulating the conduct or the internal affairs of the dental plan organization;
(3) The names, addresses and official positions of the persons who are responsible for the conduct of the affairs of the dental plan organization, including all members of the board of directors, board of trustees, executive committee or other governing board or committee, the principal officers in the case of a corporation and the partners in the case of a partnership or association;
(4) All contracts made between any dentist and the dental plan organization;
(5) All contracts made between any dentist and any person listed in paragraph 3 of this subsection, any consultant or any business manager;
(6) A description of the dental plan organization, its dental plan or plans, facilities and personnel;
(7) The form of the evidence of coverage to be issued to the enrollees;
(8) The form of any group contract which is issued to employers, unions, trustees or others;
(9) Financial statements showing the dental plan organization's assets, liabilities and sources of financial support. If the dental plan organization's financial affairs are audited by independent certified public accountants, a copy of the most recent regular certified financial statement shall satisfy this requirement unless the Commissioner determines that additional or more recent financial information is required for the proper administration of this chapter;
(10) The proposed method of marketing the plan, a financial plan with a 3-year projection of the initial operating results and a statement of the sources of working capital and any other sources of funding;
(11) A power of attorney duly executed by the dental plan organization if not domiciled in this State, appointing the Commissioner, the Commissioner's successors in office and duly authorized deputies as the true and lawful attorney of the dental plan organization in and for this State, upon whom lawful process and any legal action and proceeding against the dental plan organization on a cause of action arising in this State may be served;
(12) A description of the geographic area or areas to be served;
(13) A description of the procedures and programs to be implemented to achieve an effective dental plan; and
(14) Such other information as the Commissioner may require.
(d) The dental plan organization shall pay a fee of $100 to the Commissioner upon filing an application for a certificate of authority.
(e) Within 10 days following any significant modification of information submitted with the application for a certificate of authority, a dental plan organization shall file notice of the modification with the Commissioner.