Background
The EPA Dental Rule requires all existing dental offices that place or remove amalgam fillings to install an amalgam separator prior to starting their practice. Then, they must submit a Dental Rule Compliance Form (Dental Form) to the Virigina Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ). The VDEQ has asked Publicly Owned Pretreatment Works (POTWs) in Virginia, such as UOSA, to contact dentists that discharge wastewater to POTWs to obtain Dental Forms the VDEQ has not yet received.
All dental offices that are new, existing, or have changed operations (owner, specialty, expansion, etc.) must fill out the Dental Form. The form must be submitted by all applicable dental offices whether the office is exempt from the rule or not (See “Exemptions” below for more information). Any dentist office that has transferred ownership must complete and submit a new Dental Form within 90 days of the transfer.
Completing and Submitting the Form
There are three ways to complete and submit the form. To keep track of all forms submitted, we request you also send it to UOSA at regulatoryaffairs@uosa.org, regardless if you decide to directly send it to VDEQ or not:
- Directly to the VDEQ: Go to the VDEQ website (click the tab on the right labeled “VDEQ Dental Rule” and find the fillable pdf Dental Form there. After completion, email the form to the VDEQ.
Note: The VDEQ asks that all forms be filled out electronically, saved to your computer with the file named as: Zip Code Underscore Dentist Last Name (for example: 20109_Smith) and attached to an email to DentalRule@DEQ.Virginia.gov. - Email to UOSA: If you received a notification letter from UOSA to complete the Dental Form and email the form directly to UOSA, you must email the form to regulatoryaffairs@uosa.org within 30 days of the date printed on the notification letter. A fillable pdf Dental Form can be found by clicking the tab on the right labeled “Dental Rule Compliance Form.” Please follow the file naming format described in option #1 above. UOSA will forward it to the VDEQ on your behalf.
- Mailing to UOSA: If you received a notification letter from UOSA to complete the Dental Form and mail the form to UOSA, you must mail the form to UOSA within 30 days of the date printed on the notification letter. A fillable pdf Dental Form can be found by clicking the tab on the right labelled “Dental Rule Compliance Form.” Fill out the form and mail it to the address on the right under the “Compliance Form Mailing Address” tab. UOSA will forward it to the VDEQ on your behalf.
Exemptions
Compliance with the Dental rule does NOT apply to dental offices where the practice of dentistry consists exclusively of one or more dental specialties listed below. However, these practices are still required to complete the compliance form and submit it to UOSA and the VDEQ via your preferred method:
- Oral pathology
- Oral and maxillofacial radiology and/or surgery
- Orthodontics
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
- Dental offices that discharge to a septic system
- Discharge to POTWs from mobile units.
More information on the Dental Rule can be found by clicking the tab labelled “VDEQ Dental Rule.” EPA 40CFR 441 can be found by clicking the tab labelled “EPA Dental Rule Regulations.”
Dental Rule Compliance Form
VDEQ Dental Rule Email
UOSA Email Address
Email: RegulatoryAffairs@uosa.org
Compliance Form Mailing Address
Upper Occoquan Service Authority
Attn: Regulatory Affairs Director
14631 Compton Road
Centreville, VA 20121