Necessity Of Licensure

(1) It is unlawful for any person who is not licensed in the manner prescribed in Title 63, Chapter 14 of the Tennessee Code Annotated to represent himself as a dispensing optician or to hold himself out to the public as being licensed by means of using a title on signs, mailboxes, address plates, stationery, announcement, telephone listings, calling cards, or other instruments of professional identification. (2) The practice of a Dispensing Optician is one of the healing arts, and as such the practice is restricted to those persons credentialed by the Board. Persons engaging in the practice of dispensing opticianry without being licensed or expressly exempted by the laws are in violation of division law, T.C.A. § 63-1-123. (3) No person shall hold himself out to the public by a title or description of services incorporating the words “dispensing optician”, nor shall state or imply that he is licensed as such, unless such person is licensed or expressly exempted pursuant to T.C.A. §§ 63-14-101, et seq. (4) Use of Titles – Any person who possesses a valid, current and active license issued by the Board that has not been suspended or revoked has the right to use the title “Licensed Dispensing Optician” and to engage in the practice of dispensing opticians, as defined in T.C.A. § 63-14-102. Any person licensed by the Board to whom this rule applies must use the title authorized by this rule in every “advertisement” [as that term is defined in Rule 0480-01- .20(2)(a)] he or she publishes or the failure to do so will constitute an omission of a material fact which makes the advertisement misleading and deceptive and subjects the dispensing optician to disciplinary action pursuant to T.C.A. § 63-14-104(2).