(1) Application 

(a) Hearing aid dispenser                                                                           $300 

(b) Trainee                                                                                                    600

(2) Active renewal - Hearing aid dispenser                                                   550

(3) Additional standardized fees are in ARM 24.101.403.

(4) All fees are nonrefundable.

(5) Examination fees are set by the examination administrator and paid by the applicant directly to the examination administrator.

(1) As applicable, patient records must include: 

(a) dates, locations, and methods for all patient contacts; 

(b) description of services;

(c) a record of and receipt for any hearing aids returned; and

(d) a copy of all final bills of sale.

(2) Dispensers shall maintain patient records for a minimum of seven years from the last recorded date of service. Deceased patient records may be discarded one year after the date of death.

(1) Hearing aid dispenser applicants must pass the International Hearing Society (IHS) written examination or its equivalent.

(1) Hearing aid dispenser applicants must complete 1,000 hours of supervised training while licensed as hearing aid dispenser trainees. 

(2) Trainee licenses are valid for one year unless renewed and may be renewed only once without prior department approval. 

(3) Trainees must be supervised by qualified licensed hearing aid dispensers who are available for regular and prompt observation, instruction, consultation, and treatment.

(4) To supervise, hearing aid dispensers must:

(a) be currently licensed and actively practicing in Montana for at least one year; and

(b) have no final discipline in any state against the dispenser's license or a related license such as audiologist, in the two years preceding the request to supervise.

(5) The supervisor and trainee shall immediately notify the department and provide the reasoning for any pause in or termination of the training.

(6) Unsupervised trainees may not practice and must receive department approval before continuing in trainee status.

(7) Credit toward the training is only given when trainees have documented supervision.

(8) Trainees must maintain and submit to the department every 90 days, a dated log documenting their daily tasks and duties that is signed by the trainee and supervisor.

(9) Trainees must submit the final log upon conclusion of the supervised training to obtain approval to sit for the examination per ARM 24.151.501.

(1) In addition to provisions of 37-16-303, MCA, each bill of sale and receipt must contain a plain and simple notice of those hearing aids that must be programmed or adjusted only by authorized dealers or dispensers and must be signed by the licensee and purchaser. 

(2) For trainee-provided services, all bills of sale and receipts must clearly show: 

(a) trainee's designation, name, and license number; and

(b) supervisor's name and license number.

(1) The department may randomly audit renewed licensed hearing aid dispensers for calibration compliance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards.

(1) It is unprofessional conduct for licensed hearing aid dispensers to: 

(a) violate a federal, state, or local law or rule relating to the conduct of the profession;

(b) initiate telephone contact without first identifying the dispenser's name and company, or making more than one contact, unless the person specifically requests further contact;

(c) contact a person more than once who has a hearing aid still under warranty, unless:

(i)  contact is made by the original dispenser; or

(ii)  the person specifically requests the additional contact;

(d) perform services outside the licensee's area of training, expertise, competence, or scope of practice or licensure;

(e) fail to adequately supervise, manage, train, or control auxiliary staff or supervisees;

(f) discontinue professional services, unless:

(i) services are completed;

(ii) the person requests the discontinuation;

(iii) alternative or replacement services are arranged; or

(iv) the person is given reasonable opportunity to arrange alternative or replacement services;

(g) delegate a professional task to an unqualified person;

(h) fail to obtain informed consent when warranted;

(i) physically or verbally abuse a patient; and

(j) fail to account for funds received in connection with any services rendered or to be rendered.