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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55702</law_id><section_number>54.1-2716</section_number><catch_line>Practicing in a commercial or mercantile establishment</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="27">Dentistry</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Licensure of Dentists</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>It shall be unlawful for any <span class="dictionary">dentist</span> to practice his profession in a <span class="dictionary">commercial or mercantile establishment</span>, or to advertise, either in person or through any <span class="dictionary">commercial or mercantile establishment</span>, that he is a licensed practitioner and is practicing or will practice <span class="dictionary">dentistry</span> in such <span class="dictionary">commercial or mercantile establishment</span>. This section shall not prohibit the rendering of professional services to the officers and employees of any person, firm or corporation by a <span class="dictionary">dentist</span>, whether or not the compensation for such service is paid by the officers and employees, or by the employer, or jointly by all or any of them. Any <span class="dictionary">dentist</span> who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.
		For the purposes of this section, the term &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">commercial or mercantile establishment</span>&#x201D; means a business enterprise engaged in the selling of commodities or services unrelated to the practice of <span class="dictionary">dentistry</span> or the other healing arts.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 54-147.1; 1988, c. 765.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
