I think I got it to work, but I am continuing tests now. Here is my current code for the directive, let me know if you see problems:

(function () {
    'use strict';

    var app = angular.module('sysMgrApp');

    app.directive('noDirtyCheck', [function () {
        // Interacting with input elements having this directive won't cause the
        // form to be marked dirty.
        // http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17089090/prevent-input-from-setting-form-dirty-angularjs
        return {
            restrict: 'A',           
            require: ['^form', '^ngModel'],

            link: function (scope, element, attrs, controllers) {
                var form = controllers[0];
                
                var currentControl = controllers[1];

                var formDirtyState = false;

                element[0].focus(function () {
                    if (form)
                        formDirtyState = form.$dirty; // save form's dirty state
                 });
                
                element.bind('blur', function () {
                    if (currentControl) {
                        currentControl.$dirty = false; // Remove dirty state but keep the value
                        if (!formDirtyState && form)
                            form.$setPristine();

              //          scope.$apply();
                    }
                })
            }
        };
    }]);
})();

>>>Bear in mind that simply setting an inputs $dirty to false (even when there are no other dirty controls) will not cause the form $dirty to be re-evaluated. You may need something like this in your directive after $setPristine():

var dirty = false;
>>>angular.forEach(scope.theForm, function (value, key) {
>>>    if (key[0] != '$') {
>>>        if (value.$dirty) {
>>>                dirty = true;
>>>        }
>>>    }
>>>});
>>>if (!dirty) {
>>>scope.theForm.$setPristine();
>>>}

This will reset the form if all inputs are pristine.....
>>>
>>
>>For this code to work do I need to add
>>

>>require: ['^form'],

>>
>>and use scope.form syntax where you used scope.theForm
>>
>>?
>
>This, although a bit messy, seems to work:

                      var dirty = false;
>                       var theForm = null;
>                       angular.forEach(scope.theForm, function (value, key) {
>                           if (key == '$$parentForm') {
>                               theForm = value;
>                           }
>                           if (key[0] != '$') {
>                               if (value.$dirty) {
>                                   dirty = true;
>                               }
>                           }
>                       });
>                       if (!dirty) {
>                           theForm.$setPristine();
>                       }

(Uses the control to reach up to the parent form)