Sec 32-1281. Practicing as dental hygienist; supervision requirements; definitions

A. A person is deemed to be practicing as a dental hygienist if the person does any of the acts or performs any of the operations included in the general practice of dental hygienists, dental hygiene and all related and associated duties.

B. A licensed dental hygienist may perform the following:

1. Prophylaxis.

2. Scaling.

3. Closed subgingival curettage.

4. Root planing.

5. Administering local anesthetics and nitrous oxide.

6. Inspecting the oral cavity and surrounding structures for the purposes of gathering clinical data to facilitate a diagnosis.

7. Periodontal screening or assessment.

8. Recording of clinical findings.

9. Compiling case histories.

10. Exposing and processing dental radiographs.

11. All functions authorized and deemed appropriate for dental assistants.

12. Those restorative functions permissible for an expanded function dental assistant if qualified pursuant to section 32-1291.01.

C. The board by rule shall prescribe the circumstances under which a licensed dental hygienist may:

1. Apply preventive and therapeutic agents, used in relation to dental hygiene procedures, to the hard and soft tissues.

2. Use emerging scientific technology and prescribe the necessary training, experience and supervision to operate newly developed scientific technology. A dentist who supervises a dental hygienist whose duties include the use of emerging scientific technology must have training on the use of the emerging technology that is equal to or greater than the training the dental hygienist is required to obtain.

3. Perform other procedures not specifically authorized by this section.

D. Except as provided in subsections E and G of this section, a dental hygienist shall practice under the general supervision of a dentist licensed pursuant to this chapter.

E. Dental hygienists shall practice under the direct supervision of a dentist licensed pursuant to this chapter when performing the following procedures and after completing a course of study recognized by the board:

1. Administering local anesthetics. A dental hygienist may administer local anesthetics to a patient of record under general supervision if all of the following are true:

(a) The patient is at least eighteen years of age.

(b) The patient has been examined by a dentist licensed pursuant to this chapter within the previous twelve months.

(c) There has been no change in the patient's medical history since the last examination. If there has been a change in the patient's medical history within that time, the dental hygienist must consult with the dentist before administering local anesthetics.

(d) The supervising dentist who performed the examination has approved the patient for the administration of local anesthetics by a dental hygienist under general supervision and documented this approval in the patient's record.

2. Administering nitrous oxide analgesia.

F. A dental hygienist may perform dental hygiene procedures in the following settings:

1. On a patient of record of a dentist within that dentist's office.

2. Except as prescribed in section 32-1289, in a health care facility, long-term care facility, public health agency or institution, public or private school or homebound setting on patients who have been examined by a dentist within the previous year.

G. A dental hygienist may provide dental hygiene services under an affiliated practice relationship with a dentist as prescribed in section 32-1289.01.

H. For the purposes of this article:

1. "Assessment" means a limited, clinical inspection that is performed to identify possible signs of oral or systemic disease, malformation or injury and the potential need for referral for diagnosis and treatment.

2. "Direct supervision" means that the dentist is present in the office while the dental hygienist is treating a patient and is available for consultation regarding procedures that the dentist authorizes and for which the dentist is responsible.

3. "General supervision" means that the dentist is available for consultation, whether or not the dentist is in the dentist's office, over procedures that the dentist has authorized and for which the dentist remains responsible.

4. "Screening" means the determination of an individual's need to be seen by a dentist for diagnosis and does not include an examination, diagnosis or treatment planning.