Local anesthesia permits
Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioners
Supervision requirements continued Evaluation of that patient to collect data to identity
dental hygiene care needs : Hygienists may provide this service under general supervision .
Application of fluorides and other recognized topical agents for the prevention of oral diseases : Hygienists may provide this service under general supervision .
Conditioning of teeth for and application of sealants : Hygienists may provide this service under general supervision .
Taking impressions of teeth for athletic appliances : Hygienists may provide this service under general supervision .
Administration of local anesthesia ( special permit needed ): Hygienists may provide this service only under direct supervision .
Taking radiographs : Hygienists may provide this service under general supervision .
Local anesthesia permits
Hygienists may apply for a permit to administer local anesthesia under dentists ’ direct supervision . Local anesthesia is defined to include local infiltration anesthesia and intraoral nerve block anesthesia limited to the 2nd ( maxillary ) and 3rd ( mandibular ) divisions of the trigeminal nerve . Please note that dentists are ultimately responsible for making the decision whether their hygienists administer local anesthesia , even if they have the permit to do so .
In order to obtain this permit , a hygienist must :
- Have a current license in good standing - Hold current certification in Basic Life Support ( BLS ) - Have graduated from a CODA-approved hygiene program that included a course in local anesthesia , within five years of applying for the permit OR
- Have taken a course from a CODA-approved program that consists of at least 30 hours of didactic and clinical instruction in local anesthesia OR
- Have a current license or permit from another state to administer local anesthesia ( see regulations for more information ).
Hygienists who wish to maintain a permit to administer local anesthesia must complete three hours of the required 20 hours of continuing education in courses related to local anesthesia , including pharmacology or other related courses .
Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioners
Hygienists may apply for a permit to practice as public health dental hygienists ( PHDHP ), after meeting the following conditions :
- Have a license in good standing - Have a statement from a licensed dentist ( s ) that he / she has at least 3,600 hours of clinical practice - Purchase malpractice insurance
Public Setting is defined as “ public and private educational institutions providing elementary and secondary instruction , correctional facilities , health care facilities , domiciliary care facilities , older adult daily living centers , continuing-care provider facilities , federally qualified health centers , free and reduced-fee nonprofit health clinics , physician ’ s offices , facilities licensed by the Department of Drugs & Alcohol , and any public or private institution under the jurisdiction of a federal , state or local agency .”
PHDHPs are required to refer patients seen in public settings to a dentist on an annual basis , though the patient ’ s failure to comply with the referral does not preclude the PHDHP from providing hygiene services the following year . PHDHPs are allowed to take radiographs without any supervision from a dentist , and must provide the patient with a copy of the radiograph , along with a referral to a dentist , within one month of having taken the radiograph . Dentists reviewing these radiographs should report any diagnosis to the patient and the PHDHP .
In order to maintain this permit , PHDHPs must complete five hours of the required 20 hours of continuing education in public health-related courses . Those school hygienists who also have permits to practice as PHDHPs may complete education courses approved for certification by the school district to meet the State Board of Dentistry ’ s 20-hour continuing education requirement .
2024