As used in the State Dental Act, the following words, phrases, or terms, unless the context otherwise indicates, shall have the following meanings: 1. “Accredited dental college” means an institution whose dental educational program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association; 2. “Accredited dental hygiene program” means a dental hygiene educational program which is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association; 3. “Accredited dental assisting program or class” means a dental assisting program which is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or a class approved by the Board of Dentistry; 4. “Advanced procedure” means a dental procedure for which a dental hygienist has received special training in a course of study approved by the Board; 5. “Board” means the Board of Dentistry; 6. “Certified dental assistant” means a dental assistant who has earned and maintains current certified dental assistant certification from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB); 7. “Coronal polishing” means a procedure limited to the removal of plaque and stain from exposed tooth surfaces, utilizing a slow speed hand piece with a prophy/polishing cup or brush and polishing agent and is not prophylaxis. To be considered prophylaxis, examination for calculus and scaling must be done by a dental hygienist or dentist; 8. “Deep sedation” means a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients cannot be easily aroused but respond purposefully following repeated or painful stimulation. The ability to independently maintain ventilator function may be impaired. Patients may require assistance in maintaining a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation may be inadequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained; 9. “Dentistry” means the practice of dentistry in all of its branches; 10. “Dentist” means a graduate of an accredited dental college who has been issued a license by the Board to practice dentistry as defined in Section 328.19 of this title; 11. “Dental ambulatory surgical center (DASC)” means a facility that operates exclusively for the purpose of furnishing outpatient surgical services to patients. A DASC shall have the same privileges and requirements as a dental office and additionally must be an accredited facility by the appropriate entity; 12. “Dental appliance” means a dental appliance, prosthetic denture, bridge, restoration, or other device made for an individual patient for a purpose listed in Section 328.19 of this title; 13. “Dental office” means an establishment owned and operated by a dentist for the practice of dentistry, which may be composed of reception rooms, business offices, private offices, laboratories, and dental operating rooms where dental operations are performed; 14. “Dental hygiene” means the science and practice of the promotion of oral health and prevention and treatment of oral disease through the provision of educational, therapeutic, clinical, and preventive services; 15. “Dental hygienist” means an individual who has fulfilled the educational requirements and is a graduate of an accredited dental hygiene program and who has passed an examination and has been issued a license by the Board and who is authorized to practice dental hygiene as defined in this section; 16. “Dental assistant” means an individual working for a dentist, under the dentist’s direct supervision or direct visual supervision, and performing duties in the dental office or a treatment facility including the limited treatment of patients in accordance with the provisions of the State Dental Act. A dental assistant may assist a dentist with the patient; provided, this shall be done only under the direct supervision or direct visual supervision and control of the dentist and only in accordance with the educational requirements and rules promulgated by the Board; 17. “Dental laboratory” means a location, whether in a dental office or not, where a dentist or a dental laboratory technician performs dental laboratory technology; 18. “Dental laboratory technician” means an individual whose name is duly filed in the official records of the Board, which authorizes the technician, upon the laboratory prescription of a dentist, to perform dental laboratory technology, which services must be rendered only to the prescribing dentist and not to the public; 19. “Dental laboratory technology” means using materials and mechanical devices for the construction, reproduction or repair of dental restorations, appliances or other devices to be worn in a human mouth; 20. “Dental specialty” means a specialized practice of a branch of dentistry, recognized by the Board, where the dental college and specialty program are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), or a dental specialty recognized by the Board, requiring a minimum number of hours of approved education and training and/or recognition by a nationally recognized association or accreditation board; 21. “Direct supervision” means the supervisory dentist is in the dental office or treatment facility and, during the appointment, personally examines the patient, diagnoses any conditions to be treated, and authorizes the procedures to be performed by a dental hygienist or dental assistant. The supervising dentist is continuously on-site and physically present in the dental office or treatment facility while the procedures are being performed and, before dismissal of the patient, evaluates the results of the dental treatment; 22. “Direct visual supervision” means the supervisory dentist has direct ongoing visual oversight which shall be maintained at all times during any procedure authorized to be performed by a dental assistant; 23. “Expanded duty” means a dental procedure for which a dental assistant has received special training in a course of study approved by the Board; 24. “Fellowship” means a program designed for post-residency graduates to gain knowledge and experience in a specialized field; 25. “General anesthesia” means a drug-induced loss of consciousness during which patients are not arousable, even by painful stimulation. The ability to independently maintain ventilator function is often impaired. Patients often require assistance in maintaining a patent airway, and positive pressure ventilation may be required because of depressed spontaneous ventilation or drug-induced depression of neuromuscular function. Cardiovascular function may be impaired; 26. “General supervision” means the supervisory dentist has diagnosed any conditions to be treated within the past thirteen (13) months, has personally authorized the procedures to be performed by a dental hygienist, and will evaluate the results of the dental treatment within a reasonable time as determined by the nature of the procedures performed, the needs of the patient, and the professional judgment of the supervisory dentist. General supervision may only be used to supervise a dental hygienist and may not be used to supervise a dental assistant except as provided by Section 328.58 of this title; 27. “Indirect supervision” means the supervisory dentist is in the dental office or treatment facility and has personally diagnosed any conditions to be treated, authorizes the procedures to be performed by a dental hygienist, remains in the dental office or treatment facility while the procedures are being performed, and will evaluate the results of the dental treatment within a reasonable time as determined by the nature of the procedures performed, the needs of the patient, and the professional judgment of the supervisory dentist. Indirect supervision may not be used for a dental assistant; 28. “Investigations” means an investigation proceeding, authorized under Sections 328.15A and 328.43a of this title, to investigate alleged violations of the State Dental Act or the rules of the Board; 29. “Laboratory prescription” means a written description, dated and signed by a dentist, of dental laboratory technology to be performed by a dental laboratory technician; 30. “Minimal sedation” means a minimally depressed level of consciousness, produced by a pharmacological method, that retains the patient’s ability to independently and continuously maintain an airway and respond normally to tactile stimulation and verbal command. Although cognitive function and coordination may be modestly impaired, ventilator and cardiovascular functions are unaffected; 31. “Mobile dental anesthesia provider” means a licensed and anesthesia-permitted dentist, physician or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) that has a mobile dental unit and provides anesthesia in dental offices and facilities in the state; 32. “Mobile dental clinic” means a permitted motor vehicle or trailer utilized as a dental clinic, and/or that contains dental equipment and is used to provide dental services to patients on-site and shall not include a mobile dental anesthesia provider. A mobile dental clinic shall also mean and include a volunteer mobile dental facility that is directly affiliated with a church or religious organization as defined by Section 501(c)(3) or 501(d) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, the church or religious organization with which it is affiliated is clearly indicated on the exterior of the volunteer mobile dental facility, and such facility does not receive any form of payment either directly or indirectly for work provided to patients other than donations through the affiliated church or religious organization; provided, that the volunteer mobile dental facility shall be exempt from any registration fee required under the State Dental Act; 33. “Moderate sedation” means a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients respond purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light tactile stimulation. No interventions are required to maintain a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation is adequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained; 34. “Prophylaxis” means the removal of any and all calcareous deposits, stains, accretions or concretions from the supragingival and subgingival surfaces of human teeth, utilizing instrumentation by scaler or periodontal curette on the crown and root surfaces of human teeth including rotary or power-driven instruments. This procedure may only be performed by a dentist or dental hygienist; 35. “Patient” or “patient of record” means an individual who has given a medical history and has been examined and accepted by a dentist for dental care; 36. “Residencies” are programs designed for advanced clinical and didactic training in general dentistry or other specialties or other specialists at the post-doctoral level recognized by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) or the Board; 37. “Supervision” means direct supervision, direct visual supervision, indirect supervision or general supervision; 38. “Teledentistry” means the remote delivery of dental patient care via telecommunications and other technology for the exchange of clinical information and images for dental consultation, preliminary treatment planning and patient monitoring; and 39. “Treatment facility” means: a. a federal, tribal, state or local public health facility, b. a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), c. a private health facility, d. a group home or residential care facility serving the elderly, disabled or juveniles, e. a hospital or dental ambulatory surgery center (DASC), f. a nursing home, g. a penal institution operated by or under contract with the federal or state government, h. a public or private school, i. a patient of record’s private residence, j. a mobile dental clinic, k. a dental college, dental program, dental hygiene program or dental assisting program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, or l. such other places as are authorized by the Board. Added by Laws 1970, c. 173, § 3, eff. July 1, 1970. Amended by Laws 1998, c. 377, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1998; Laws 1999, c. 280, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2003, c. 172, § 1, emerg. eff. May 5, 2003; Laws 2005, c. 377, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2006, c. 106, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2006; Laws 2013, c. 405, § 2, eff. July 1, 2013; Laws 2015, c. 229, § 2, eff. July 1, 2015; Laws 2017, c. 302, § 1, emerg. eff. May 17, 2017; Laws 2018, c. 151, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2018; Laws 2019, c. 397, § 1; Laws 2021, c. 566, § 1, emerg. eff. May 28, 2021; Laws 2023, c. 220, § 1, eff. July 1, 2023; Laws 2024, c. 46, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2024; Laws 2025, c. 273, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2025.
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