Iowa Admin. Code r. 650-10.3

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 10, November 13, 2024
Rule 650-10.3 - Authorized practice of a dental hygienist
(1) "Practice of dental hygiene" as defined in Iowa Code section 153.15 means the performance of the following educational, therapeutic, preventive and diagnostic dental hygiene services. Such services, except educational services, shall be delegated by and performed under the supervision of a dentist licensed pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 153.
a. Educational. Assessing the need for, planning, implementing, and evaluating oral health education programs for individual patients and community groups; conducting workshops and in-service training sessions on dental health for nurses, school personnel, institutional staff, community groups and other agencies providing consultation and technical assistance for promotional, preventive and educational services.
b. Therapeutic. Identifying and evaluating factors which indicate the need for and performing (1) oral prophylaxis, which includes supragingival and subgingival debridement of plaque, and detection and removal of calculus with instruments or any other devices; (2) periodontal scaling and root planing; (3) removing and polishing hardened excess restorative material; (4) administering local anesthesia with the proper permit; (5) administering nitrous oxide inhalation analgesia in accordance with 650-subrules 29.6(4) and 29.6(5); (6) applying or administering medicaments prescribed by a dentist, including chemotherapeutic agents and medicaments or therapies for the treatment of periodontal disease and caries; (7) removal of adhesives.
c. Preventive. Applying pit and fissure sealants and other medications or methods for caries and periodontal disease control; organizing and administering fluoride rinse or sealant programs.
d. Diagnostic. Reviewing medical and dental health histories; performing oral inspection; indexing dental and periodontal disease; preliminary charting of existing dental restorations and teeth; making occlusal registrations for mounting study casts; testing pulp vitality; testing glucose levels; analyzing dietary surveys.
e. The following services may only be delegated by a dentist to a dental hygienist: administration of local anesthesia, placement of sealants, and the removal of any plaque, stain, calculus, or hard natural or synthetic material except by toothbrush, floss, or rubber cup coronal polish.
f. Phlebotomy.
g. Expanded function procedures in accordance with 650-Chapter 23.
(2) All authorized services provided by a dental hygienist, except educational services, shall be performed under the general, direct, or public health supervision of a dentist currently licensed in the state of Iowa in accordance with 650-1.1 (153) and 650-10.5 (153).
(3) Under the general or public health supervision of a dentist, a dental hygienist may provide educational services, assessment, screening, or data collection for the preparation of preliminary written records for evaluation by a licensed dentist. A dentist is not required to examine a patient prior to the provision of these dental hygiene services.
(4) The administration of local anesthesia or nitrous oxide inhalation analgesia shall only be provided under the direct supervision of a dentist.
(5) All other authorized services provided by a dental hygienist to a new patient shall be provided under the direct or public health supervision of a dentist. An examination by the dentist must take place during an initial visit by a new patient, except when hygiene services are provided under public health supervision.
(6) Subsequent examination and monitoring of the patient, including definitive diagnosis and treatment planning, is the responsibility of the dentist and shall be carried out in a reasonable period of time in accordance with the professional judgment of the dentist based upon the individual needs of the patient.
(7) General supervision shall not preclude the use of direct supervision when in the professional judgment of the dentist such supervision is necessary to meet the individual needs of the patient.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 153.15.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 650-10.3

Amended by IAB September 16, 2015/Volume XXXVIII, Number 06, effective 10/21/2015
Amended by IAB December 6, 2017/Volume XL, Number 12, effective 1/10/2018
Amended by IAB September 25, 2019/Volume XLII, Number 7, effective 10/30/2019