Section 631.210 - Dental hygienists: Authorization to perform certain services; referral of patient to authorizing dentist for certain purposes1. A dentist who is licensed in this State may authorize a dental hygienist in his or her employ to perform the following acts before a patient is examined by the dentist: (b) Conduct an assessment of the oral health of the patient through medical and dental histories, radiographs, indices, risk assessments and intraoral and extraoral procedures that analyze and identify the oral health needs and problems of the patient. (c) After conducting an assessment pursuant to paragraph (b), develop a dental hygiene care plan to address the oral health needs and problems of the patient. (d) Take impressions for the preparation of diagnostic models. The dental hygienist must obtain authorization from the licensed dentist of the patient on whom the services authorized pursuant to this subsection are to be performed.
2. A dentist who is licensed in this State may authorize a dental hygienist in his or her employ to: (a) Remove stains, deposits and accretions, including dental calculus.(b) Smooth the natural and restored surface of a tooth by using the procedures and instruments commonly used in oral prophylaxis, except that an abrasive stone, disc or bur may be used only to polish a restoration. As used in this paragraph, "oral prophylaxis" means the preventive dental procedure of scaling and polishing which includes the removal of calculus, soft deposits, plaques and stains and the smoothing of unattached tooth surfaces in order to create an environment in which hard and soft tissues can be maintained in good health by the patient.(c) Provide dental hygiene care that includes:(1) Assessment of the oral health of patients through medical and dental histories, radiographs, indices, risk assessments and intraoral and extraoral procedures that analyze and identify the oral health needs and problems of patients.(2) Implementation of a dental hygiene care plan to address the oral health needs and problems of patients described in subparagraph (1).(3) Evaluation of oral and periodontal health after the implementation of the dental hygiene care plan described in subparagraph (2) in order to identify the subsequent treatment, continued care and referral needs of the patient.(d) Take the following types of impressions: (1) Those used for the preparation of diagnostic models;(2) Those used for the fabrication of temporary crowns or bridges; and(3) Those used for the fabrication of temporary removable appliances, provided no missing teeth are replaced by those appliances.(e) Perform subgingival curettage.(g) Place and remove a periodontal pack.(h) Remove excess cement from cemented restorations and orthodontic appliances. A dental hygienist may not use a rotary cutting instrument to remove excess cement from restorations or orthodontic appliances.(i) Train and instruct persons in the techniques of oral hygiene and preventive procedures.(j) Recement and repair temporary crowns and bridges.(k) Recement permanent crowns and bridges with nonpermanent material as a palliative treatment.(l) Place a temporary restoration with nonpermanent material as a palliative treatment.(m) Administer local intraoral chemotherapeutic agents in any form except aerosol, including, but not limited to:(1) Antimicrobial agents;(2) Fluoride preparations;(4) Topical anesthetics; and(5) Topical desensitizing agents.(n) Apply pit and fissure sealant to the dentition for the prevention of decay. Before performing any of the services set forth in this subsection, the dental hygienist must obtain authorization from the licensed dentist of the patient on whom the services are to be performed and the patient must have been examined by that dentist not more than 18 months before the services are to be performed. After performing any of the services set forth in this subsection, the dental hygienist shall refer the patient to the authorizing dentist for follow-up care or any necessary additional procedures that the dental hygienist is not authorized to perform.
3. A dentist who is licensed in this State may authorize a dental hygienist in his or her employ and under his or her supervision to: (a) Place and secure orthodontic ligatures.(b) Fabricate and place temporary crowns and bridges.(c) Fit orthodontic bands and prepare teeth for orthodontic bands if the bands are cemented or bonded, or both, into the patient's mouth by the dentist who authorized the dental hygienist to perform this procedure.(d) Perform nonsurgical cytologic testing.(e) Apply and activate agents for bleaching teeth with a light source.(f) Use a laser that has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to perform intrasulcular periodontal procedures or tooth whitening procedures if:(1) The use of such a laser for those purposes is within the scope of the education, experience and training of the dental hygienist;(2) Before operating the laser, the dental hygienist has provided proof to the supervising dentist that the dental hygienist has successfully completed a course in laser proficiency that: (I) Is at least 6 hours in length; and(II) Is based on the Curriculum Guidelines and Standards for Dental Laser Education, adopted by reference pursuant to NAC 631.035; and(3) The supervising dentist has successfully completed a course in laser proficiency that: (I) Is at least 6 hours in length; and(II) Is based on the Curriculum Guidelines and Standards for Dental Laser Education, adopted by reference pursuant to NAC 631.035. The dental hygienist must obtain authorization from the licensed dentist of the patient on whom the services authorized pursuant to this subsection are to be performed.
4. If a dentist who is licensed in this State has in his or her employ and under his or her supervision a dental hygienist who has:(a) Successfully completed a course of continuing education in the administering of local anesthetics or nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia, or both, which has been approved by the Board; or(b) Graduated from an accredited program of dental hygiene which includes the administering of local anesthetics or nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia, or both, in its curriculum, the dentist may authorize the dental hygienist to administer local anesthetics or nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia, or both, as appropriate, if the dental hygienist has received from the Board a certificate or permit certifying the hygienist for this level of administration. The dental hygienist must obtain the authorization from the licensed dentist of the patient on whom the services are to be performed.5. A dental hygienist in a health care facility may administer local intraoral chemotherapeutic agents and, if he or she has complied with paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection 4, may administer local anesthetics or nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia, or both, as appropriate, if he or she first: (a) Obtains written authorization from the licensed dentist of the patient to whom the local anesthetics, nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia or local intraoral chemotherapeutic agents are to be administered; and(b) Submits to the Secretary-Treasurer a written confirmation from the director of the health care facility that the facility has licensed medical personnel and necessary emergency supplies and equipment that will be available when the local anesthetics, nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia or local intraoral chemotherapeutic agents are administered.6. The Board may authorize a dental hygienist to perform the services set forth in subsection 1 and paragraphs (a) to (n), inclusive, of subsection 2 without supervision by a dentist and without authorization from the licensed dentist of the patient on whom the services are to be performed, at a health facility, a school or a place in this State approved by the Board after the Board:(a) Issues a special endorsement of the dental hygienist's license.(b) Approves the treatment protocol submitted by the dental hygienist which includes an explanation of the methods that the dental hygienist will use to:(2) Refer patients to a dentist for:(II) Diagnostic services; and(III) Any service that the dental hygienist is not authorized to perform.7. The Board may revoke the authorization described in subsection 6 if the:(a) Dental hygienist fails to renew his or her license or it is cancelled, suspended or revoked;(b) Board receives a complaint filed against the dental hygienist;(c) Dental hygienist commits an act which constitutes a cause for disciplinary action; or(d) Dental hygienist violates any provision of this chapter or chapter 631 of NRS. Nothing in this subsection prohibits a dental hygienist from reapplying for authorization to perform the services described in subsection 6 if the Board revokes the authorization pursuant to this subsection.
8. As used in this section:(a) "Health care facility" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 162A.740.(b) "Health facility" has the meaning ascribed to it in subsection 6 of NRS 449.260.(c) "School" means an elementary, secondary or postsecondary educational facility, public or private, in this State.Nev. Admin. Code § 631.210
Bd. of Dental Exam'rs, § XXIII, eff. 7-21-82-NAC A 7-30-84; 4-3-89; 3-11-96; R154-97, 1-14-98; R217-99, 4-3-2000; R231-03, 5-25-2004; R139-05, 12-29-2005; R066-11, 2-15-2012; A by R119-15, eff. 6/28/2016NRS 631.190, 631.310, 631.313, 631.317