GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 564
Committee Substitute Favorable 4/15/97

Short Title:  Supervising Dental Hygienists.	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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Referred to:  

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March 20, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ALLOW DENTAL HYGIENISTS TO PERFORM ACTS WITHOUT THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF A LICENSED DENTIST AND TO ALLOW DENTISTS TO EMPLOY MORE THAN TWO DENTAL HYGIENISTS AT ONE TIME.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 90-221 reads as rewritten:
"§ 90-221.  Definitions.
	 ”The following definitions apply in this Article:
(1)	Dental hygiene. – The performance of the following functions: 
a.	Complete oral prophylaxis.
b.	Application of preventive agents to oral structures.
c.	Exposure and processing of radiographs.
d.	Administration of medicaments prescribed by a licensed dentist.
e.	Preparation of diagnostic aids and written records of oral conditions for interpretation by the dentist.
f.	Any other functions permitted by rules of the Board consistent with this Article.
	 ”(2)	Dental hygienist. – A person who is a graduate of an accredited and Board-approved school of dental hygiene, who has been licensed by the Board, and who practices dental hygiene as prescribed by the Board.
	 ”(3)	License. – A certificate issued to any applicant upon completion of requirements for admission to practice dental hygiene.
	 ”(4)	Renewal certificate. – The annual certificate of renewal of license to continue practice of dental hygiene in the State of North Carolina.
	 ”(5)	Board. – The North Carolina State Board of Dental ”Examiners created by Chapter 139, Public Laws of 1879, and Chapter 178, Public Laws of 1915 as continued in existence by G.S. 90-22.
	 ”(6)	Supervision. – 
a.	Direct supervision of a dental hygienist by a licensed dentist is when the acts performed by the dental hygienist are perfomed in a locale where a licensed dentist is physically present during the performance of the acts and the acts are performed pursuant to the dentist's order, control, and approval; and
b.	General supervision of a dental hygienist by a licensed dentist is when a licensed dentist, using professional discretion, chooses not to be physically present at the locale where the acts are being performed, but the acts are performed pursuant to the dentist's order, control, and approval."
Section 2.  G.S. 90-233 reads as rewritten:
"§ 90-233.  Practice of dental hygiene.
(a)	A dental hygienist may practice only under the direct or general supervision of one or more licensed dentists. Dental hygienists employed by the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources and especially trained by that Department as public health hygienists are practicing under the general supervision of a licensed dentist while performing their duties in the public schools under the direction of a duly licensed dentist.
(b)	A dentist in private practice may not utilize more dental hygienists at one and the same time than the dentist can reasonably supervise.
(c)	Dental hygiene may be practiced only by the holder of a license or provisional license currently in effect and duly issued by the Board. The following acts, practices, functions or operations, however, shall not constitute the practice of dental hygiene within the meaning of this Article:
(1)	The teaching of dental hygiene in a school or college approved by the Board in a board-approved program by an individual licensed as a dental hygienist in any state in the United States.
(2)	Activity which would otherwise be considered the practice of dental hygiene performed by students enrolled in a school or college approved by the Board in a board-approved dental hygiene program under the direct supervision of a dental hygienist or a dentist duly licensed in North Carolina or qualified for the teaching of dentistry pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 90-29(c)(3), acting as an instructor.
(3)	Any act or acts performed by an assistant to a dentist licensed to practice in this State when said act or acts are authorized and permitted by and performed in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Board.
(4)	Dental assisting and related functions as a part of their instructions by students enrolled in a course in dental assisting conducted in this State and approved by the Board, when such functions are performed under the supervision of a dentist acting as a teacher or instructor who is either duly licensed in North Carolina or qualified for the teaching of dentistry pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 90-29(c)(3).”
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.