Virginia Regulatory Town Hall

Proposed Text

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Action:
Rule on delegation of scaling and/or root planing
Stage: Fast-Track
 

18VAC60-20-220. Dental hygienists.

A. The following duties shall only be delegated to dental hygienists under direction with the dentist being present:

1. Scaling and and/or root planing of natural and restored teeth using hand instruments, rotary instruments and ultrasonic devices under anesthesia administered by the dentist.

2. Performing an initial examination of teeth and surrounding tissues including the charting of carious lesions, periodontal pockets or other abnormal conditions for assisting the dentist in the diagnosis.

B. The following duties shall only be delegated to dental hygienists and may be delegated by written order in accordance with §54.1-3408 of the Code of Virginia to be performed under general supervision without the dentist being present:

1. Scaling and and/or root planing of natural and restored teeth using hand instruments, rotary instruments and ultrasonic devices.

2. Polishing of natural and restored teeth using air polishers.

3. Performing a clinical examination of teeth and surrounding tissues including the charting of carious lesions, periodontal pockets or other abnormal conditions for further evaluation and diagnosis by the dentist.

4. Subgingival irrigation or subgingival application of topical Schedule VI medicinal agents.

5. Duties appropriate to the education and experience of the dental hygienist and the practice of the supervising dentist, with the exception of those listed in subsection A of this section and those listed as nondelegable in 18VAC60-20-190.

C. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted so as to prevent a licensed dental hygienist from providing educational services, assessment, screening or data collection for the preparation of preliminary written records for evaluation by a licensed dentist.

Statutory Authority

§54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR255-01-1 §5.3, eff. September 1, 1987; amended, Virginia Register Volume 5, Issue 7, eff. February 1, 1989; Volume 7, Issue 19, eff. July 17, 1991; Volume 9, Issue 19, eff. July 15, 1993; Volume 10, Issue 19, eff. July 13, 1994; Volume 11, Issue 3, eff. April 6, 1995; Volume 11, Issue 9, eff. April 6, 1995; Volume 15, Issue 5, eff. December 23, 1998; Volume 19, Issue 20, eff. July 16, 2003; Volume 24, Issue 10, eff. March 10, 2008.