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Practice of Dental Hygiene Defined
“Practice of dental hygiene” is defined in Iowa Code section 153.15 and includes the performance of educational, therapeutic, preventive and assessment services. Dental hygienists may perform such services, except educational services, when delegated by and performed under the supervision of an Iowa-licensed dentist.
a. Educational services include assessing the need for, planning, implementing, and evaluating oral health education programs for individual patients and community groups and 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 services include identifying and evaluating factors that indicate the need for and performing the following:
(1) Oral prophylaxis, which includes supragingival and subgingival debridement of plaque, and detection and removal of calculus with instruments or other devices;
(2) Periodontal scaling and root planing;
(3) Removal and polishing of hardened excess restorative material, which may include adhesives, using nonmotorized instruments;
(4) Administration of local anesthesia with the proper permit;
(5) Administration of nitrous oxide inhalation analgesia in accordance with rule 481—579.1(153);
(6) Application and administration of medicaments prescribed by a dentist, including chemotherapeutic agents, or therapies for the treatment of periodontal disease and caries;
(7) Phlebotomy; and
(8) Expanded function procedures in accordance with 481—Chapter 577.
c. Preventive services include applying pit and fissure sealants and medications, including silver diamine fluoride; using other methods for caries and periodontal disease control; and organizing and administering fluoride rinse or sealant programs.
d. Assessment services include 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, and analyzing dietary surveys.
Back to topLocal Anesthesia & Nitrous Oxide
Dental hygienists who apply for and are issued an active local anesthesia permit, may administer local anesthesia in Iowa.
Dental hygienists who have completed board-approved training in the administration or monitoring of nitrous oxide may do so without a permit.
For more information, please refer to the Anesthesia and Sedation Permits webpage.
Back to topExpanded Functions
Pursuant to IAC 650—Chapter 577, “a dentist may delegate an expanded function duty to a licensed dental hygienist if the hygienist has completed Board-approved training....” Certain other restrictions and limitations apply. Find additional information on expanded functions training here.
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