A dental hygienist may be authorized by permit to provide anesthesia assistant duties and/or provide restorative functions. The permit must be renewed when the license is renewed including evidence of 2 hours of continuing education pertaining to the expanded duty. A dental hygienist is authorized by permit to provide local anesthesia; renewal of the local anesthesia permit is not required, continuing education for local anesthesia is not required.
A licensed dental hygienist may apply for a permit to administer local anesthesia to a patient who is at least eighteen years old, under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist. A license applicant must include the permit application to receive the local anesthesia endorsement.
To be considered for a permit, a hygienist must have successfully completed a didactic and clinical course in local anesthesia within the last twenty-four months sponsored by a dental or dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association resulting in the dental hygienist becoming clinically competent in the administration of local anesthesia.
A licensed dental hygienist applying for a local anesthesia permit who has been permitted to administer local anesthesia in another state and who has continuously administered local anesthesia during the past three years must provide verification of the permit and continuous use to the North Dakota Board of Dental Examiners.
Verification may consist of:
A licensed dental hygienist requesting a permit to administer anesthesia who cannot provide verification must retake and successfully pass a didactic and clinical course in local anesthesia sponsored by a dental or dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.
Local Anesthesia Permit Application
The Board may issue a permit authorizing a dental hygienist to provide restorative duties if the applicant successfully completes the following:
RDH/RDA restorative procedures allowed under direct supervision of a dentist:
Restorative Functions Permit Application
A dental hygienist may provide anesthesia assistance under the supervision of a dentist authorized by the Board to provide moderate sedation, once the applicant successfully completes the following:
A dental hygienist may provide the following duties under contiguous supervision of a dentist authorized by the Board to provide moderate sedation:
A dental hygienist may provide the following duties under direct visual supervision of a dentist authorized by the Board to provide moderate sedation:
Anesthesia Assistant Permit Application
New technologies have enhanced the preventive and therapeutic duties hygienists may provide. It is the position of the Board that any services provided by a licensee, regardless of the devise used, must be within the scope of practice for each licensee. Whenever a new treatment modality is brought forward, it is the NDBDE policy that the dentist must have adequate proficiency and training related to the technology. Licensees utilizing new technology must maintain documentation of satisfactory completion of Board approved continuing education or training. Neither the particular technology utilized nor amendments to scope of practice alter the fact that all licensees are responsible for their individual actions with the dentist ultimately responsible for all care provided in each dental office.
Contact the Board's Executive Director if you have questions regarding regulations governing the practice of dental hygiene in North Dakota.