201 KAR 8:571. Registration of dental assistants.
RELATES TO: KRS 214.615, 313.030,
313.045, 313.050, 313.080, 313.130
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 214.615(2),
313.021(1)(a), (b), (c), 313.030(3), 313.045
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS
313.045(1) requires the board to promulgate administrative regulations relating
to requirements and procedures for registration, duties, training, and
standards of practice for dental assistants. This administrative regulation
establishes the requirements and procedures for registration, duties, training,
and standards of practice for dental assistants.
Section 1. Definitions. (1) "Coronal
polishing" means a procedure that is the final stage of a dental
prophylaxis on the clinical crown of the tooth after a dentist or a hygienist
has verified there is no calcareous material.
(2) "Dental assistant" mean a
person who is directly involved with the care and treatment of a patient under
the direct supervision of a dentist and performs reversible procedures
delegated by dentist licensed in the Commonwealth.
Section 2. General Registration
Requirements and General Training Requirements. (1) A dentist licensed in the
Commonwealth shall register all dental assistants in his or her practice on the
Application for Renewal of Dental Licensure incorporated by reference in 201
KAR 8:530.
(2) The dentist shall retain in the
personnel file for the registered dental assistant the following:
(a) A copy of the certificate of
completion issued for the completion of the Coronal Polishing Course if the
course has been taken by the dental assistant;
(b) A copy of the certificate of
completion issued for the completion of the Radiation Safety Course if the
course has been taken by the dental assistant;
(c) A copy of the certificate of
completion issued for the completion of the Radiation Techniques Course if the
course has been taken by the dental assistant;
(d) A copy of the certificate of
completion issued for the completion of the Starting Intravenous Access Lines
if the course has been taken by the dental assistant;
(e) A copy of proof of having current
certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) that meets or exceeds the
guidelines set forth by the American Heart Association, as incorporated by reference
in 201 KAR 8:531; and
(f) A statement of the competency of procedures
delegated to the dental assistant from the delegated duties list that includes
the name of the:
1. Individual trained; and
2. Licensee attesting to the competency
of the Dental Assistant.
Section 3. Coronal Polishing
Requirements. (1) A registered dental assistant may perform coronal polishing.
If coronal polishing is performed by a registered dental assistant, the
assistant shall have:
(a) Completed the training described in
subsection (2) of this section; and
(b) Obtained a certificate from the
authorized institution.
(2) The required training shall consist
of an eight (8) hour course taught at an institution of dental education
accredited by the Council on Dental Accreditation to include the following:
(a) Overview of the dental team;
(b) Dental ethics, jurisprudence, and
legal understanding of procedures allowed by each dental team member;
(c) Management of patient records,
maintenance of patient privacy, and completion of proper charting;
(d) Infection control, universal
precaution, and transfer of disease;
(e) Personal protective equipment and overview
of Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements;
(f) Definition of plaque, types of stain,
calculus, and related terminology and topics;
(g) Dental tissues surrounding the teeth
and dental anatomy and nomenclature;
(h) Ergonomics of proper positioning of
patient and dental assistant;
(i) General principles of dental
instrumentation;
(j) Rationale for performing coronal polishing;
(k) Abrasive agents;
(l) Coronal polishing armamentarium;
(m) Warnings of trauma that can be caused
by improper techniques in polishing;
(n) Clinical coronal polishing technique
and demonstration;
(o) Written comprehensive examination
covering the material listed in this section, which shall be passed by a score
of seventy-five (75) percent or higher;
(p) Completion of the reading component
as required by subsection (3) of this section; and
(q) Clinical competency examination supervised
by a dentist licensed in Kentucky, which shall be performed on a live patient.
(3) A required reading component for each
course shall be prepared by each institution offering coronal polishing education
that shall:
(a) Consist of the topics established in
subsection (2)(a) to (n) of this section;
(b) Be provided to the applicant prior to
the course described in subsection (2) of this section; and
(c) Be reviewed and approved by the board
based on the requirements of subsection (2)(a) to (n) of this section.
(4) The institutions of dental education
approved to offer the coronal polishing course in Kentucky shall be:
(a) University of Louisville School of
Dentistry;
(b) University of Kentucky College of
Dentistry;
(c) Western Kentucky University Dental Hygiene
Program; and
(d) Kentucky Community Technical College
System Dental Hygiene or Dental Assisting Programs.
(5) An institution of dental education
from a state outside of Kentucky meeting the standards of the institutions
listed in subsection (4) of this section shall be approved upon request to the
Kentucky Board of Dentistry.
Section 4. X-rays by Registered Dental
Assistants. A registered dental assistant may take x-rays under the direct
supervision of a dentist licensed in Kentucky. If a registered dental assistant
takes x-rays under the direct supervision of a dentist licensed in Kentucky,
the dental assistant shall have completed:
(1) A six (6) hour course in dental
radiography safety; and
(2) Four (4) hours of instruction in
dental radiography technique while under the employment and supervision of the
dentist in the office or a four (4) hour course in radiography technique.
Section 5. Requirements for Starting
Intravenous Access Lines. (1) An individual registered as a dental assistant in
Kentucky and not subject to disciplinary action under KRS Chapter 313 who desires
to start intravenous (IV) access lines while under the direct supervision of a
dentist who holds a sedation or anesthesia permit issued by the board shall submit
documentation to the licensed dentist for whom the registered dental assistant
will be providing services proving successful completion of a board-approved
course in starting IV access lines based on:
(a) Patient Safety Techniques;
(b) Anatomy and physiology of the patient;
(c) Techniques in starting and
maintaining an IV access line; and
(d) Appropriate methods of discontinuing
an IV access line.
(2) A registered dental assistant shall
not start an IV access line if the individual has not completed a Board
approved course in IV access lines.
Section 6. A dental assistant operating
under this administrative regulation shall be under the direct supervision of
the dentist licensed in the Commonwealth. The dentist licensed in the Commonwealth
shall accept sole responsibility for the actions of the dental assistant or
dental auxiliary personnel while in the performance of duties in the dental
office.
Section 7. Incorporation by Reference. (1)
"Delegated Duty List", May 2014, is incorporated by reference.
(2) This material may be inspected,
copied, or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law, at the Kentucky Board
of Dentistry, 312 Whittington Parkway, Suite 101, Louisville, Kentucky 40222,
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This material is also available on
the board’s Web site at http://dentistry.ky.gov. (37 Ky.R. 1929; 2377;
eff. 5-6-2011; 40 Ky.R. 2343; 41 Ky.R. 257; eff. 9-5-2014.)
