Section 4715.231. Administration of local anesthesia by dental hygienist

(A) As used in this section, "direct supervision" means a dentist licensed under this chapter is present, for purposes of consultation and direction, at the location where a dental hygienist performs the administration of local anesthesia to a patient. "Direct supervision" does not mean that the dentist must observe the administration of local anesthesia to a patient.

(B) Under the direct supervision of a dentist, a dental hygienist may administer intraoral block and infiltration local anesthesia to a patient if the dental hygienist is in compliance with division (D) of this section and either of the following is the case:

(1) The dental hygienist has met both of the following requirements:

(a) Successfully completed a course in the administration of local anesthesia approved by the state dental board and offered by a dental or dental hygiene program that is accredited by the commission on dental accreditation of the American dental association;

(b) Within eighteen months of completion of the anesthesia course, successfully passed a state or regional written examination on local anesthesia approved by the board.

(2) The dental hygienist is authorized to administer local anesthesia by another state's licensing authority with jurisdiction over the practice of dental hygiene and both of the following conditions are met:

(a) The dental hygienist was required by the licensing authority of the other state to complete, and the dental hygienist successfully completed, a course or instruction as a requirement to be authorized to administer local anesthesia.

(b) Either of the following applies:

(i) The required hours and content of the course or instruction described in division (B)(2)(a) of this section are substantially equivalent, as determined by the board, to the required hours and content of the course described in division (C) of this section.

(ii) The board determines that the required hours and content of the course or instruction described in division (B)(2)(a) of this section are not substantially equivalent to the required hours and content of the course described in division (C) of this section, but the dental hygienist submits evidence satisfactory to the board that the dental hygienist obtained, within the forty-eight months immediately preceding the date that the dental hygienist applied under section 4715.21 of the Revised Code for a license to practice as a dental hygienist, twenty-four consecutive months of experience in the administration of local anesthesia in the other state where the dental hygienist is authorized to administer local anesthesia.

(C) To be approved by the board, the local anesthesia administration course described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section must contain not less than fifteen hours of didactic instruction and not less than fourteen hours of clinical experience and include instruction on each of the following subjects:

(1) Theory of pain control;

(2) Selection of pain control modalities;

(3) Anatomy;

(4) Neurophysiology;

(5) Pharmacology of local anesthetics;

(6) Pharmacology of vasoconstrictors;

(7) Psychological aspects of pain control;

(8) Systemic complications;

(9) Techniques of maxillary and mandibular anesthesia taught by a dentist or other qualified instructor;

(10) Infection control;

(11) Local anesthesia medical emergencies.

(D) A dental hygienist may administer local anesthesia only if the dental hygienist has obtained current certification to perform basic cardiac life-support procedures as required by section 4715.251 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.34, HB 190, §1, eff. 8/31/2010.

Effective Date: 05-12-2006