2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 12 - PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS (§§ 12-1-101 — 12-315-310) › HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS (§§ 12-170-101 — 12-315-310) › Article 220 - DENTISTS, DENTAL HYGIENISTS, AND DENTAL THERAPISTS (§§ 12-220-101 — 12-220-602) › Part 3 - DENTAL PRACTICE (§§ 12-220-301 — 12-220-310) › Section 12-220-305 - What constitutes practicing dentistry - authority to electronically prescribe

(1)
A person is practicing dentistry if the person:
(a)
Performs or attempts or professes to perform any dental operation, oral surgery, or dental diagnostic or therapeutic services of any kind; except that nothing in this subsection (1)(a) prohibits a dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant from providing preventive dental or nutritional counseling, education, or instruction services;
(b)
Is a proprietor of a place where dental operation, oral surgery, or dental diagnostic or therapeutic services are performed; except that nothing in this subsection (1)(b) prohibits a dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant from performing those tasks and procedures consistent with section
12-220-501
;
(c)
Directly or indirectly, by any means or method, takes impression of the human tooth, teeth, jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent and associated structures; performs any phase of any operation incident to the replacement of a part of a tooth; or supplies artificial substitutes for the natural teeth, jaws, or adjacent and associated structures; except that nothing in this subsection (1)(c) prohibits a dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant from performing tasks and procedures consistent with sections
12-220-501 (3)(b)(III)
,
12-220-503 (1)(d)
, and
12-220-508
;
(d)
Furnishes, supplies, constructs, reproduces, or repairs any prosthetic denture, bridge, appliance, or other structure to be worn in the human mouth or upon the jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent and associated structures other than on the written laboratory work order of a duly licensed and practicing dentist;
(e)
Places an appliance or structure described in subsection (1)(d) of this section in the human mouth;
(f)
Adjusts or attempts or professes to adjust an appliance or structure described in subsection (1)(d) of this section;
(g)
Delivers an appliance or structure described in subsection (1)(d) of this section to any person other than the dentist upon whose laboratory work order the work was performed;
(h)
Professes to the public by any method to furnish, supply, construct, reproduce, or repair any prosthetic denture, bridge, appliance, or other structure to be worn in the human mouth or upon the jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent and associated structures;
(i)
Examines, diagnoses, plans treatment of, or treats natural or artificial structures or conditions associated with, adjacent to, or functionally related to the oral cavity, jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body;
(j)
Extracts or attempts to extract human teeth or corrects, or attempts to correct, malformations of human teeth or jaws; except that this subsection (1)(j) does not prohibit a dental therapist from performing tasks and procedures consistent with section
12-220-508
;
(k)
Repairs or fills cavities in human teeth; except that this subsection (1)(k) does not prohibit a dental therapist from performing tasks and procedures consistent with section
12-220-508
;
(l)
Prescribes ionizing radiation or the use of an X ray for the purpose of taking dental X rays or roentgenograms; except that nothing in this subsection (1)(l) prohibits these procedures from being delegated to appropriately trained personnel in accordance with this article 220 and rules of the board;
(m)
Gives or professes to give interpretations or readings of dental X rays or roentgenograms, CT scans, or other diagnostic methodologies; except that nothing in this subsection (1)(m) prohibits a dental hygienist from performing tasks and procedures consistent with sections
12-220-503
and
12-220-504
or a dental therapist from performing tasks consistent with section
12-220-508
;
(n)
Represents himself or herself to an individual or the general public as practicing dentistry, by using the words "dentist" or "dental surgeon", or by using the letters "D.D.S.", "D.M.D.", "D.D.S./M.D.", or "D.M.D./M.D." Nothing in this subsection (1)(n) prohibits a dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant from performing tasks and procedures consistent with section
12-220-501 (2)
, (2.5), or (3)(b).
(o)
States, permits to be stated, or professes by any means or method whatsoever that the person can perform or will attempt to perform dental operations or render a diagnosis connected with dental operations;
(p)
Prescribes drugs or medications and administers local anesthesia, analgesia including nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation, medication prescribed or administered for the relief of anxiety or apprehension, minimal sedation, moderate sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia as necessary for the proper practice of dentistry; except that nothing in this subsection (1)(p) prohibits:
(I)
A dental hygienist from performing those tasks and procedures consistent with sections
12-220-501
,
12-220-503 (1)(e) and (1)(g)
, and
12-220-504 (1)(c)
, and in accordance with rules promulgated by the board; or
(II)
A dental therapist from performing those tasks and procedures consistent with sections
12-220-501
(2.5) and
12-220-508
and in accordance with rules promulgated by the board.
(q)
Prescribes, induces, and sets dosage levels for inhalation anesthesia; except that nothing in this subsection (1)(q) prohibits the delegation of monitoring and administration to appropriately trained personnel in accordance with this article 220 and rules of the board;
(r)
Gives or professes to give interpretations or readings of dental charts or records or gives treatment plans or interpretations of treatment plans derived from examinations, patient records, dental X rays, or roentgenograms; except that nothing in this subsection (1)(r) prohibits a dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant from performing tasks and procedures consistent with sections
12-220-501 (2)
, (2.5), and (3),
12-220-503
,
12-220-504
, and
12-220-508
.
(2)
A licensed dentist may prescribe orders electronically.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 381, § 19, eff. 1/1/2023.
Renumbered from C.R.S. §
12-220-110
and amended by 2020 Ch. 64, § 1, eff. 9/14/2020.
Renumbered from C.R.S. §
12-35-113
and amended by 2019 Ch. 136, § 1, eff. 10/1/2019.
Amended by 2014 Ch. 363, § 21, eff. 7/1/2014.
L. 2004: Entire article RC&RE, p. 830, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2014: IP(1), (1)(c), (1)(n), (1)(p), and (1)(q) amended and (2) added, (HB 14-1227), ch. 363, p. 1726, § 21, effective July 1.
This section is similar to former § 12-220-110 as it existed prior to 2020.
2022 Ch. 381, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).