Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 150 - RULES OF GEORGIA BOARD OF DENTISTRY › Chapter 150-9 - DELEGATED DUTIES › Rule 150-9-.01 - General Duties of Dental Assistants

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1) A
			 dental assistant shall be defined as one who is employed in a dental office to
			 perform certain duties that assist the dentist. It is expected that the dental
			 assistant will be familiar with the operations performed in the conduct of a
			 dental practice; specifically, the sterilization of instruments, the general
			 hygiene of the mouth, secretarial work, making appointments and bookkeeping.
			 Under no circumstances may he or she perform any of the operations catalogued
			 as dental hygiene treatments in O.C.G.A. §
								43-11-74 or Board Rule
			 150-5-.03(5).
(2) Direct supervision and control as it
			 pertains to a dental assistant shall mean that a dentist licensed in Georgia is
			 in the dental office or treatment facility, personally diagnoses the condition
			 to be treated, personally authorizes the procedures and remains in the dental
			 office or treatment facility while the procedures are being performed by the
			 dental assistant and, before dismissal of the patient, evaluates the
			 performance of the dental assistant.
(3) In addition to routine duties, the
			 general duties identified below may be delegated to dental assistants under the
			 direct supervision of a licensed dentist. These duties may only be delegated in
			 those instances when they are easily reversible and will not result in
			 increased risk to the patient:
(a) Make
			 impressions for diagnostic models and opposing models.
(b) Place and expose radiographs after
			 completing the training required by Ga. Comp. R. & Regs.
			 111-8-90-.04 titled X-Rays in the
			 Health Arts.
(c) Remove sutures -
			 other than wire sutures.
(d) Remove
			 periodontal dressing.
(e) Place and
			 remove rubber dams.
(f) Apply
			 topical anesthetic.
(g) Remove
			 visible excess cement from supramarginal areas of dental restorations and
			 appliances with non-mechanical hand instruments.
(h) Fabricate extraorally temporary crowns
			 and bridges.
(i) Cement temporary
			 crowns and bridges with intermediate cement.
(j) Remove temporary crowns and bridges
			 seated with intermediate cement.
(k) Place intracoronal temporary restorations
			 using intermediate cement.
(l)
			 Place drying and deoiling agents prior to the cementation of permanent crowns
			 and bridges.
(m) Remove dry socket
			 medication.
(n) Place and take off
			 a removable prosthesis with a pressure sensitive paste after the appliance has
			 been initially seated by the dentist.
(o) Etch unprepared enamel.
(p) Polish the enamel and restorations of the
			 anatomical crown; however, this procedure may only be executed through the use
			 of a slow speed handpiece (not to exceed 10,000 rpm), rubber cup and polishing
			 agent. This procedure shall in no way be represented to patient as a
			 prophylaxis. This procedure shall be used only for the purpose of enamel
			 preparation for:
1. Bleaching,
2. Cementation of fixed
			 restorations,
3. Bonding procedures
			 including supramarginal enamel restorations after removal of orthodontic
			 appliances. No direct charge shall be made to the patient for such
			 procedure.
(q) Dry canals
			 with absorbent points and place soothing medicaments (not to include endodontic
			 irrigation); and place and remove temporary stopping with non-mechanical hand
			 instruments only.
(r) Place matrix
			 bands and wedges.
(s) Select,
			 pre-size and seat orthodontic arch wires with brackets which have been placed
			 by the dentist. Adjustment of the arch wire may only be made by the
			 dentist.
(t) Select and pre-size
			 orthodontic bands which initially must be seated by the dentist.
(u) Place and remove pre-treatment
			 separators.
(v) Cut and tuck
			 ligatures, remove ligatures and arch wires, remove loose or broken
			 bands.
(w) Remove and recement
			 loose bands that previously have been contoured and fitted by a dentist, but
			 only after a dentist has examined the affected tooth and surrounding gingival
			 and found no evidence of pathology.
(x) Perform phlebotomy and venipuncture
			 procedures after appropriate Board approved training is successfully completed
			 as required by O.C.G.A. §
									43-11-23.
(y) Use a rubber cup prophy on a patient with
			 primary dentition. A dental assistant may only begin providing rubber cup
			 prophies after the dental assistant has completed a curriculum approved by the
			 Board or a minimum of eight hours of on-the-job training in the provision of
			 rubber cup prophies by a dentist licensed to practice in Georgia.