Washington Administrative Code › Title 246 - Health, Department of › PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND LICENSING › Chapter 246-817 - Dental quality assurance commission › DELEGATIONS OF DUTIES TO PERSONS NOT LICENSED AS DENTISTS › Section 246-817-510 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
The definitions in this section apply throughout WAC
					 246-817-501 through
					 246-817-570 unless the context
					 clearly requires otherwise.
(1)
"Close supervision"
means that a supervising dentist whose patient
				  is being treated has personally diagnosed the condition to be treated and has
				  personally authorized the procedures to be performed. The supervising dentist
				  is continuously on-site and physically present in the treatment facility while
				  the procedures are performed by the assistive personnel and capable of
				  responding immediately in the event of an emergency. Close supervision does not
				  require a supervising dentist to be physically present in the
				  operatory.
(2)
"Coronal
				  polishing"
means a procedure limited to the removal of plaque and stain
				  from exposed tooth surfaces, using an appropriate instrument and polishing
				  agent.
This procedure is not intended or interpreted to be an oral
					 prophylaxis as defined in subsection (8) of this section a procedure
					 specifically reserved to be performed by a licensed dentist or dental
					 hygienist. Coronal polishing may, however, be a portion of the oral prophylaxis
					 procedure.
(3)
"Debridement at the periodontal surgical site"
means curettage or
				  root planing after reflection of a flap by the supervising dentist. This does
				  not include cutting of osseous tissues.
(4)
"Elevating soft tissues"
means part of a surgical procedure involving the use of the periosteal elevator
				  to raise flaps of soft tissues. Elevating soft tissue is not a separate and
				  distinct procedure in and of itself.
(5)
"General supervision"
means
				  that a supervising dentist has examined and diagnosed the patient and provided
				  subsequent instructions to be performed by the assistive personnel, but does
				  not require that the dentist be physically present in the treatment
				  facility.
(6)
"Incising"
means part of the surgical procedure of which the end
				  result is removal of oral tissue. Incising, or the making of an incision, is
				  not a separate and distinct procedure in and of itself.
(7)
"Luxation"
means an integral
				  part of the surgical procedure of which the end result is extraction of a
				  tooth. It is the dislocation or displacement of a tooth or of the
				  temporomandibular articulation.
(8)
"Oral prophylaxis"
means the preventive dental procedure of
				  scaling and polishing which includes complete removal of calculus, soft
				  deposits, plaque, stains and the smoothing of unattached tooth surfaces. The
				  objective of this treatment is to create an environment in which hard and soft
				  tissues can be maintained in good health by the patient.
(9)
"Periodontal soft tissue
				  curettage"
means the closed removal of tissue lining the periodontal
				  pocket, not involving the reflection of a flap.
(10)
"Root planing"
means the
				  process of instrumentation by which the unattached surfaces of the root are
				  made smooth by the removal of calculus or deposits.
(11)
"Supportive services"
means
				  services that are related to clinical functions in direct relationship to
				  treating a patient.
(12)
"Suturing"
is defined as the readaption of soft tissue by use of
				  stitches as a phase of an oral surgery procedure.
(13)
"Treatment facility"
means
				  a dental office or connecting suite of offices, dental clinic, room or area
				  with equipment to provide dental treatment, or the immediately adjacent rooms
				  or areas. A treatment facility does not extend to any other area of a building
				  in which the treatment facility is located.
(14)
"Volunteer dental
				  assistant"
means an individual who, without compensation, provides the
				  supportive services under WAC
				  246-817-520 in a charitable
				  dental clinic.
Statutory Authority:
						RCW
						18.32.0365,
						18.260.110, and
						18.260.120. 09-15-075, §
						246-817-510, filed 7/13/09, effective 8/13/09. Statutory Authority:
						RCW
						18.260.120 and
						18.32.0365. 08-14-010, §
						246-817-510, filed 6/19/08, effective 7/1/08. Statutory Authority: RCW
						18.32.035. 95-21-041, § 246-817-510, filed 10/10/95, effective
						11/10/95.