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 246-817-520 - Supportive services that may be performed by registered dental assistants

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) A supervising
				  dentist may delegate the supportive services in subsection (4) of this section
				  under the dentist's close supervision, provided the registered dental assistant
				  has demonstrated skills necessary to perform each task competently.
(2) Delegation of supportive services not in
				  subsection (4) of this section may be subject to disciplinary action.
(3) In addition to supportive services in
				  subsection (4) of this section, registered dental assistants may perform
				  non-clinical tasks.
(4) Supportive
				  services allowed under close supervision:
(a)
				  Oral inspection, with no diagnosis.
(b) Take and record blood pressure and vital
				  signs.
(c) Place, expose, and
				  process radiographs.
(d) Take
				  intra-oral and extra-oral photographs.
(e) Perform coronal polish. A licensed
				  dentist shall determine the teeth are free of calculus or other extraneous
				  material prior to dismissing the patient.
(f) Give fluoride treatments.
(g) Give patient education in oral
				  hygiene.
(h) Give preoperative and
				  postoperative instructions.
(i)
				  Deliver an oral sedative drug to patient.
(j) Assist in the administration of
				  inhalation minimal sedation (nitrous oxide) analgesia, including starting and
				  stopping the flow as directed by the supervising dentist.
(k) Place topical anesthetics.
(l) Place and remove the rubber
				  dam.
(m) Apply tooth separators as
				  for placement for Class III gold foil.
(n) Apply sealants.
(o) Place a matrix and wedge for a direct
				  restorative material after the dentist has prepared the cavity.
(p) Place cavity liners and bases.
(q) Perform acid etch and apply bonding
				  agents.
(r) Polish restorations but
				  may not intra-orally adjust or finish permanent restorations.
(s) Sterilize equipment and disinfect
				  operatories.
(t) Place retraction
				  cord.
(u) Hold in place and remove
				  impression materials after the dentist has placed them.
(v) Take impressions, bite registrations, or
				  digital scans of the teeth and jaws for:
(i)
				  Diagnostic and opposing models;
(ii) Fixed and removable orthodontic
				  appliances, occlu-sal guards, bleaching trays, and fluoride trays;
				  and
(iii) Temporary indirect
				  restorations such as temporary crowns.
(w) Take digital scans of prepared teeth for
				  fabrication of permanent indirect restorations.
(x) Take a facebow transfer for mounting
				  study casts.
(y) Fabricate and
				  deliver bleaching and fluoride trays.
(z) Fabricate, cement, and remove temporary
				  crowns or temporary bridges.
(aa)
				  Remove the excess cement after the dentist has placed a permanent or temporary
				  inlay, crown, bridge or appliance, or around orthodontic bands.
(bb) Place a temporary filling (as zinc
				  oxide-eugenol (ZOE)) after diagnosis and examination by the dentist.
(cc) Pack and medicate extraction
				  areas.
(dd) Place periodontal
				  packs.
(ee) Remove periodontal
				  packs or sutures.
(ff) Select
				  denture shade and mold.
(gg) Place
				  and remove orthodontic separators.
(hh) Select and fit orthodontic bands, try in
				  fixed or removable orthodontic appliances prior to the dentist cementing or
				  checking the appliance.
(ii)
				  Prepare teeth for the bonding of orthodontic appliances.
(jj) Bond attachments for clear removable
				  orthodontic aligners.
(kk) Remove
				  and replace archwires and orthodontic wires.
(ll) Fit and adjust headgear.
(mm) Remove fixed orthodontic appliances,
				  orthodontic cement, and orthodontic bonded resin material.