West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 5 - Dentistry, WV Board of › Title 5 - LEGISLATIVE RULE WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF DENTISTRY › Series 5-13 - Expanded Duties of Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants › Section 5-13-4 - Expanded duties of Dental Assistants

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
4.1. The following duties and/or intraoral
				tasks may be assigned by a licensed dentist to a dental hygienist and/or
				assistant in the licensed dentist's employment, provided that under no
				circumstances may an assistant use a power-driven instrument of any type
				intra-orally except as specifically set forth in this section:
4.1.1. Placing, exposing, developing, and
				mounting dental radiographs;
4.1.2.
				Placing and removing rubber dams;
4.1.3. Charting existing restorations and
				missing teeth;
4.1.4. Holding and
				removing materials, trays, strips, and sutures previously placed in the
				patient's mouth by the dentist;
4.1.5. Removing excess cement from coronal
				surfaces of teeth without the use of rotating, power-driven or scaling
				instruments;
4.1.6. Taking
				impressions for study cast and pouring models;
4.1.7. Recording medical and dental histories
				for interpretation by the supervising dentist;
4.1.8. Providing pre- and post-treatment
				instructions:
4.1.9. Viewing the
				oral cavity and reporting the symptoms or problems to the supervising
				dentist;
4.1.10. Performing pulp
				vitality testing (thermal or electrical) with a final evaluation by the
				supervising dentist;
4.1.11.
				Inserting and adjusting athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays with a final
				evaluation by the supervising dentist;
4.1.12. Removing periodontal dressings with a
				final evaluation by the supervising dentist;
4.1.13. Placing and removing matrices after a
				final evaluation by the supervising dentist;
4.1.14. Applying topical anesthetic agents
				with prior approval by the supervising dentist;
4.1.15. Applying topical anticariogenic
				agents after successful completion of a board-approved course and examination
				and with prior approval of the supervising dentist;
4.1.16. Applying pit and fissure sealants
				after successful completion of a board-approved course and examination and with
				a final evaluation by the supervising dentist;
4.1.17. Applying cavity liners and bases with
				a final evaluation by the supervising dentist;
4.1.18. Removing soft tissue dressings with a
				final evaluation by the supervising dentist;
4.1.19. Fabricating and cementing temporary
				crowns and bridges with a final evaluation by the supervising
				dentist;
4.1.20. Placing and
				removing temporary restorations by a non power-driven method with a final
				evaluation by the supervising dentist;
4.1.21. Taking intra- and extra-oral
				photographs;
4.1.22. Chemical
				conditioning of the tooth to accept a restoration and/or bracket by topical
				application after successful completion of a board-approved course and
				examination;
4.1.23. Using a
				power-driven hand piece with rubber cup and/or brush only for preparing a tooth
				for accepting a restoration and/or appliance, which shall in no way be
				represented to the patient as a prohylaxis, after successful completion of a
				board-approved course and examination;
4.1.24. Placing retraction cords for crown
				impressions after successful completion of a board-approved course and
				examination and with prior approval of the supervising dentist;
4.1.25. Taking final impressions for fixed or
				removable prosthesis and/or appliance with a final evaluation by the
				supervising dentist;
4.1.26.
				Checking for loose orthodontic appliances with a final evaluation by the
				supervising dentist;
4.1.27. Taking
				orthodontic measurements with a final evaluation by the supervising
				dentist;
4.1.28. Fitting bands and
				brackets prior to final cementation and/or bonding by the supervising
				dentist;
4.1.29. Bending archwires
				with a final evaluation by the supervising dentist at the time of
				placement;
4.1.30. Placingor
				removing temporary space maintainers, orthodontic separating devices,
				ligatures, brackets and bands with a final evaluation by the supervising
				dentist at the time of placement or removal, after completion of a
				board-approved course and examination;
4.1.31. Removing loose or broken bands,
				brackets or archwires when directed by the supervising dentist;
4.1.32. Visually monitoring a nitrous oxide
				analgesia unit. A dental assistant or hygienist must successfully complete a
				board-approved course, and examination, and maintain current certification with
				the American Red Cross' or the American Heart Association's Cardio-Pulmonary
				Resuscitation (CPR) program to perform this duty; and
4.1.33. A dental assistant who has completed
				two years and at least three thousand hours of clinical experience in a dental
				office, as attested to by the supervising dentist, and who has a restorative
				expanded duties or orthodontic expanded duties certificate issued by the Board,
				and has successfully completed a coronal polishing course approved by the
				Board, may apply to the Board for a certificate to perform supragingival and
				coronal polishing on children under 21 years of age using a slow speed hand
				piece with a rubber cup.
4.1.34.
				All duties requiring a board-approved course and examination require
				certification issued by the Board to perform those duties. A dental assistant
				shall apply to the Board for certification on a form prescribed by the Board
				and pay a fee as set forth in the Board's rule. Fees Established by the Board,
				5CSR3.