61-5A-13.2: Dental therapy; scope of practice; supervision.

A. A dental therapist shall provide care in accordance with a dental therapy practice agreement; provided that the dental therapy practice agreement is limited to:

(1) the following activities performed under general supervision:

(a) oral evaluation and assessment of dental disease;

(b) formulation of an individualized treatment plan as authorized by a supervising dentist;

(c) place and shape direct restorations without mechanical preparation;

(d) impressions for single-tooth removable prosthesis;

(e) temporary cementation;

(f) atraumatic restorative therapy;

(g) temporary and sedative restorations;

(h) extraction of primary teeth without radiological evidence of roots;

(i) palliative treatments;

(j) fabrication and placement of temporary crowns;

(k) recementation of permanent crowns;

(l) removal and nonsurgical placement of space maintainers;

(m) repairs and adjustments to prostheses;

(n) tissue conditioning;

(o) administration of analgesics, anti-inflammatory substances and antibiotics that a supervising dentist orders; and

(p) other closely related procedures that the board authorizes through rules it has adopted and promulgated; and

(2) the following activities that a dental therapist performs under indirect supervision or, if the dental therapist has completed a dental therapy post-graduate clinical experience, under general supervision:

(a) preparation and direct restoration of cavities in primary and permanent teeth; and

(b) fitting, shaping and cementing of stainless steel crowns on teeth prepared by a dentist.

B. A dental therapist may treat a patient prior to a dentist's examination or diagnosis, subject to a dental therapy practice agreement.