24.138.407    FUNCTIONS FOR DENTAL HYGIENISTS

(1) Allowable functions for the dental hygienist practicing under the supervision of a licensed dentist shall include dental procedures as allowed by Title 37, chapter 4, MCA, and board rule, and subject to (2) below, in which:

(a) the hygienist was instructed and qualified to perform in a school of dental hygiene accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or its successor; or

(b) the hygienist was instructed and trained by a licensed dentist; or

(c) the hygienist was instructed and trained in a board acceptable continuing education course; or

(d) the hygienist is functioning in the capacity of a dental auxiliary as allowed by board rule.

(2) A dental hygienist will be allowed to perform the following dental auxiliary functions, under general supervision, including, but not limited to:

(a) making radiographic exposures, as prescribed by the supervising dentist;

(b) taking impressions for study or working casts;

(c) removing sutures and dressings;

(d) applying topical anesthetic agents;

(e) providing oral health instruction;

(f) applying topical fluoride agents;

(g) removing excess cement from coronal surfaces;

(h) placing and removing rubber dams;

(i) placing and removing matrices;

(j) collecting patient data;

(k) polishing amalgam restorations;

(l) placing pit and fissure sealants; and

(m) coronal polishing.

(3) A dental hygienist shall not be allowed to perform the following:

(a) diagnosis and treatment planning as per 37-4-401, MCA;

(b) cutting hard or soft tissue (except root planing and soft tissue curettage) or extracting teeth;

(c) prescribing any drug except fluoride agents, topical oral anesthetic agents, and nonsystemic oral antimicrobials, under the general supervision of a licensed dentist or under public health supervision with a limited access permit, as per 37-4-401, MCA;

(d) administering or dispensing any drugs, without the prior authorization and direct supervision of the supervising dentist. This does not pertain to local anesthetic agents administered by a licensed dental hygienist qualified to administer the agents, topical agents, fluoride agents, topical oral anesthetic agents, nonsystemic oral antimicrobials, or sulcular medicaments;

(e) placing, carving or condensing any permanent restorations;

(f) taking final impressions of the involved arch for crowns, bridges, implant prosthesis, partial or complete dentures;

(g) bonding or cementing orthodontic brackets, or orthodontic appliances that would provide activation upon cementation;

(h) bonding or cementing any fixed prosthesis, including veneers, except for provisional.

(4) The assignment of tasks and procedures to a dental hygienist shall not relieve the dentist from liability for all treatment rendered the patient.

(5) It shall be the responsibility of the employing dentist to verify that a dental hygienist's qualifications are in compliance with the statutes and rules of the Board of Dentistry.

 

History: 37-1-131, 37-4-205, 37-4-401, 37-4-408, MCA; IMP, 37-1-131, 37-4-401, 37-4-405, 37-4-408, MCA; Eff. 12/31/72; AMD, Eff. 7/5/76; AMD, Eff. 9/23/77; AMD, 1978 MAR p. 1182, Eff. 8/11/78; AMD, 1979 MAR p. 1497, Eff. 11/30/79; AMD, 1980 MAR p. 1188, Eff. 4/11/80; AMD, 1981 MAR p. 686, Eff. 7/17/81; TRANS, from Dept. of Prof. & Occup. Lic., Ch. 274, L. 1981, Eff. 7/1/81; AMD, 1984 MAR p. 921, Eff. 6/15/84; AMD, 1985 MAR p. 1323, Eff. 9/13/85; AMD, 1987 MAR p. 155, Eff. 2/14/87; AMD, 1989 MAR p. 2179, Eff. 12/22/89; AMD, 1991 MAR p. 2415, Eff. 12/13/91; AMD, 1994 MAR p. 1120, Eff. 4/29/94; AMD, 1995 MAR p. 2795, Eff. 11/23/95; AMD, 1996 MAR p. 3118, Eff. 12/6/96; TRANS, from Commerce, 2003 MAR p. 2435; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 1279, Eff. 7/7/18; AMD, 2021 MAR p. 473, Eff. 5/1/21.