Oregon Statutes 679.621 – Dental therapist scope of practice; duties of dentist; authority of dental therapist to supervise
(1) A dental therapist may perform, pursuant to the dental therapist’s collaborative agreement, the following procedures under the general supervision of the dentist:
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 679.621
- Dental assistant: means a person who, under the supervision of a dentist or dental therapist, renders assistance to a dentist, dental therapist, dental hygienist, dental technician or another dental assistant or who, under the supervision of a dental hygienist, renders assistance to a dental hygienist providing dental hygiene. See Oregon Statutes 679.010
- Dental therapist: means a person licensed to practice dental therapy under ORS § 679. See Oregon Statutes 679.010
- Dentist: means a person who may perform any intraoral or extraoral procedure required in the practice of dentistry. See Oregon Statutes 679.010
- Dentistry: means the healing art concerned with:
(A) The examination, diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment, care and prevention of conditions within the human oral cavity and maxillofacial region, and of conditions of adjacent or related tissues and structures; and
(B) The prescribing, dispensing and administering of prescription drugs for purposes related to the activities described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph. See Oregon Statutes 679.010
- General supervision: means supervision requiring that a dentist authorize the procedures by standing orders, practice agreements or collaboration agreements, but not requiring that a dentist be present when the authorized procedures are performed. See Oregon Statutes 679.010
- Indirect supervision: means supervision requiring that a dentist authorize the procedures and that a dentist be on the premises while the procedures are performed. See Oregon Statutes 679.010
(a) Identification of conditions requiring evaluation, diagnosis or treatment by a dentist, a physician licensed under ORS Chapter 677, a nurse practitioner licensed under ORS § 678.375 to 678.390 or other licensed health care provider;
(b) Comprehensive charting of the oral cavity;
(c) Oral health instruction and disease prevention education, including nutritional counseling and dietary analysis;
(d) Exposing and evaluation of radiographic images;
(e) Dental prophylaxis, including subgingival scaling and polishing procedures;
(f) Application of topical preventive or prophylactic agents, including fluoride varnishes and pit and fissure sealants;
(g) Administering local anesthetic;
(h) Pulp vitality testing;
(i) Application of desensitizing medication or resin;
(j) Fabrication of athletic mouth guards;
(k) Changing of periodontal dressings;
(L) Simple extractions of erupted primary anterior teeth and coronal remnants of any primary teeth;
(m) Emergency palliative treatment of dental pain;
(n) Preparation and placement of direct restoration in primary and permanent teeth;
(o) Fabrication and placement of single-tooth temporary crowns;
(p) Preparation and placement of preformed crowns on primary teeth;
(q) Indirect pulp capping on permanent teeth;
(r) Indirect pulp capping on primary teeth;
(s) Suture removal;
(t) Minor adjustments and repairs of removable prosthetic devices;
(u) Atraumatic restorative therapy and interim restorative therapy;
(v) Oral examination, evaluation and diagnosis of conditions within the supervising dentist’s authorization;
(w) Removal of space maintainers;
(x) The dispensation and oral or topical administration of:
(A) Nonnarcotic analgesics;
(B) Anti-inflammatories; and
(C) Antibiotics; and
(y) Other services as specified by the Oregon Board of Dentistry by rule.
(2) A dental therapist may perform, pursuant to the dental therapist’s collaborative agreement, the following procedures under the indirect supervision of the dentist:
(a) Placement of temporary restorations;
(b) Fabrication of soft occlusal guards;
(c) Tissue reconditioning and soft reline;
(d) Tooth reimplantation and stabilization;
(e) Recementing of permanent crowns;
(f) Pulpotomies on primary teeth;
(g) Simple extractions of:
(A) Erupted posterior primary teeth; and
(B) Permanent teeth that have horizontal movement of greater than two millimeters or vertical movement and that have at least 50 percent periodontal bone loss;
(h) Brush biopsies; and
(i) Direct pulp capping on permanent teeth.
(3) The dentist described in subsection (2) of this section shall review a procedure described in subsection (2) of this section that is performed by the dental therapist and the patient chart that contains information regarding the procedure.
(4)(a) A dental therapist may supervise a dental assistant and an expanded function dental assistant, as defined by the board by rule, if the dental therapist is authorized to perform the services provided by the dental assistant or expanded function dental assistant.
(b) A dental therapist may supervise up to two individuals under this subsection. [2021 c.530 § 9]