(a) The board shall issue a Class 2 Permit to an applicant who:

Ask a business law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified business lawyers.
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(1) Is a licensed dentist in West Virginia;

(2) Holds valid and current documentation showing successful completion of a Health Care Provider BLS/CPR; and

(3) Has completed a board approved course of at least six hours didactic and clinical of either predoctoral dental school or postgraduate instruction.

(b) A dentist who induces relative analgesia/minimal sedation and anxiolysis/minimal sedation shall have the following facilities, properly maintained equipment and appropriate drugs available during the procedures and during recovery:

(1) An operating room large enough to adequately accommodate the patient on an operating table or in an operating chair and to allow an operating team of at least two individuals to freely move about the patient;

(2) An operating table or chair which permits the patient to be positioned so the operating team can maintain the patient's airway, quickly alter the patient's position in an emergency and provide a firm platform for the administration of basic life support;

(3) A lighting system which permits evaluation of the patient's skin and mucosal color and a backup lighting system of sufficient intensity to permit completion of any operation underway in the event of a general power failure;

(4) Suction equipment which permits aspiration of the oral and pharyngeal cavities;

(5) An oxygen delivery system with adequate age appropriate full face mask and appropriate connectors that is capable of delivering high flow oxygen to the patient under positive pressure, together with an adequate backup system;

(6) A nitrous oxide delivery system with a fail-safe mechanism that will ensure appropriate continuous oxygen delivery and a scavenger system;

(7) A recovery area that has available oxygen, adequate lighting, suction and electrical outlets. The recovery area can be the operating room;

(8) Sphygmomanometer, stethoscope and pulse oximeter;

(9) Emergency drugs as specified by rule;

(10) A defibrillator device; and

(11) All equipment and medication dosages shall be in accordance with the height and weight and age of the patient being treated.

(c) Before inducing anxiolysis/minimal sedation, a dentist shall:

(1) Evaluate the patient by using the ASA Patient Physical Status Classification of the ASA that the patient is an appropriate candidate for anxiolysis/minimal sedation; and

(2) Obtain written informed consent from the patient or patient's guardian for the anesthesia. The obtaining of the informed consent shall be documented in the patient's record.

(d) The dentist shall monitor and record the patient's condition or shall use a qualified monitor to monitor and record the patient's condition. The documented requirements of a qualified monitor monitoring anxiolysis/minimal sedation cases are as specified by rule. A Class 2 Permit holder may have no more than one person under anxiolysis/minimal sedation at the same time.

(e) The patient shall be monitored as follows:

(1) Patients shall have continuous monitoring using pulse oximetry. The patient's blood pressure, heart rate and respiration shall be recorded at least once before, during and after the procedure and these recordings shall be documented in the patient record. At all times, the patient shall be observed by a qualified monitor until discharge criteria have been met. If the dentist is unable to obtain this information, the reasons shall be documented in the patient's record. The record shall also include documentation of all medications administered with dosages, time intervals and route of administration including local anesthesia.

(2) A discharge entry shall be made by the dentist in the patient's record indicating the patient's condition upon discharge.

(f) A permit holder who uses anxiolysis/minimal sedation shall see that the patient's condition is visually monitored. The patient shall be monitored as to response to verbal stimulation, oral mucosal color and preoperative and postoperative vital signs.

(g) The dentist shall assess the patient's responsiveness using preoperative values as normal guidelines and discharge the patient only when the following criteria are met:

(1) Vital signs including blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate are stable;

(2) The patient is alert and oriented to person, place and time as appropriate to age and preoperative neurological status;

(3) The patient can talk and respond coherently to verbal questioning or to preoperative neurological status;

(4) The patient can sit up unaided or to preoperative neurological status;

(5) The patient can ambulate with minimal assistance or to preoperative neurological status; and

(6) The patient does not have uncontrollable nausea or vomiting and has minimal dizziness.

(h) A dentist may not release a patient who has undergone anxiolysis/minimal sedation except to the care of a responsible adult third party.