The Florida Senate

466.023  Dental hygienists; scope and area of practice.--

(1)  Except as otherwise provided in s. 466.024, only dental hygienists may be delegated the task of removing calculus deposits, accretions, and stains from exposed surfaces of the teeth and from the gingival sulcus and the task of performing root planing and curettage. In addition, dental hygienists may expose dental X-ray films, apply topical preventive or prophylactic agents, and perform all tasks delegable by the dentist in accordance with s. 466.024. The board by rule shall determine whether such functions shall be performed under the direct, indirect, or general supervision of the dentist.

(2)  Dental hygienists may perform their duties:

(a)  In the office of a licensed dentist;

(b)  In public health programs and institutions of the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services under the general supervision of a licensed dentist; or

(c)  Upon a patient of record of a dentist who has issued a prescription for the services of a dental hygienist, which prescription shall be valid for 2 years unless a shorter length of time is designated by the dentist, in:

1.  Licensed public and private health facilities;

2.  Other public institutions of the state and federal government;

3.  Public and private educational institutions;

4.  The home of a nonambulatory patient; and

5.  Other places in accordance with the rules of the board.

However, the dentist issuing such prescription shall remain responsible for the care of such patient. As used in this subsection, "patient of record" means a patient upon whom a dentist has taken a complete medical history, completed a clinical examination, recorded any pathological conditions, and prepared a treatment plan.

(3)  Dental hygienists may, without supervision, provide educational programs, faculty or staff training programs, authorized fluoride rinse programs, and other services which do not involve diagnosis or treatment of dental conditions and which services are approved by rule of the board.

(4)  The board by rule may limit the number of dental hygienists or dental assistants to be supervised by a dentist if they perform expanded duties requiring direct or indirect supervision pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The purpose of the limitation shall be to protect the health and safety of patients and to ensure that procedures which require more than general supervision be adequately supervised. However, the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and public institutions approved by the board shall not be so limited as to the number of dental hygienists or dental assistants working under the supervision of a licensed dentist.

(5)  Dental hygienists are exempt from the provisions of part IV of chapter 468.

History.--ss. 1, 3, ch. 79-330; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 14, 23, 24, ch. 86-291; s. 60, ch. 91-137; s. 7, ch. 91-156; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 36, ch. 95-144; s. 5, ch. 96-281.

¹Note.--The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services was redesignated as the Department of Children and Family Services by s. 5, ch. 96-403, and the Department of Health was created by s. 8, ch. 96-403.