TITLE 54

PROFESSIONS, VOCATIONS, AND BUSINESSES

CHAPTER 9

DENTISTS

54-903.  General definitions. As used in this chapter:

(1)  "Association" means the Idaho state dental association and the Idaho dental hygienists’ association.

(2)  "Board" means the state board of dentistry.

(3)  "Conviction" or "convicted" means a finding of guilt by a judge or jury, an entry of a guilty plea by a defendant and its acceptance by the court, a forfeiture of a bail bond or collateral deposited to secure a defendant’s appearance, a judgment of conviction, a suspended sentence, probation, a withheld judgment, or a finding of guilt under the uniform code of military justice.

(4)  "Dental assistant" is a person who need not be licensed under this chapter, but who is regularly employed at a dental office, who works under a dentist’s supervision, and is adequately trained and qualified according to standards established by the board to perform the dental services permitted to be performed by assistants by this chapter and applicable rules of the board.

(5)  "Dental hygienist" is a person both qualified and licensed by the laws of Idaho to practice dental hygiene.

(6)  "Dental specialist" is a dentist who has graduated from a board-approved postgraduate program in the dentist’s specialty and is a person both qualified and licensed by the laws of Idaho to practice a dental specialty recognized by the board.

(7)  "Dental therapist" is a person both qualified and licensed by the laws of Idaho to practice dental therapy.

(8)  "Dentist" is a person both qualified and licensed by the laws of Idaho to practice dentistry.

(9)  "Direct supervision" is supervision of a dental therapist, dental assistant, or dental hygienist requiring that a dentist diagnose the condition to be treated, that a dentist authorize the procedure to be performed, that a dentist remain in the practice setting while the procedure is performed, and that before dismissal of the patient a dentist approves the work performed by the dental therapist, dental assistant, or dental hygienist.

(10) "Extended access oral health care setting" means and includes:

(a)  Dental and dental hygiene treatment and services provided at locations including, but not limited to, a school district, county, state or federal agency, hospital, medical office, long-term care facility, public health district, dental or dental hygiene school, tribal clinic, or federally qualified health center; or

(b)  Oral health care programs approved by the board and conducted by or through a nonprofit public or private entity, organized in accordance with section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, that provide free dental or dental hygiene services to persons who, due to age, infirmity, indigence, disability or other similar reason, may be unable to receive regular dental and dental hygiene treatment. The board may require reapproval of the oral health care programs on an annual basis or at such other times as may be deemed by the board to be necessary or appropriate.

(c)  Dental therapy preventative treatment and preventative services provided in a school or long-term care facility in an incorporated city that is wholly or partially within or has a border contiguous to the boundaries of a tribal reservation.

(11) "General supervision" is supervision of a dental therapist, dental assistant, or dental hygienist requiring that a dentist authorize the procedure which is carried out, but not requiring that a dentist be in the practice setting when the authorized procedure is performed.

(12) "Indirect supervision" is supervision of a dental therapist, dental assistant, or dental hygienist requiring that a dentist authorize a procedure and that a dentist be in the practice setting while the procedure is performed by the therapist, assistant, or hygienist.

History:

[54-903, added 1987, ch. 30, sec. 3, p. 40; am. 1994, ch. 58, sec. 3, p. 100; am. 1997, ch. 78, sec. 1, p. 163; am. 2004, ch. 214, sec. 1, p. 647; am. 2004, ch. 217, sec. 1, p. 652; am. 2006, ch. 285, sec. 1, p. 874; am. 2007, ch. 93, sec. 1, p. 274; am. 2010, ch. 235, sec. 37, p. 572; am. 2014, ch. 49, sec. 1, p. 125; am. 2018, ch. 52, sec. 1, p. 135; am. 2018, ch. 53, sec. 1, p. 137; am. 2018, ch. 54, sec. 1, p. 140; am. 2019, ch. 221, sec. 3, p. 670.]