Florida Administrative Code
64 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
64B5 - Board of Dentistry
Chapter 64B5-14 - ANESTHESIA
Section 64B5-14.001 - Definitions

(1) Anesthesia - The loss of feeling or sensation, especially loss of the sensation of pain.

(2) General anesthesia - A controlled state of unconsciousness, produced by a pharmacologic agent, accompanied by a partial or complete loss of protective reflexes, including inability to independently maintain an airway and respond purposefully to physical stimulation or verbal command. This modality includes administration of medications via parenteral routes; that is: intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, submucosal, or inhalation, as well as enteral routes, that is oral, rectal, or transmucosal.

(3) Deep Sedation - A controlled state of depressed consciousness accompanied by partial loss of protective reflexes, including either or both the inability to continually maintain an airway independently or to respond appropriately to physical stimulation or verbal command, produced by pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic method or combination thereof. Deep sedation includes administration of medications via parenteral routes; that is intravenous, intra muscular, subcutaneous, submucosal, or inhalation, as well as enteral routes, that is oral, rectal, or transmucosal.

(4) Moderate sedation - A depressed level of consciousness produced by the administration of pharmacologic substances, that retains the patient's ability to independently and continuously maintain an airway and respond appropriately to physical stimulation and verbal command. This modality includes administration of medications via all parenteral routes, that is, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, submucosal, or inhalation, as well as enteral routes, that is oral, rectal, or transmucosal. The drugs, and techniques used shall carry a margin of safety wide enough to render unintended loss of consciousness unlikely.

(5) Pediatric Moderate Sedation - A depressed level of consciousness produced by the administration of pharmacologic substances, that retains a child patient's ability to independently and continuously maintain an airway and respond appropriately to physical stimulation or verbal command. This modality includes administration of medication via all parenteral routes; that is intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, submucosal, or inhalation, and all enteral routes; that is oral, rectal, or transmucosal. The drugs, doses, and techniques used shall carry a margin of safety wide enough to render unintended loss of consciousness unlikely. For the purposes of this chapter, a pediatric patient is defined as an individual under 18 years of age, or any person who has special needs, which means having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

(6) Nitrous-oxide inhalation analgesia - The administration by inhalation of a combination of nitrous-oxide and oxygen producing an altered level of consciousness that retains the patient's ability to independently and continuously maintain an airway and respond appropriately to physical stimulation or verbal command.

(7) Local anesthesia - The loss of sensation of pain in a specific area of the body, generally produced by a topically applied agent or injected agent without causing the loss of consciousness.

(8) Analgesia - Absence of sensibility of pain, designating particularly the relief of pain without loss of consciousness.

(9) Office team approach - A methodology employed by a dentist in the administration of general anesthesia, deep sedation, moderate sedation, and pediatric sedation whereby the dentist uses two or more qualified assistants/dental hygienists who, working under the direct supervision of the dentist, assist the dentist, and assist in emergency care of the patient. A dentist who is permitted by these rules to administer and employ the use of general anesthesia, deep sedation, moderate sedation, or pediatric moderate sedation shall employ the office team approach. A dentist who is permitted by these rules to administer and employ the use of general anesthesia, deep sedation, moderate sedation, or pediatric moderate sedation shall employ the office team approach.

(10) Minimal Sedation - The perioperative use of medication to relieve anxiety before or during a dental procedure which does not produce a depressed level of consciousness and maintains the patient's ability to maintain an airway independently and to respond appropriately to physical and verbal stimulation. This minimal sedation shall include the administration of a single enteral sedative or a single narcotic analgesic medication administered in a single dose appropriate for the unsupervised treatment of anxiety and pain. If clinically indicated, an opiod analgesic may also be administered during or following a procedure if needed for the treatment of pain. Except in extremely unusual circumstances, the cumulative dose shall not exceed the maximum recommended dose (as per the manufacturers recommendation). It is understood that even at appropriate doses a patient may occasionally drift into a state that is deeper than minimal sedation. As long as the intent was minimal sedation and all of the above guidelines were observed, this shall not automatically constitute a violation. A permit shall not be required for the perioperative use of medication for the purpose of providing minimal sedation.

(11) Titration of Oral Medication - The administration of small incremental doses of an orally administered medication until an intended level of moderate sedation is observed.

(12) Physician anesthesiologist - Any physician licensed pursuant to Chapter 458 or 459, F.S., who is currently board certified or board eligible by the American Board of Anesthesiology or the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology, or currently holds anesthesia clinical privileges in a hospital or ambulatory surgical facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 395, F.S., and such privileges are commensurate with the anesthesia being provided in a dental office (e.g., pediatric anesthesia privileges is pediatric patients are being treated in the dental office).

(13) Qualified Anesthetist: means an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who is licensed in this state to practice professional nursing and who is certified in the advanced or specialized nursing practice as a certified registered nurse anesthetist pursuant to Chapter 464, Part I, F.S.

(14) Certified Registered Dental Hygienist: means any Florida licensed dental hygienist who is certified by the Board and has received a certificate from the Department of Health that allows the administration of local anesthesia while the CRDH is directly supervised by a Florida licensed dentist.