Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
(1) No licensed
dental hygienist shall administer local anesthesia unless he or she has been
issued a Permit L by the Board. A dental hygienist who has been issued a Permit
L may only administer local anesthesia under the direct supervision of a
licensed dentist.
(2)
Application for Permit L by Examination. Application
for a Permit L shall be on forms provided by the Board and shall be accompanied
by the permit fee, to be determined annually by the Secretary of Administration
and Finance, and documentation demonstrating proof of:
(a) Licensure as a dental hygienist in the
Commonwealth;
(b) Current Basic
Life Support (BLS) certification;
(c) Successful completion of a training
program or course of study, no more than two years prior to application for the
permit, in a formal program in the administration of local anesthesia, which
shall be a minimum of 35 hours of instruction, including no less than 12 hours
of clinical training, and be conducted by an educational institution accredited
by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association;
and
(d) Successful completion of a
written examination in the administration of local anesthesia administered by
the Northeast Regional Board of Dental Examiners (NERB) or any successor agency
approved by the Board.
(3)
Application for Permit L by
Credentials. Application for local anesthesia permit by a dental
hygienist qualified in another jurisdiction by virtue of successful completion
of an examination to administer local anesthesia shall, at a minimum, be
accompanied by the permit fee, to be determined annually by the Secretary of
Administration and Finance and documentation demonstrating proof of:
(a) Licensure as a dental hygienist in the
Commonwealth;
(b) Current BLS
certification;
(c) Documentation of
successful completion of a training program or course of study in a formal
program in the administration of local anesthesia accredited by the American
Dental Association and equivalent to the course of study described in
234
CMR 6.14(4); and
(d) A letter from a dentist who directly
supervised the hygienist attesting to the hygienist's experience in
administering local anesthesia within the previous two years.
(4)
Requirements for
Course of Study for Permit L.
(a)
An applicant for a Permit L-Administration of Local Anesthesia shall have
completed a minimum of 35 hours of instruction, which must include, but is not
limited to:
1. Medical history evaluation
procedures;
2. Physical evaluation
of the dental patient;
3.
Pharmacology of local anesthesia and vasoconstrictors; and
4. Local anesthesia, didactic and clinical
courses, including the following:
a. Anatomy
of head, neck, and oral cavity as it relates to administering local anesthetic
agents;
b. Indications and
contraindications for administration of local anesthesia;
c. Selection and preparation of the
armamentaria and record-keeping for administering various local
agents;
d. Medical and legal
management of complication;
e.
Recognition and management of post-injection complications;
f. Proper infection control techniques with
regard to local anesthesia and proper disposal of sharps;
g. Methods of administering local anesthetic
agents with emphasis on technique and minimum effective dosage; and
h. Management of diagnosis, prevention and
treatment of medical emergencies.
(b) Instructors preparing students for
certification to administer local anesthesia in Massachusetts shall be licensed
to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in the Commonwealth.
(5)
Renewal of Permit
L. A permit to administer Local Anesthesia shall be renewed
biennially at the same time the applicant's license to practice dental hygiene
is renewed. The application for renewal of Permit L shall be accompanied by the
permit fee, to be determined annually by the Executive Office of Administration
and Finance; and an attestation confirming current BLS certification.
(6)
Recording of Anesthesia
Required.
(a) The dental
hygienist shall obtain the local anesthesia only from the licensed dentist who
is exercising direct supervision of the dental hygienist administering the
local anesthesia.
(b) The dental
hygienist shall sign and document in the patient record the date, type and
amount of local anesthesia obtained from the supervising dentist.
(c) Upon completion of the treatment, any
unused portion of the local anesthesia and armamentarium shall be returned to
the supervising dentist and disposed of in accordance with M.G.L. c.
94C.
