New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 16 - OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING
Chapter 5 - DENTISTRY (DENTISTS, DENTAL HYGIENISTS, ETC.)
Part 17 - DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS, COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE
Section 16.5.17.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "Acting consulting dentist" means a dentist who meets the qualifications of a consulting dentist who agrees to act as the consulting dentist when that dentist will be away from his/her practice for more than two weeks. An approved collaborative agreement shall be signed by the acting consulting dentist and the licensed dental hygienist prior to the consulting dentist leaving.

B. "Collaborative practice agreement" means a written agreement between a dentist who meets the qualifications of 16.5.17.9 NMAC to be a consulting dentist as defined in 16.5.17 NMAC of these rules, and a collaborative practice dental hygienist. This agreement shall follow the format as determined by the board and committee. A new agreement shall be signed and submitted to the board for approval each renewal period.

C. "Collaborative practice of dental hygiene" means the science of the prevention and treatment of oral disease through the provision of educational, assessment, preventive, clinical and other therapeutic services as specified in Subsection B of Section of 61-5A-4 NMSA 1978, in a cooperative working relationship with a consulting dentist but without general supervision, as set forth by the rules jointly established by the board and committee.

D. "Consulting (collaborative) dentist" means a dentist who meets the qualifications specified in 16.5.17.9 NMAC of this rule and who agrees to serve or continues to serve as a patient's dentist of record in collaboration and consultation with the practice dental hygienist as specified in the rules.

E. "Non-participating dentist" is a dentist who does not wish to collaborate with a collaborative practice dental hygienist.

F. "Standard collaborative practice protocols" is the protocol to be used by the collaborative practice dental hygienist to treat a patient, as specified in 16.5.17.13 NMAC of this part.

G. "Verbal prescription or orders" means instructions not communicated in written form, shall be recorded in the patient's record or the protocol agreement by both the collaborative hygienist and the consulting dentist when given.

H. "Written prescription orders" means instructions from the consulting dentist to the collaborative hygienist to perform those allowable treatments requiring diagnosis and treatment plan, subject to the limitations of 16.5.17.12 NMAC of these rules, or directions written to modify the standard collaborative practice protocols, or the collaborative practice agreement.