New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 16 - OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING
Chapter 5 - DENTISTRY (DENTISTS, DENTAL HYGIENISTS, ETC.)
Part 50 - COMMUNITY DENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR, REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION
Section 16.5.50.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "Community based field experience" means a hands on internship/apprenticeship where the CDHC gets to use their skills under supervison of a licensed New Mexico dentist or hygienist.

B. "Community dental health coordinator" CDHC means a dental assistant, dental hygienist or other trained personnel certified by the board as a community dental health coordinator to provide educational, preventive and limited palliative care and assessment services working collaboratively under the general supervison of a licensed New Mexico dentist.

C. "Community health promotion" means courses that teach social work skills such as, building social networks, health advocacy for individuals and communities, mapping out social and health support networks, cultural competency, communication skills, interpersonal skills, interviewing skills, behavioral assessment and management, devloping community programs, teaching and training skills, legal and ethical issues.

D. "Continuous employment" means 1,000 hours per year for five consecutive years.

E. "Dental skills" means courses in basic dental knowledge, emergency vs. routine care needs, recognition of dental conditions, gross anatomy of head and neck and oral structures, gathering and recording information, clinical record keeping, caries, periodontal disease, oral and external cancer evaluation, palliative care, and financing dental care.

F. "General supervision" means the authorization by a dentist of the procedures to be used by a dental hygienist, dental assistant, expanded function dental auxiliary, dental student, or community dental health coordinator and the execution of the procedures in accordance with a dentist's diagnosis and treatment plan at a time the dentist is not physically present and in the facility as designated by the rules of the board.

G. "Limited palliative procedures" means procedures ordered by the dentist to help relieve pain or to improve an emergency situation that a patient is experiencing. These procedures must be within the scope of the community dental health coordinator.

H. "Teledentistry" means a dentist's use of health information technology in real time to provide limited diagnostic and treatment planning services in cooperation with another dentist, a dental hygienist, a community dental health coordinator or a student enrolled in a program of study to become a dental assistant, dental hygienist or dentist.