Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0460 - Dentistry
Chapter 0460-04 - Rules Governing the Practice of Dental Assistants
Section 0460-04-.04 - CORONAL POLISHING CERTIFICATION

Universal Citation: TN Comp Rules and Regs 0460-04-.04

Current through September 24, 2024

Dental assistants who, pursuant to this rule and T.C.A. § 63-5-108(d), receive certification to perform coronal polishing may only do so under the restrictions contained in this rule.

(1) Definition - Coronal Polishing shall mean the polishing of the enamel and restorations on the clinical crown of human teeth by utilizing a combination of a polishing agent and a slow speed handpiece, a prophy angle, a rubber cup, or any home care cleaning device.

(2) Qualifications - An applicant for a coronal polishing certification must be registered as a dental assistant in Tennessee prior to applying for admission to an education course in coronal polishing. The sequence of the certification process is as follows:

(a) An applicant must apply for and successfully complete an educational course, as provided in this rule, as a prerequisite for certification; or

(b) An applicant who has successfully completed a coronal polishing course in another state which was approved by the board in the other state, which the Board consultant has determined as equivalent to the Board-approved course in Tennessee, is eligible to apply directly to the Board for certification. If a certification or permit was issued by the other state, verification of the certificate or permit must be received directly from that state. The information regarding content of the course and proof of completion must be sent directly from the course provider to the Board's administrative office; or

(c) Applicants who have successfully completed an ADA accredited dental assisting program which included coronal polishing in the curriculum are eligible to apply for the certification upon completion of the program. Within thirty (30) days of an applicant's completion of the program, the program director/instructor must submit a letter to the Board administrator verifying that coronal polishing was included in the curriculum and a written and clinical examination was passed by the applicant. Upon receipt of the letter from the program director/instructor and the application and fees, the certification for coronal polishing will be issued.

(3) Retention of Certification - Certification for coronal polishing is only valid as long as the registered dental assistant has a current registration. If the registration expires or is retired, the certification is also considered expired or retired, and the dental assistant may not engage in coronal polishing until the registration is reinstated or reactivated.

(4) Examination - The certification course must contain both a written and a clinical examination that covers the curriculum in Rule 0460-05-.03(2)(c) 4(i) and (ii). The passing grade for each examination is set at seventy-five percent (75%). A student who fails either examination may retake the examination two (2) additional times before having to repeat the course in order to retake the examination.

(5) Supervision

(a) Any time a dental assistant is allowed to perform coronal polishing after receiving certification, the employer dentist must be physically on the office premises at all times during the polishing and must also:
1. Examine each patient immediately prior to the polishing to determine health, calculus and scalable stain free and to certify the need for coronal polishing; and

2. Examine each patient immediately after the polishing is completed to evaluate the results.

(b) A dental assistant may not perform coronal polishing for patients who have not been examined immediately prior to being assigned for polishing.

(6) Application review and decisions required by this rule shall be governed by Rule 0460-01-.04.

Authority: T.C.A §§ 4-3-1011, 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-5-105, 63-5-107, 63-5-108, 63-5-111, and 63-5-115.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Tennessee may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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