FL Dental Laws & Rules key terms

Under Florida law, the diagnosis, treatment, and prescription for any disease, pain, deformity, or condition of the human teeth, jaws, and associated oral structures, including procedures that require professional dental judgment and skill.

The performance of dental procedures that support oral health, such as cleaning and scaling teeth, taking radiographs, and applying preventive agents, carried out by a licensed dental hygienist at the supervision level the law requires.

The legally permitted boundary of what a licensee may do. A dentist's scope is broadest; hygienists and assistants may perform only the tasks the statutes and board rules authorize, at the required level of supervision.

A person licensed by the Board of Dentistry to practice dental hygiene. The license authorizes specified preventive and therapeutic procedures performed under a dentist's supervision, and the hygienist may practice only within that licensed scope.

A helper who performs only the remediable tasks board rules allow. Assistants work under a dentist's supervision and may not diagnose, prescribe, or perform procedures reserved to licensed dentists or dental hygienists.

The regulatory body created by statute that licenses dentists and dental hygienists, adopts rules defining practice standards and delegated tasks, and imposes discipline on licensees who violate the law.

A supervision level in which a dentist is present in the office or treatment facility, knows in advance which tasks will be performed, and is available to consult or take over treatment while the delegated procedure is being done.

Supervision based on a licensed dentist's instructions, where the dentist must be physically present in the treatment facility while the delegated procedure is performed and has authorized that procedure in advance.

Supervision based on a licensed dentist's instructions where the dentist is not physically present in the treatment facility but has authorized the specific procedure to be performed by the hygienist or assistant.

A dental procedure that does not require the ongoing professional judgment of a dentist and that board rules permit a hygienist or assistant to perform, provided the required level of supervision is met.

A program site, such as a nonprofit, government, or educational clinic, established to provide dental care to underserved or low-income patients, where statutes relax some supervision requirements so volunteer dentists and hygienists can treat them.

A business that fabricates, repairs, or alters dental prostheses and appliances on the written order of a licensed dentist, and that may not perform procedures on patients or make clinical decisions.

The written work order a dentist must provide to a laboratory for each prosthetic device, stating the patient's identity, the materials, and the design specifications the laboratory must follow.

An additional credential the Board issues to a dentist who meets training and equipment requirements, allowing that dentist to administer general anesthesia or conscious sedation in the dental office.

The requirement that dentists and dental hygienists renew their active licenses every two years by a set deadline, showing completed continuing education and paying the required renewal fee.

A set number of approved clock hours a licensee must complete each renewal cycle, covering topics such as infection control, recordkeeping, and safe prescribing, as a condition of keeping an active license.

A status a licensee may elect at renewal when not practicing in Florida, in which the license is not current for practice and the conditions for reactivation differ from those for active status.

A public record maintained by the Department that summarizes a licensee's education, specialty certification, practice address, and disciplinary history, and that the licensee must keep accurate.

The statutory list of acts and omissions, such as negligence, incompetence, unprofessional conduct, or practicing beyond one's scope, for which the Department or Board may discipline a licensee.

A simplified enforcement tool the Department may use for minor, clearly defined violations, imposing a set fine or other stated penalty without a full formal hearing if the licensee accepts it.

Performing dental or dental hygiene procedures without a valid Florida license. It is a criminal offense and also grounds for the Department to seek an injunction or other civil remedy.

Inappropriate sexual contact or behavior by a licensee toward a patient, including kissing, touching intimate body parts, or sexual remarks, which is prohibited and subject to discipline even if the patient appears to consent.

A confidential program approved by the Department that evaluates, treats, and monitors licensees impaired by substance abuse or mental health conditions, allowing them to seek help while protecting the public.

A panel of Board members that reviews investigations closed by the Department and decides whether there is enough evidence to justify filing a formal complaint against a licensee.

The written or electronic documentation of a patient's examination, diagnosis, treatment, and consent that a licensee must create, keep for the required period, and release to the patient or the patient's representative on proper request.

The duty to keep a patient's health information private and to disclose it only with the patient's authorization, or as the law requires for treatment, payment, or specified reporting purposes.

Offering, paying, or receiving money or anything of value in exchange for patient referrals, or dividing a professional fee with an unlicensed person, practices that are prohibited and subject to discipline.

Florida's electronic database (E-FORCSE) that tracks controlled substance prescriptions. Prescribers must register and check it as required before prescribing controlled substances to patients.

The degree of care, skill, and knowledge that a reasonably prudent dentist with similar training would use in the same or similar circumstances, and the benchmark in negligence and discipline cases.

A patient's voluntary agreement to treatment after being told, in terms the patient can understand, the diagnosis, the proposed procedure, its material risks and benefits, and reasonable alternatives, including no treatment.

Ending a professional relationship without reasonable notice or a chance for the patient to arrange continuing care, which can be unprofessional conduct when the patient still needs treatment.

The assignment by a dentist of a specific task to a hygienist or assistant. Only tasks the board rules list may be delegated, and only at the level of supervision the rule specifies for that task.

Board-adopted requirements for hand hygiene, barrier protection, instrument sterilization, and surface disinfection that licensees must follow to prevent transmission of disease between patients and staff.

Board rules that set out, for each type of violation, a recommended range of penalties such as reprimand, fine, suspension, or probation, which the Board uses so that discipline stays consistent.

Rules limiting how licensees may promote services: advertising must not be false, deceptive, or misleading, and solicitations must not exploit patients or make claims the licensee cannot support.