Indiana Dental Practice Act: Statutory Structure and Definitions
What this domain tests
The exam checks whether you can place a fact in the right layer of Indiana dental law and use the Act's definitions accurately. The Dentistry Practice Act is IC 25-14; the Board of Dentistry adopts administrative rules, principally 828 IAC 1; the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency supplies staff and administrative support but does not set clinical policy.
Core structure
- IC 25-14 creates the Board, defines the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene, sets licensure categories and disciplinary grounds.
- Board rules fill in licensure, continuing education, supervision, records, infection control and delegated-function details.
- The Board interprets the Act and hears disciplinary cases; IPLA processes applications and renewals.
- Definitions control scope: the practice of dentistry includes diagnosis, treatment planning, surgery, prescribing and other services; dental hygiene is a defined subset performed under the required supervision.
Worked example
A hygienist removes calculus, applies fluoride and gives oral hygiene instruction after the dentist's exam and plan. That is dental hygiene within scope. If the hygienist independently diagnoses caries and decides the treatment plan, the conduct is outside dental hygiene and may constitute unlicensed practice of dentistry. The reasoning turns on the statutory definition of dental hygiene, not on the hygienist's title.
Traps that cost marks
Do not treat IPLA as the policy-making board. Do not assume every requirement is in the statute; many operative details are in Board rules. Do not read 'practice of dentistry' narrowly as only drilling and extraction. Do not assume a license covers every dental procedure without considering supervision and delegation.