LA Dental Juris flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Louisiana dental licensure authority

The Louisiana State Board of Dentistry regulates dentists and dental hygienists, issuing licenses and imposing discipline for violations of the Dental Practice Act.

Scope of practice

The legally defined set of procedures a licensed dentist may perform, including diagnosis, treatment planning, surgery, and prescribing, and which may be delegated only to authorized personnel.

Informed consent elements

A valid consent discloses the diagnosis, the proposed treatment, reasonable alternatives, and material risks, and is obtained before irreversible or surgical care begins.

Fee splitting prohibition

Louisiana prohibits paying or accepting a commission or fee for referring a patient to another provider, because it compromises clinical judgment and is a disciplinary offense.

Grounds for discipline

Board sanctions may follow unprofessional conduct, gross negligence, fraud, impairment, criminal conviction involving moral turpitude, or practicing beyond a licensee's competence.

Continuing education requirement

License renewal requires completing board-specified CE hours each cycle, including mandated topics, and retaining certificates for audit on request.

Prescription monitoring

Dentists prescribing controlled substances must comply with Louisiana Board of Pharmacy rules, including checking the prescription monitoring program and limiting quantities consistent with law.

Record retention

Patient records must be legible, contemporaneous, and retained for the period set by board rule; patients may obtain copies of their records.

Infection control compliance

Dentists must follow CDC and OSHA standards, including hand hygiene, PPE use, sharps precautions, and sterilization monitoring by spore testing, as a licensure obligation.

Unlicensed practice

Practicing dentistry without an active Louisiana license is unlawful, and the board may seek an injunction to stop it in addition to other penalties.

Dental hygiene licensure

A hygiene license requires graduation from an accredited program plus passing board-approved written and clinical examinations before the Louisiana board issues the license.

Direct supervision

The dentist is physically present in the office, has authorized the procedure, and examines the patient before and after care delivered by the hygienist or assistant.

Indirect supervision

The dentist has authorized the procedure and remains available on the premises but is not required to be physically present in the operatory during the procedure.

General supervision

The dentist authorizes treatment in advance but is not required to be on site when the hygienist performs it, as permitted by board rule for specified procedures.

Local anesthesia by hygienist

A hygienist may administer local anesthesia only after completing board-recognized additional training and certification, under the supervision level the board specifies.

Nitrous oxide administration

Hygienists may administer nitrous oxide only with the additional required training and certification, following board rules on monitoring and supervision.

Coronal polishing scope

Polishing is a hygiene-scope procedure that may be performed by a licensed hygienist and is not delegable to an unlicensed dental assistant.

Scaling and root planing

Removal of calculus and cementum from root surfaces is a hygiene-scope periodontal procedure requiring clinical competence and documentation of periodontal findings.

Sealant application

Placing pit-and-fissure sealants is within hygiene scope, typically after assessment of tooth eruption and caries risk and documentation of the teeth treated.

Fluoride application

Professional topical fluoride is a hygiene-scope preventive procedure, selected by caries risk and documented in the patient record along with the product used.

Radiograph exposure

A licensed hygienist may expose dental radiographs within scope; the prescribing dentist holds responsibility for justification and interpretation of the images.

Periodontal charting

Recording probing depths, attachment loss, and bleeding on probing is a hygiene assessment duty that must be documented and reported to the supervising dentist.

Hygiene CE renewal

Hygiene license renewal requires the board-specified continuing education hours per period, with mandated content areas, and records kept for audit.

Public health hygiene practice

Board rules permit expanded hygiene practice in designated settings such as schools and clinics under stated conditions, which may not require a prior dentist examination.

Referral obligation

Findings outside hygiene scope, such as suspected pathology or complex restorative needs, must be referred to the dentist rather than managed independently.

Hygiene disciplinary grounds

Practicing without a license, exceeding scope, falsifying records, and practicing while impaired are grounds for board discipline including suspension or revocation.

Dental assistant delegation

Unlicensed assistants may perform only tasks the board authorizes, and hygienists may not delegate hygiene-scope procedures such as scaling to them.

Patient record documentation

Each hygiene visit requires documentation of assessment findings, procedures performed, patient education given, and any referral made to the dentist.

Supervision determination

The required supervision level depends on the specific procedure and setting, so the hygienist confirms the board-specified level before treatment begins.

Caries risk assessment

A structured evaluation of disease indicators and protective factors that guides selection of preventive services such as fluoride, sealants, and recall intervals.

License lapse consequences

Practicing after a license lapses is unlicensed practice; reinstatement may require late fees, additional CE, or board review before practice resumes.

Misleading advertising

Advertising that is false or misleading, including unsubstantiated superiority claims or omitted material information, is prohibited and may result in board discipline.