NC Dental Hygiene Jurisprudence flashcards
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31 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- NC Dental Practice Act citation
- The statute governing dentistry and dental hygiene in North Carolina is codified in Chapter 90, Article 2 of the General Statutes, sections 90-22.1 through 90-48.14.
- Board rules citation
- Administrative rules adopted by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners appear in Title 21, Chapter 16 of the North Carolina Administrative Code, cited as 21 NCAC 16.
- Board composition
- The State Board of Dental Examiners includes licensed dentists, licensed dental hygienists, and public members appointed by the Governor; the hygienist member votes on Board matters.
- Practice of dental hygiene defined
- Statute defines dental hygiene as prophylactic, preventive, and therapeutic procedures performed under dentist supervision, including deposit and stain removal, polishing, and topical agent application.
- Rulemaking procedure
- Board rules must be adopted under the North Carolina Administrative Procedure Act, which requires notice, public comment, and legislative review before a rule takes effect.
- Temporary license
- A temporary license is time-limited and tied to a specified supervising dentist or practice setting; it expires automatically and is not a substitute for full licensure.
- Supervisor responsibility
- A dentist who employs or supervises hygienists is responsible for their acts within the employment relationship and must ensure a documented supervision arrangement exists.
- Board authority limits
- The Board may license, adopt rules, and discipline licensees, but it cannot expand the statutory scope of practice by rule or set fee schedules for dental services.
- Licensure prerequisites
- Hygienist licensure requires graduation from a CODA-accredited program, passing Board-approved clinical and written examinations, and a criminal background check.
- Renewal cycle
- North Carolina dental hygiene licenses renew annually on a calendar-year basis; late renewal incurs a fee, and practicing on an expired license is a violation.
- Continuing education requirement
- Each renewal cycle requires Board-set continuing education hours with mandated categories, including jurisprudence or ethics content and current CPR certification at the healthcare-provider level.
- CE documentation
- CE must come from Board-recognized providers; licensees retain certificates for audit, and self-study or non-approved online courses generally do not count toward the total.
- Address change duty
- A licensee must report name and address changes to the Board within the timeframe set by rule; failure to receive a renewal notice does not excuse late renewal.
- Reinstatement
- Reinstating a lapsed or revoked license may require fees, additional continuing education, and, when the Board orders it, re-examination or a refresher program.
- License verification
- License status is public; employers and patients may verify licensure through the Board's online lookup, and licensees must produce their license on request.
- Licensure by credentials
- A hygienist licensed in another state may obtain a North Carolina license by credentials or reciprocity only as statute and Board rule authorize; no automatic endorsement exists.
- Scope rule
- Hygienists may perform only procedures expressly authorized by statute and Board rule; anything not authorized remains dentistry and cannot be delegated to a hygienist.
- Direct supervision
- Direct supervision means the dentist is physically present in the office and has authorized the procedure; the dentist remains responsible for the care delivered.
- Indirect supervision
- Indirect supervision requires the dentist's prior authorization of the procedure and availability for consultation, without requiring the dentist to be physically present in the office.
- Local anesthesia certification
- Hygienists may administer local anesthesia or nitrous oxide only with additional Board-approved training, current certification, and compliance with the required supervision level.
- Assistant delegation limits
- Dental assistants may perform reversible procedures such as coronal polishing, fluoride application, and radiographs only after Board-approved training and under the specified supervision.
- No delegation of hygiene scope
- A hygienist may not delegate authorized hygiene procedures to unlicensed personnel; doing so is outside the law and exposes both parties to discipline.
- Collaborative practice settings
- In public health and certain access-to-care settings, hygienists may practice under a collaborative agreement or Board-issued permit with defined protocol, referral, and documentation requirements.
- Referral obligation
- A hygienist must refer the patient to a dentist when findings exceed hygiene scope or when diagnosis or treatment planning reserved to the dentist is required.
- Grounds for discipline
- Grounds include unprofessional conduct, practicing outside scope, practicing on an expired license, licensure fraud, impairment, and violating Board rules or a Board order.
- Disciplinary process
- Complaint intake and investigation lead to a probable-cause determination, then either a consent order or a contested hearing conducted under the Administrative Procedure Act.
- Sanction types
- Board sanctions include reprimand, censure, probation with conditions, suspension, revocation, civil penalties, and required remedial education or practice monitoring.
- Self-reporting duty
- A licensee must report to the Board within the required time any arrest, criminal conviction, or disciplinary action by another licensing jurisdiction; failure to report is a separate violation.
- Investigation cooperation
- Licensees must cooperate with Board investigations by producing records and appearing for interviews; refusal to cooperate may itself be treated as unprofessional conduct.
- Patient confidentiality
- Patient information may be disclosed during an investigation only as law or Board rule authorizes; both HIPAA and state confidentiality requirements continue to apply.
- Appeal of Board decision
- A licensee may appeal a final Board decision to superior court under the Administrative Procedure Act; the appeal does not automatically stay the sanction unless ordered.