NC Dental Jurisprudence flashcards

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

Dental Practice Act citation

North Carolina's dental statute is N.C.G.S. Chapter 90, Article 2. It creates the State Board of Dental Examiners and defines licensure, scope, and disciplinary authority.

Board rule citation

The Board's administrative rules appear in Title 21, Chapter 16 of the North Carolina Administrative Code, abbreviated 21 NCAC 16, covering licensure, hygiene, sedation, and discipline.

Board composition

The NC State Board of Dental Examiners includes licensed dentists, licensed dental hygienists, and public members appointed by the Governor, giving it both professional and public representation.

Unlicensed practice

Practicing dentistry or dental hygiene without a valid NC license, or beyond the scope of the license held, is a misdemeanor and independent grounds for Board discipline.

Annual renewal deadline

North Carolina dental and dental hygiene licenses renew annually, with the license year ending September 30. Renewal after that date may trigger late fees or a lapsed license.

Continuing education requirement

Licensees must complete Board-specified continuing education each renewal cycle, including required topics such as infection control and CPR, and must retain certificates for audit.

CPR requirement

Active licensees must hold current CPR certification at the healthcare-provider level, including training in rescue breathing, circulation support, and use of an automated external defibrillator.

Licensure by examination

Applicants must graduate from a CODA-accredited dental or hygiene program, pass a recognized clinical examination, and pass the North Carolina jurisprudence examination.

Inactive license status

A licensee may request inactive or retired status and stop practicing; reactivation typically requires proof of continuing education and possibly reexamination before clinical practice resumes.

Moderate sedation permit

A Board-issued permit allowing conscious sedation, requiring documented advanced training, current ACLS, an on-site office inspection, and compliance with monitoring and discharge rules.

Deep sedation permit

A separate permit for deep sedation or general anesthesia, requiring residency-level training or equivalent, current ACLS or PALS, and Board inspection of drugs, equipment, and emergency readiness.

Sedation office inspection

Before a sedation permit issues and periodically afterward, the Board inspects the office to verify monitoring devices, emergency drugs, reversal agents, oxygen, and trained personnel.

Nitrous oxide sedation

Minimal sedation with nitrous oxide and oxygen requires appropriate training and equipment but generally falls below the moderate-sedation permit threshold under Board rules.

Sedation monitoring

During sedation the dentist must document preoperative evaluation, vital signs, pulse oximetry, and where required capnography, plus recovery and discharge criteria.

Direct supervision

The supervising dentist has authorized the procedure and is physically present on the premises, available to intervene immediately while the assistant or hygienist performs it.

General supervision

The dentist has authorized the procedure but need not be present in the office; the patient must have been examined and the treatment plan approved as rules require.

Dental assistant licensure

North Carolina does not license dental assistants; instead, Board rules define which duties may be delegated and what training or certification each expanded function requires.

Local anesthesia delegation

Administration of local anesthesia by a hygienist or assistant requires additional Board-recognized training and certification and occurs only under the required level of supervision.

Supervising dentist responsibility

The licensed dentist is accountable for all care delegated to hygienists and assistants, must ensure each task is within their training, and must not exceed supervision ratios.

Complaint intake

Complaints reach the Board, are screened for jurisdiction and merit, and may be dismissed, resolved by consent order, or set for a contested case hearing.

Grounds for discipline

Grounds include fraud in licensure, negligence, incompetence, impairment, violation of the Act or Board rules, and conviction of specified criminal offenses.

Consent order

A negotiated Board resolution in which the licensee accepts findings and sanctions, often including probation, monitoring, continuing education, or practice restrictions, without a full hearing.

Summary suspension

When continued practice poses an imminent risk to the public, the Board may suspend a license immediately, provided a hearing follows promptly under administrative procedure law.

Judicial review appeal

A licensee may appeal a final Board decision to Superior Court under Chapter 150B, which reviews whether the decision was supported by substantial evidence and law.

CSRS check requirement

Before prescribing a controlled substance, particularly an opioid, the dentist must query the NC Controlled Substances Reporting System for the patient's recent prescription history.

Schedule II refills

Schedule II prescriptions may not be refilled; they require a written or electronic prescription, while Schedule III through V refill limits follow federal and state law.

Electronic prescribing mandate

North Carolina requires controlled substances to be prescribed electronically, with narrow statutory exceptions such as system failure or a short-term emergency situation.

DEA registration

A dentist must hold a valid federal DEA registration and the corresponding state controlled substances registration to prescribe, administer, or dispense controlled substances in practice.

Sterilization monitoring

Sterilizers must be biologically monitored at the interval Board rules specify, with results logged; failed tests require corrective action before instruments are used.

Sharps disposal

Used needles and other sharps go immediately into rigid, puncture-resistant, closable containers located near use areas, never into general waste or recapping by hand.

Dental unit waterlines

Waterlines must be maintained per manufacturer instructions and CDC guidance to limit biofilm and microbial counts, with monitoring documented in the office infection control program.

Emergency preparedness

Offices must keep a written emergency plan, oxygen, emergency drugs, and staff trained in basic life support to manage syncope, anaphylaxis, airway obstruction, and cardiac events.