NH Dental Hygiene Jurisprudence key terms

The legally defined set of dental hygiene services a licensed hygienist may perform, including assessment, prophylaxis, scaling, polishing, radiographs, and patient education, as set by New Hampshire statute and board rules.

The degree of dentist oversight required for a hygiene procedure, ranging from direct supervision where the dentist is present, to indirect or general supervision where prior authorization and availability apply.

A supervision category in which a licensed dentist must be physically present in the office and personally evaluate the patient before and after treatment performed by the hygienist.

A supervision category in which the dentist authorizes treatment but need not be physically present while the hygienist performs it, though the dentist remains responsible for the patient's overall care.

An arrangement allowing a hygienist to provide services without a dentist's prior exam, under written agreement and protocols that define referral, emergency, and record-sharing responsibilities.

A reduced-oversight authorization permitting hygienists to treat patients in specified public health settings, such as schools or clinics, without a dentist on site, subject to board rules.

The identification of oral health conditions within the hygienist's scope that forms the basis of a care plan, distinct from the dentist's comprehensive diagnosis of dental disease.

The formal legal authorization granted by the state board that allows a person to practice dental hygiene, obtained by meeting education, examination, and character requirements.

The board's official listing of a licensee's current status and identifying information, which may be a separate step from licensure or a condition of maintaining active practice authority.

The periodic process by which a hygienist updates the board, pays fees, and demonstrates completion of required continuing education to keep an active license in good standing.

Required coursework or training completed during each renewal cycle, including mandated topics such as infection control and ethics, documented with certificates subject to board audit.

A license that has expired because renewal requirements were not met, so the holder may not practice until reinstated or renewed under whatever conditions the board imposes.

The board process for restoring a lapsed, suspended, or revoked license, often requiring fees, late penalties, additional education, or a hearing before practice is allowed again.

An infection control approach treating all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious, applying gloves, masks, eye protection, and hand hygiene for every patient encounter.

Barrier items such as gloves, masks, protective eyewear, and gowns worn to prevent contact with bloodborne pathogens and other infectious materials during patient care.

The routine of washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based rub at specified moments, including before gloving and after glove removal, to reduce transmission of microorganisms.

A validated process, typically steam autoclave or chemical, that destroys all microbial life on reusable instruments, verified through monitoring such as spore testing and indicators.

Scheduled spore testing of sterilization equipment to confirm that the process actually kills resistant organisms, with results logged and failures triggering equipment repair and recall review.

The use of an EPA-registered chemical agent to reduce pathogens on surfaces or non-sterilizable items, classified by level such as high, intermediate, or low depending on intended use.

The full cycle of cleaning, packaging, sterilizing, and storing reusable dental instruments, with documentation that each load met the required parameters.

A written employer program describing how bloodborne pathogen risks are reduced, including vaccination offers, protective equipment, work practice controls, and post-exposure evaluation procedures.

Medical evaluation and preventive treatment offered after an occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material, including testing and counseling for the exposed worker.

The complete chart of a patient's care, including history, findings, radiographs, treatment notes, consent, and communications, which must be accurate, dated, and retained per board rules.

A patient's voluntary agreement to treatment after receiving an explanation of the proposed procedure, its risks, benefits, alternatives, and the consequences of declining care.

A patient's documented decision to decline recommended treatment after being informed of the risks, recorded in the chart and often signed to demonstrate the discussion occurred.

The duty to protect patient health information from unauthorized disclosure, permitting sharing only with the care team, with consent, or where law requires or allows release.

The minimum period patient records must be kept after the last treatment or after a patient reaches majority, as set by board rule or state law, whichever is longer.

The limits that keep the hygienist-patient relationship therapeutic rather than personal, prohibiting romantic involvement, exploitative financial dealings, and dual relationships that risk harm.

The obligation to act with honesty, competence, and respect for patient autonomy, placing patient welfare above self-interest and avoiding misrepresentation of qualifications or outcomes.

The legal requirement that a hygienist report specified events, such as suspected child or elder abuse, certain communicable diseases, or impaired colleagues, to the designated authority.

Reasonable belief that a patient, often a child, elder, or dependent adult, is being harmed, which triggers a reporting duty even without proof and despite confidentiality rules.

Legal protection from liability for a person who makes a required report based on reasonable belief, even if the suspicion is later shown to be unfounded.

A licensee whose practice is affected by substance use, mental health conditions, or other impairments, which may require reporting to the board or referral to a monitored program.

The composition of the dental board, including hygienist, dentist, and public members, along with the powers granted to investigate complaints, hold hearings, and impose sanctions.

A formal allegation filed with the board about a licensee's conduct or competence that initiates review, investigation, and possible disciplinary proceedings.

A sanction imposed by the board after finding a violation, ranging from reprimand and fine to probation, suspension, or revocation of the license.

The procedural rights owed to a licensee facing discipline, including notice of the charges, a fair hearing, the opportunity to present evidence, and an appealable written decision.

A temporary removal of the license to practice, which may be immediate in emergencies or imposed after a hearing, and ends when the board restores practice authority.

The board's permanent withdrawal of a license to practice, after which the former licensee may not work and must apply for reinstatement under strict conditions if ever allowed.

A category of licensure violations defined by statute and rule, covering incompetence, dishonesty, practicing outside scope, and other behavior the board may sanction.

The prohibition on false, misleading, or deceptive marketing, including misstated credentials, guarantees of results, and claims that create unjustified expectations about treatment.

The principle that licensees independently set their own fees; colluding with competitors to fix prices or dividing patients by agreement can violate antitrust and professional conduct rules.