NH Dental Jurisprudence flashcards
NH Dental Jurisprudence · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- RSA 317-A
- New Hampshire statute governing dentists and dental hygienists; it establishes licensure, Board authority, scope of practice, and disciplinary procedures.
- NH Board of Dental Examiners
- State board that licenses NH dentists and dental hygienists, adopts practice rules, investigates complaints, and imposes professional discipline.
- Office of Professional Licensure and Certification
- NH administrative agency that supports licensing boards, including the dental board, with licensing and complaint-processing functions.
- Unlicensed practice
- Practicing dentistry or dental hygiene in New Hampshire without an active license; it is prohibited and subject to penalties.
- License renewal
- Process by which a NH dental or hygiene license is kept active; practicing on an expired, unrenewed license is unlicensed practice.
- Board rulemaking authority
- The NH dental board adopts administrative rules implementing RSA 317-A, including standards for practice, infection control, and conduct.
- Disciplinary sanctions
- Board actions that may include reprimand, suspension, revocation, fines, conditions, or required remediation for violations.
- Licensure examinations
- NH dental licensure requires graduation from an accredited program and passage of required national and clinical examinations, plus any board-required exam.
- Direct supervision
- Supervision level in which the dentist is physically present in the office and available during the delegated procedure.
- General supervision
- Supervision level in which the dentist authorizes the service but is not required to be physically present; Board rules define details.
- Dental hygiene scope
- Services such as prophylaxis, scaling, polishing, fluoride, sealants, radiographs, and education, provided under dentist supervision and Board rules.
- Hygienist local anesthesia
- A dental hygienist may administer local anesthesia only with required NH certification and dentist authorization under Board rules.
- Expanded function dental assistant
- A certified dental assistant permitted to perform specified reversible expanded functions under dentist supervision and Board rules.
- Nondelegable dental duties
- Diagnosis, treatment planning, prescribing, and surgical procedures remain dentist responsibilities and cannot be delegated to auxiliaries.
- Dentist delegation responsibility
- The supervising dentist is responsible for all care delegated to dental auxiliaries and must ensure it is within legal scope.
- Prescriptive authority
- A licensed NH dentist with DEA registration may prescribe within scope, subject to controlled-substance and prescription monitoring laws.
- CDC infection control
- NH dental practice follows CDC guidelines for hand hygiene, PPE, sterilization, safe injection, and environmental infection control.
- OSHA bloodborne pathogens
- Requires an exposure control plan, hepatitis B vaccination offer, PPE, and sharps safety in dental workplaces.
- Autoclave monitoring
- Sterilization assurance using mechanical, chemical, and biological indicators according to manufacturer instructions and Board rules.
- Dental unit waterlines
- Waterlines must be maintained to reduce biofilm; CDC recommends ≤500 CFU/mL for non-surgical dental water.
- Sharps disposal
- Needles and blades must be placed in rigid, puncture-resistant, labeled sharps containers immediately after use.
- Personal protective equipment
- Gloves, masks, protective eyewear, and gowns as needed to prevent exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials.
- Radiography safety
- Use ALARA principles, lead apron and thyroid collar, and comply with NH radiation safety rules for dental X-rays.
- Reportable communicable disease
- Certain communicable diseases must be reported to NH public health authorities, with confidentiality maintained except as required by law.
- Informed consent
- Before treatment, the dentist discloses diagnosis, proposed care, risks, benefits, alternatives, and the patient's right to refuse.
- Patient records
- Dental records must be accurate, legible, timely, and retained per Board rules; patients may request copies.
- Confidentiality
- Patient information is protected under NH law and HIPAA; release requires authorization or a recognized legal exception.
- Mandatory abuse reporting
- Dentists must report suspected child abuse or neglect and suspected elder or adult abuse as required by NH law.
- Patient abandonment
- Terminating the dentist-patient relationship without appropriate notice, emergency care, and records transfer is prohibited abandonment.
- Truthful advertising
- Dental advertising must not be false, misleading, or deceptive; guarantees of treatment results are prohibited.
- Sexual misconduct
- Sexual contact with a patient is professional misconduct and grounds for discipline by the NH dental board.
- Records transfer
- Upon patient request and authorization, a dentist must provide copies or transfer dental records as required by Board rules.