NM Dental Hygiene Jurisprudence flashcards
NM Dental Hygiene 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.
- Dental Health Care Act
- New Mexico statute establishing licensure and regulation of dental hygienists, defining scope of practice, and authorizing the Board to discipline licensees for statutory violations.
- Scope of practice
- The legally permitted set of services a hygienist may perform, including scaling, prophylaxis, radiographs, and sealants, bounded by statute and Board rules.
- Unlicensed practice
- Performing clinical dental hygiene services without a valid New Mexico license or with a lapsed, suspended, or revoked license, which is unlawful and subject to penalty.
- Subgingival scaling
- Instrumentation below the gingival margin to remove calculus and biofilm from root surfaces, a hygiene service within scope when consistent with the treatment plan.
- Delegation limits
- A dentist may delegate tasks to a hygienist within that hygienist's scope, but a hygienist cannot delegate hygiene duties to unlicensed or unqualified personnel.
- Licensure requirements
- Completion of an accredited dental hygiene program, passage of accepted national and clinical examinations, and a complete Board application with required fees.
- Continuing education audit
- Board review of a licensee's CE certificates to verify required hours and subject areas; undocumented or unaccepted credits may be disallowed at renewal.
- License renewal cycle
- The recurring period set by Board rule during which a hygienist must pay fees, attest to CE completion, and update disciplinary or criminal disclosures.
- Lapsed license reinstatement
- The process to restore practice authority after a license expires beyond the grace period, typically requiring additional fees, CE, or a reinstatement application.
- General supervision
- Practice in which the dentist authorizes procedures and a treatment plan but is not required to be physically present while the hygienist provides care.
- Direct supervision
- Practice in which the dentist is on the premises, available, and has authorized the procedure before the hygienist performs it on the patient.
- Collaborative practice agreement
- A written arrangement with a dentist permitting hygiene services in community settings, specifying authorized services, referrals, records, and oversight responsibilities.
- Standing orders
- Written dentist authorizations that direct specific hygiene services or protocols for defined patient groups, documented and retrievable for Board review.
- Biological monitoring
- Routine spore testing of sterilizers to verify that autoclave cycles achieve sterilization, with results logged and retained as part of the infection control record.
- Exposure control plan
- A written OSHA-required program describing infection control procedures, PPE, vaccination offers, and post-exposure evaluation and follow-up for staff.
- Sharps handling
- Immediate placement of needles and other sharps into rigid, closable containers near the point of use, without recapping by hand or overfilling.
- Dental unit waterlines
- Tubing that delivers treatment water; it requires manufacturer-recommended flushing and maintenance to control biofilm and meet water quality standards.
- Contemporaneous record
- A dental entry made at or near the time of service, dated and authenticated, so that another provider can understand and continue the patient's care.
- Informed consent documentation
- A record showing the patient received information about risks, benefits, and alternatives and agreed to treatment, including anesthesia or nitrous oxide separately.
- Record release authorization
- Patient permission allowing disclosure of protected dental information, required unless a legal exception such as subpoena or mandatory reporting applies.
- Record addendum
- A dated, authenticated correction or addition to a dental record that preserves the original entry rather than altering or backdating it.
- Unprofessional conduct
- Behavior falling below accepted standards, including fraud, boundary violations, confidentiality breaches, and scope violations, that supports Board discipline.
- Impaired practice
- Providing care while affected by substances or a condition that compromises judgment or skill, a disciplinary ground that may lead to monitored rehabilitation.
- Scope violation
- Performing procedures outside the hygienist's legal authority, such as restorative or surgical work, regardless of whether a supervising dentist requested it.
- Board complaint process
- The Board's investigation of alleged violations, which may end in dismissal, informal conference, settlement, or formal hearing with sanctions.
- Notice and hearing
- Due process requirement that a licensee receive notice of charges and an opportunity to respond and be heard before the Board imposes discipline.
- Interim suspension
- A temporary restriction imposed when continued practice poses an immediate risk to public safety, pending a full hearing on the allegations.
- National databank reporting
- Reporting of public Board disciplinary actions to national practitioner databases, with licensee self-reporting obligations for certain adverse actions.
- Local anesthesia permit
- A separate Board authorization beyond the hygiene license, requiring specified education, examination, and current basic life support certification to administer local anesthesia.
- Nitrous oxide permit
- Authorization to administer nitrous oxide and oxygen, requiring training, equipment, monitoring, and documentation of concentrations and patient response.
- Prescriptive authority limits
- Condition-specific authority under New Mexico law allowing limited prescribing by hygienists within scope and any required collaborative or supervisory relationship.
- Anesthesia documentation
- Recording the agent, dose, technique, informed consent, and patient response for local anesthesia or nitrous oxide, including any adverse events and interventions.