OK Dental Hygiene Jurisprudence flashcards

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

Oklahoma Dental Practice Act citation

The Act is codified in Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes, beginning at Section 328.1, and governs licensure, scope, and discipline of dentists and dental hygienists in Oklahoma.

Board rule citation

The State Dental Board's administrative rules appear in Title 195 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code, which implements the Dental Practice Act with enforceable standards on licensure, infection control, and records.

Statutory definition of dentistry

The Act defines dentistry broadly as diagnosis, treatment, and correction of oral conditions; dental hygiene is a defined subset that may be performed only under the supervision levels the Act and rules specify.

Board disciplinary authority

The Board may reprimand, place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew a license, and may impose fines, remediation, or monitoring conditions after notice and hearing.

Unlicensed practice consequence

Performing dental hygiene without a valid Oklahoma license or required permit is both a statutory violation and grounds for Board action, and may carry criminal penalties in addition to administrative sanctions.

Hygiene licensure prerequisites

Applicants must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene program, pass examinations the Board accepts, pay required fees, and disclose prior discipline or criminal history truthfully.

Lapsed license rule

A hygienist whose license has expired may not provide any clinical service until renewal is completed and fees paid; practicing on a lapsed license is unlicensed practice.

Local anesthesia permit

Administering local anesthesia requires a separate Oklahoma permit beyond the hygiene license, with specified training, examination, and supervision requirements set by Board rule.

Direct supervision meaning

Direct supervision requires the dentist to be physically present on the premises, to have authorized the procedure in advance, and to evaluate the patient as the rules require.

General supervision meaning

General supervision allows a hygienist to perform authorized services under a dentist's treatment plan without the dentist on site, subject to the conditions set in Board rules.

Hygiene scope core services

Dental hygiene includes prophylaxis, scaling and root planing, periodontal maintenance, polishing, fluoride, sealants, radiographs, and patient education, all within the statutory definition and supervision rules.

Nondelegable dentist duties

Diagnosis, prescription, and irreversible surgical procedures remain with the dentist; a hygienist may not perform them or delegate hygiene duties to unlicensed personnel.

Standard precautions

Oklahoma follows CDC standard precautions, treating all blood, saliva, and body fluids as potentially infectious regardless of the patient's known or suspected diagnosis.

Sterilizer biological monitoring

Sterilizers must be monitored with mechanical, chemical, and biological indicators at required intervals, and monitoring logs must be retained as evidence of effective sterilization.

PPE requirements

Gloves, masks, protective eyewear, and gowns are required during procedures likely to generate splashes or spatter, and hand hygiene is required before and after patient contact.

Exposure incident response

A needlestick or splash requires immediate first aid, evaluation of the source, post-exposure prophylaxis consideration per current guidance, and written documentation in the practice's exposure log.

Record retention duty

Patient records must be legible, complete, and retained for the period Board rule requires, and must be produced on lawful request even after the patient leaves the practice.

Informed consent elements

Valid informed consent discloses the diagnosis, proposed treatment, reasonable alternatives, material risks, and likely consequences, and the discussion is documented in the patient record.

HIPAA minimum necessary

The minimum necessary standard limits protected health information used or disclosed to what is reasonably needed for the purpose, except for treatment disclosures to treating providers.

Patient record access right

Under HIPAA, patients may inspect and obtain copies of their records, request amendments, and receive an accounting of certain disclosures, with limited legal exceptions.

Grounds for discipline

Board discipline may rest on fraud in licensure, practice outside scope, impairment, negligence, record or continuing education failures, and failure to cooperate with an investigation.

Disciplinary hearing process

Complaints proceed through investigation, notice, an opportunity for hearing, findings of fact, and sanction, with appeal rights under Oklahoma's Administrative Procedures Act.

Impaired practice handling

Impairment from substance use or illness may be addressed through Board evaluation and monitored rehabilitation agreements; practicing while impaired is independently sanctionable conduct.

National data bank reporting

Adverse Board actions are reported to national practitioner data banks, and other states where the hygienist holds a license may take reciprocal disciplinary action.

CE documentation retention

Hygienists must retain certificates or records proving continuing education completion for the audit period; the Board may audit randomly or for cause and discipline deficient claims.

Renewal cycle requirements

Each renewal requires the Board-specified continuing education hours, current CPR certification where required, and payment of renewal fees; late renewal adds penalty fees.

CE fraud consequence

Claiming continuing education credit without attendance or falsifying certificates is unprofessional conduct and can result in fines, suspension, or additional education orders.

Renewal notice rule

The Board sends renewal notices to the address of record; not receiving a notice does not excuse late renewal, and practicing after expiration is unlicensed practice.

Mandatory abuse reporting

Oklahoma law requires licensed professionals to report suspected child abuse or neglect and elder or dependent adult abuse to the designated authorities, with immunity for good-faith reports.

Reporting impaired colleagues

Board rules require licensees to report impaired or incompetent colleagues in specified circumstances; retaliation against a person who reports in good faith is prohibited.

Patient abandonment

Ending the provider-patient relationship without reasonable notice, an opportunity to obtain care elsewhere, and provision of records or emergency care can constitute abandonment and unprofessional conduct.

Scope refusal duty

A hygienist may decline a task that exceeds legal scope or supervision authority; performing it under pressure from an employer is still a violation attributable to the hygienist.

Billing integrity

Submitting claims for services not rendered, upcoding, or overtreatment violates ethical and legal standards and is grounds for Board discipline and possible fraud liability.