TITLE 16 OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
LICENSING
CHAPTER 5 DENTISTRY (DENTISTS, DENTAL HYGIENISTS, ETC.)
PART 54 COMMUNITY DENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR, PRACTICE AND SUPERVISION
16.5.54.1 ISSUING AGENCY: New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care.
[16.5.54.1 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
16.5.54.2 SCOPE: The provisions of Part 54 of Chapter 5 apply to all community dental health coordinators with current certification.
[16.5.54.2 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
16.5.54.3 STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Part 54 of Chapter 5 is promulgated pursuant to the Dental Health Care Act, 61-5A-5 and 61-5A-6 NMSA 1978, (1996 Repl. Pamp.).
[16.5.54.3 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
16.5.54.4 DURATION: Permanent.
[16.5.54.4 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
16.5.54.5 EFFECTIVE DATE: January 9, 2012, unless a later date is cited at the end of a section.
[16.5.54.5 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
16.5.54.6 OBJECTIVE: To establish those procedures which may be provided by a community dental health coordinator, the procedures which require community dental health coordinator certification, and the procedures which may not be performed by an community dental health coordinator, regardless of certification or supervision.
[16.5.54.6 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
16.5.54.7 DEFINITIONS:
A. “Cavitation” means a break in the continuous, solid surface of the enamel of a tooth, created either by genetic formation or demineralization.
B. “Direct supervision” means the process under which an act is performed when a dentist licensed pursuant to the Dental Health Care Act:
(1) is physically present throughout the performance of the act;
(2) orders, controls and accepts full professional responsibility for the act performed; and
(3) evaluates and approves the procedure performed before the patient departs the care setting.
C. “General supervision” means the authorization by a dentist of the procedures to be used by a dental hygienist, dental assistant, expanded function dental auxiliary, community dental health coordinator or dental student and the execution of the procedures in accordance with a dentist’s diagnosis and treatment plan at a time the dentist is not physically present and in facilities as designated by the rules of the board.
D. “Limited palliative procedure(s)” means procedures ordered by the dentist to help relieve pain or to improve an emergency situation that a patient is experiencing. These procedures must be within the scope of practice of the CDHC.
E. “Supervising dentist” means a dentist that maintains the records of a patient, is responsible for their care, has reviewed their current medical history and for purposes of authorization, has examined that patient within the previous 11 months or will examine that patient within 30 days of giving authorization.
F. “Teledentistry” means a dentist’s use of health information technology in real time to provide limited diagnostic treatment planning services in cooperation with another dentist, a dental hygienist, a community health coordinator or a student enrolled in a program of study to become a dental assistant, dental hygienist or dentist.
G. “Tooth fracture” means the fracture or loss of tooth structure due to trauma or chewing. The defect has little or no caries present.
H. “Unexcavated carious lesion” means an open carious lesion in a tooth that is cleaned of loose debris by rinsing or use of cotton pellets. Caries attached to the tooth will not be removed.
[16.5.54.7 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
16.5.54.8 PRACTICE AND REQUIRED SUPERVISION: Community dental health coordinator duties set forth in 16.5.54.9 NMAC are allowed under the general supervision of a New Mexico licensed dentist. The community dental health coordinator may provide educational preventive and limited palliative care and assessment services while working collaboratively under the general supervision of a dentist.
[16.5.54.8 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
16.5.54.9 ALLOWABLE DUTIES UNDER GENERAL SUPERVISON: The following community dental health coordinator procedures are allowable under general supervision as set forth in 16.5.54.8 NMAC:
A. take a complete health and dental history;
B. expose and develop necessary radiographs as ordered by the supervising dentist or as established in protocol by a supervising dentist;
C. observe and transmit patient data through teledentistry means to a dentist;
D. place temporary and sedative restorative materials in unexcavated carious lesions and unprepared tooth fractures;
E. transmit prescription or medication orders on the direct order of a dentist;
F. CDHC may provide the following limited palliative procedures:
(1) application of hot/cold compresses to the face or mouth;
(2) instruct patient in the uses of various rinses containing salt, sodium bicarbonate, chlorhexidine, etc. as ordered by the dentist;
(3) instruct patients as to the proper use and dosage of over the counter or prescribed medications recommended by the supervising dentists;
(4) place avulsed teeth in the proper preservation solution for transport to a dentist;
(5) apply pressure compresses to intraoral wounds;
(6) performance of any other palliative procedures as directly instructed by the supervising dentist, and within the scope of practice of the CDHC;
(7) instruct the patient on brushing, flossing, gingival massage or cleaning for gingival inflammation or infection;
G. patient and community education on an individual basis or with groups within the community to improve dental health and dental health awareness;
H. act as an advocate for patients and the community in accessing dental care; and
I. rubber cup coronal polishing, which is not to be represented as a prophylaxis, topical application of fluorides; application of pit and fissure sealants when previously authorized by the supervising dentist or dental hygienist and cavitation of the enamel is not present.
[16.5.54.9 NMAC - N, 01/09/12; A, 06/14/12]
16.5.54.10 NON-ALLOWABLE PROCEDURES: CDHC may not perform any other procedure, duty or function under any level of supervision that is not expressly listed in 16.5.54.9 NMAC.
[16.5.54.10 NMAC - N, 01/09/12]
HISTORY OF 16.5.54 NMAC: [RESERVED]