54-903 GENERAL DEFINITIONS.

TITLE 54

PROFESSIONS, VOCATIONS, AND BUSINESSES

CHAPTER 9

DENTISTS

54-903. General definitions. As used in this chapter:

(1) "Association" means the Idaho state dental association and the Idaho dental hygienists' association.

(2) "Board" means the state board of dentistry.

(3) "Conviction" or "convicted" means a finding of guilt by a judge or jury, an entry of a guilty plea by a defendant and its acceptance by the court, a forfeiture of a bail bond or collateral deposited to secure a defendant's appearance, a judgment of conviction, a suspended sentence, probation, or a withheld judgment.

(4) "Dental assistant" is a person who need not be licensed under this chapter, but who is regularly employed by a dentist at his office, who works under the dentist's supervision, and is adequately trained and qualified according to standards established by the board to perform the dental services permitted to be performed by assistants by this chapter and applicable rules of the board.

(5) "Dental hygienist" is a person both qualified and licensed by the laws of Idaho to practice dental hygiene.

(6) "Dental specialist" is a dentist who limits his practice to a specialty recognized by the American dental association, who has graduated from a board-approved postgraduate program in his specialty and is a person both qualified and licensed by the laws of Idaho to practice a dental specialty.

(7) "Dentist" is a person both qualified and licensed by the laws of Idaho to practice dentistry.

(8) "Direct supervision" is supervision of a dental assistant or dental hygienist requiring that a dentist diagnose the condition to be treated, a dentist authorize the procedure to be performed, a dentist remain in the dental office while the procedure is performed, and that before dismissal of the patient, a dentist approves the work performed by the dental assistant or dental hygienist.

(9) "Extended access oral health care program" means and includes dental and dental hygiene treatment and services provided as part of a program conducted by or through a local, county, state or federal agency, hospital, long-term care facility, public health district, dental or dental hygiene school, tribal clinic, or migrant health center; or such other oral health care program approved on an annual basis by the board and conducted by or through a public or private entity, recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, to provide free or reduced fee dental and dental hygiene services to persons who, due to age, infirmity, indigence or disability, are unable to receive regular dental and dental hygiene treatment in a private office.

(10) "General supervision" is supervision of a dental assistant or dental hygienist requiring that a dentist authorize the procedure which is carried out, but not requiring that a dentist be in the office when the authorized procedure is performed.

(11) "Indirect supervision" is supervision of a dental assistant or dental hygienist requiring that a dentist authorize a procedure and that a dentist be in the dental office while the procedure is performed by the assistant or hygienist.