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1 Dental Assistants 1. In New Yrk State, wh may use the title "certified dental assistant"? Answer: Only individuals wh have met all the requirements fr certificatin and have been issued a license t practice as a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant may use the title "certified dental assistant". (see Licensure Requirements and Prcedure sectin) 2. Can a Dental Assisting Natinal Bard (DANB) certified dental assistant perfrm the same functins as a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant? Answer: N, unless he r she als hlds a New Yrk State license. Only New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistants may perfrm dental supprtive services listed in sectin 6608 f New Yrk State Educatin Law (see questin 4 belw). If a dental assistant is nt licensed, he r she may NOT perfrm any duties within the scpe f practice f any licensed individual. Fr infrmatin regarding scpe f practice see questin Is it illegal fr a persn wh is nt licensed t perfrm the functins limited in New Yrk t New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistants? Answer: Yes. That is the illegal practice f a prfessin. Educatin Law makes it a Class E felny fr an unlicensed persn (ther than a student in a registered dental assisting prgram, as described in questin 9 belw) t d s. A Class E felny may be punishable by a fine f up t duble the gain frm the crime r $5,000, whichever is higher and/r up t fur years in prisn. Upn the State Educatin Department's request, the New Yrk State Attrney General prsecutes persns fund practicing withut a license. Licensees may be subject t charges f unprfessinal cnduct fr allwing an unlicensed individual t engage in illegal practice. Aiding and abetting 3 r mre individuals in such illegal practice may als be subject t felny prsecutin. New Yrk State Licensed Certified Dental Assistants 4. What functins may a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant perfrm? Answer: A New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant may

2 prvide patient educatin take preliminary medical histries and vital signs t be reviewed by the dentist place and remve rubber dams select and prefit prvisinal crwns select and prefit rthdntic bands remve rthdntic arch wires and ligature ties place and remve matrix bands take impressins fr study casts r diagnstic casts remve peridntal dressings remve sutures placed by a licensed dentist take impressins fr space maintainers, rthdntic appliances, and cclusal guards remve temprary cement apply tpical anticarigenic agents t the teeth apply desensitizing agents t the teeth place and remve temprary separating devices place rthdntic ligatures take dental x-rays in accrdance with Public Health Law (see questin 18) perfrm such ther dental supprtive services authrized by the dentist and cnsistent with New Yrk State laws, rules and regulatins. (see questin 9) All supprtive services must be perfrmed under a licensed dentist's direct persnal supervisin. 5. Can a NYSDA reduce an amalgam r cmpsite restratin using a rtary handpiece? Answer: N, a NYSCDA can nt use a rtary handpiece but can use a hand instrument t reduce an amalgam restratin. 6. Can a NYSCDA carve an amalgam restratin with a hand instrument? Answer: Yes. 7. Can a NYSCDA finish nn-metallic restratins (cmpsites)? Answer: N. Accrding t Educatin Law 6608, NYSCDA's cannt perfrm irreversible prcedures r prcedures that wuld alter the hard r sft tissue f the ral and maxillfacial area r any ther prcedures determined by the department.

3 8. What are the functins that a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant is prhibited frm perfrming? Answer: A certified dental assistant shall nt diagnse, perfrm surgical prcedures, perfrm irreversible prcedures r prcedures that wuld alter the hard r sft tissue f the ral and maxillfacial area. Althugh authrized t d s, the Department has nt yet specified any ther prcedures that a licensed certified dental assistant is prhibited frm perfrming at this time. 9. What des "cnsistent with New Yrk State laws, rules and regulatins" mean (see last bullet in questin 4)? Answer: New Yrk State laws, rules and regulatins set the bundaries within which licensed prfessinals may practice and within which thers are prhibited frm practicing unless therwise authrized; this is called the scpe f practice f the prfessin. This means that a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant may nt perfrm any f the duties r respnsibilities limited t the scpe f practice f dentistry r dental hygiene. Fr example, n dental assistant may apply pit and fissure sealants because this prcedure is within the scpe f practice f a dental hygienist and is nt explicitly listed within the scpe f practice f a licensed certified dental assistant. 10. Where can infrmatin be fund regarding the scpe f practice f dentistry and dental hygiene? Answer: The scpe f practice is within the laws and regulatins f the State f New Yrk, which may be fund n the Dental Bard Web site. Fr dentistry, the scpe f practice may be fund in sectin 6601 f Educatin Law. Fr dental hygiene, the scpe may be fund in sectin 6606 f Educatin Law and sectin 61.9 f the Cmmissiner's Regulatins. Fr the scpe f practice fr ther licensed prfessins, please visit ur Web site. 11. What des a licensed dentist's "direct persnal supervisin" mean? Answer: Direct persnal supervisin means supervisin f dental prcedures based n instructins given in the curse f a prcedure by a licensed dentist wh remains in the dental ffice where the supprtive services are being perfrmed, persnally diagnses the cnditin t be treated, persnally authrizes the prcedures, and befre dismissal f the patient, wh remains the respnsibility f the licensed dentist, evaluates the services perfrmed by the licensed certified dental assistant.

4 12. In additin t New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistants, may any ther dental persnnel perfrm the supprtive services within the scpe f practice f a licensed certified dental assistant? Answer: Yes. A student in a dental assisting prgram registered by the New Yrk State Educatin Department as meeting the educatinal requirement fr licensure may als perfrm these supprtive services as part f that curse f study. Additinally, a dental assistant wh has been issued a limited permit t practice and individuals licensed r therwise authrized t practice dentistry r dental hygiene in New Yrk State may perfrm these supprtive services. N ther dental persnnel may d s unless therwise authrized. 13. Are all New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistants allwed t perfrm everything within the scpe f practice f their prfessin? Answer: Under Part 29 f the Rules f the Bard f Regents, it is unprfessinal cnduct fr a licensee t perfrm any services that are beynd his r her individual prfessinal cmpetence. Therefre, if a licensee is nt cmpetent t perfrm a functin, even if it falls within the legal scpe f practice, he r she may nt perfrm the functin. It is the respnsibility f the licensee t practice within his r her abilities and expertise. Furthermre, the supervising dentist must be aware f the cmpetency f the assistant. It is unprfessinal cnduct fr a licensee t delegate prfessinal respnsibilities he r she knws r has reasn t knw that the dental assistant r hygienist is nt cmpetent t perfrm. 14. Hw can a patient identify if the persn assisting the dentist is licensed as a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant? Answer: Every dental prfessinal licensed by the New Yrk State Educatin Department and practicing in New Yrk State must cnspicuusly display his r her current certificate f registratin t practice that prfessin. In hspitals and similar facilities licensed by the New Yrk State Department f Health, such persns must wear tags shwing name and prfessin. 15. What letters may a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant use after his r her name? Answer: The prtected title fr a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant is "certified dental assistant" as stated in sectin 6608-a f New Yrk State Educatin Law. Hwever, the New Yrk State Bard fr Dentistry recgnizes that New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistants

5 may use the letters RDA fllwing their names t identify that they are licensed and registered t practice as dental assistants in the State f New Yrk, if they s desire. Unlicensed Dental Assistants 16. Can an unlicensed dental assistant perfrm services n patients withut a dentist being physically present? Answer: N. A dental assistant nt licensed by New Yrk State may nt perfrm patient services independently r perfrm any tasks that are within the scpe f practice f any licensed prfessin. The unlicensed dental assistant may prvide supprtive services with a dentist wh is persnally perfrming the service r prcedure and is physically present at the chairside and attending t the patient. An unlicensed dental assistant acts as an extra pair f hands fr the dentist during prcedures, perfrming tasks such as suctining excess saliva, prviding instruments, r hlding a matrix strip r curing lamp while the dentist is practicing n the patient. This is ften referred t as "fur handed dentistry" and may nly be perfrmed while the dentist is physically attending t the patient with the dental assistant. An unlicensed dental assistant may nt perfrm any supprtive service while the dentist is nt physically present at the chairside and attending t the patient. 17. What ther tasks may an unlicensed dental assistant perfrm in the dental ffice? Answer: An unlicensed dental assistant may perfrm such tasks as: preparing the patient fr treatment by seating patient, btaining recrds and applying prtective garb; preparing instruments, materials and medicaments t be used; taking dental x-rays in accrdance with Public Health Law (see questin 18); decntaminating, scrubbing, packaging and sterilizing all instruments; perfrming slely mechanical wrk upn inert matter in a dental ffice, e.g. trimming r munting impressins taken by the dentist. 18. Are additinal educatin and certificatin needed fr dental assistants t take x-rays? Answer: N. Additinal educatin and certificatin are nt required. In accrdance with sectin 3515(4)(c) f the Public Health Law and sectin f the Administrative Rules and Regulatins

6 fr Public Health, a persn acting as a dental assistant, licensed r unlicensed, may perate radigraphic dental equipment, under the supervisin f a licensed dentist, fr the sle purpse f rutine ral radigraphy in which the x-ray beam is limited t the patient's head. 19. What equipment may a dental assistant use t take x-rays? Answer: Sectin f the Administrative Rules and Regulatins fr Public Health state that a dental assistant may perate cnventinal radigraphic dental equipment in which the diameter f the x-ray beam at the patient's face is limited t nt mre than 3 inches. He r she may als perate panramic dental equipment f the lamingraphic extraral tube and film type, prvided that the use f this equipment is fr the sle purpse f rutine dental radigraphy. * IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL INDIVIDUALS TAKING X-RAYS: Please nte that effective March 12, 2007, Educatin Law requires any dentist r dental hygienist perfrming dental x-rays must nt nly shield the trs but must als shield the thyrid area f the patient unless in the dentist's prfessinal judgment the use f a thyrid cllar wuld be inapprpriate under the circumstances, because f the nature f the patient, the type f x-ray being taken, r ther factrs. Althugh the law des nt specifically state that dental assistants must cmply with this requirement, the Department advises that all individuals taking dental x-rays fllw these precautins. Licensure Requirements and Prcedures 20. What are the requirements t becme licensed as a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant? Answer: T be licensed, a persn must: Be at least 17 years f age; Submit an applicatin, fee and all required dcuments; Meet educatin requirements; and Meet examinatin requirements. 21. T becme licensed as a certified dental assistant, wuld an unlicensed dental assistant wh has been wrking fr many years need t meet the educatinal requirements? Answer: Yes. All dental assistants wh are seeking licensure must meet all licensure requirements.

7 22. Is anyne exempt frm licensure? Answer: Students enrlled in dental assisting prgrams registered by the New Yrk State Educatin Department as meeting the educatinal requirement fr licensure are exempt frm the requirement f licensure while perfrming the duties f a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant as part f their curse f study. Additinally, applicants fr licensure as certified dental assistants may wrk while practicing under a limited permit. 23. Hw des smene get an applicatin fr licensure as a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant? Answer: An individual may request an applicatin packet that includes all frms and instructins frm the New Yrk State Educatin Department, Office f the Prfessins, Divisin f Prfessinal Licensing Services, 89 Washingtn Avenue, Albany, NY ; phne ; TDD/TTY: ; fax: ; p4inf@mail.nysed.gv r access licensing infrmatin and frms frm ur Web site. 24. What is the licensure fee? Answer: The fee is $95.00 fr the license and initial three-year registratin. The fee fr registratin renewal is $50.00 fr each three-year registratin perid. 25. What is the examinatin requirement? Answer: An applicant must meet bth the educatin requirement and the examinatin requirement. The examinatin is ffered by the Dental Assisting Natinal Bard, Inc. (DANB), 444 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 900, Chicag, IL 60611; telephne: ; fax: There are tw ways t meet the examinatin requirement. Pathway I: An applicant wh meets DANB's requirements fr admissin t the three-part DANB CDA examinatin (cnsisting f the Radiatin Health and Safety [RHS], Infectin Cntrl [IC], and General Chairside [GC] cmpnents) must take and pass all three parts. DANB's requirement t sit fr this examinatin includes a high schl diplma r its equivalent, current cardi-pulmnary resuscitatin (CPR) certificatin, and either (a) graduatin frm a dental assisting prgram accredited by the Cmmissin n Dental Accreditatin r (b) tw years experience as a practicing dental assistant. An individual wh passed this exam n r after June 1, 1993 has met the licensing examinatin

8 requirement. An applicant wh passed it after June 1, 1985, but befre June 1, 1993, must take and pass the IC cmpnent. An applicant wh passed the exam befre June 1, 1985, must take and pass the IC and RHS cmpnents. Pathway II: An applicant wh graduates frm a New Yrk registered dental assisting prgram, r the equivalent, but des nt meet DANB's requirement t take the DANB CDA exam (because the prgram was nt accredited by the Cmmissin n Dental Accreditatin and the applicant has less than tw years experience) must pass New Yrk State's threepart licensure examinatin, which is administered by DANB. It cnsists f DANB's RHS and IC cmpnents and the New Yrk Prfessinal Dental Assisting Cmpnent. The DANB applicatin brchure includes applicatins fr all parts f the examinatin. 26. What is the educatinal requirement fr licensure? Answer: In additin t meeting the examinatin requirement, an applicant must meet the educatin requirement. The educatin requirement fr a license is (1) pssessin f a high schl diplma (r its equivalent) and (2) cmpletin f a prgram in dental assisting that the New Yrk State Educatin Department has registered (apprved) as leading t licensure r is accredited by an accrediting agency acceptable t the Department r that the Department has determined is the equivalent f such a registered r accredited prgram. The prgram must be adequate t prepare a student fr the practice f certified dental assisting, as defined in sectin 6608 f Educatin Law (see questin 4 abve). It must be either: a. A ne-year prgram cnsisting f 24 semester hurs (r the equivalent) that includes all f the fllwing cmpnents. 1. the bimedical sciences area, including: 1. bdy structure and functin, 2. basic cncepts f micrbilgy pertaining t infectin cntrl, 3. basic nutritin; and 2. the prfessinal dental assisting cmpnents area, including: 1. dental materials and instruments, 2. dental radigraphy techniques and safety, 3. basic dental and ral anatmy, 4. intrductry cntent in ral histlgy, embrylgy, pathlgy, and therapeutics, 5. legal and ethical aspects (dental recrd keeping, terminlgy, charting, and patient cnfidentiality); and 3. the clinical cntent area, including:

9 1. chairside dental assisting and apprpriate labratry prcedures, which includes i. placing and remving temprary restratins ii. iii. placing, cndensing, and carving amalgam restratins placing, cndensing, and finishing nn-metallic restratins, 2. patient educatin and preventive dentistry, 3. dental radigraphic prcedures, 4. infectin cntrl, 5. assisting in management f dental and medical emergencies; and 4. curse wrk in ral and written cmmunicatins and basic behaviral cncepts 5. at least 200 hurs f clinical experience. Or b. An alternate curse f study in certified dental assisting acceptable t the New Yrk State Educatin Department that includes: a. the bimedical sciences, prfessinal dental assisting, and the clinical cntent areas; (as described abve) and b. at least 1,000 hurs f relevant wrk experience in the practice f certified dental assisting under a licensed dentist's direct persnal supervisin, t begin after enrllment in the prgram. 27. What institutins ffer registered dental assisting prgrams? Answer: A list f New Yrk State registered, licensure-qualifying dental assisting prgrams is available thrugh the Educatin Department's Inventry f Registered Prgrams. 28. Hw can an individual wh has been wrking as an unlicensed dental assistant, passed the DANB exam, but did nt cmplete a registered prgram in dental assisting r a dental assisting prgram accredited by an accrediting agency acceptable t the Department qualify fr a license? Answer: The unlicensed dental assistant wuld need t fulfill the educatin requirement t qualify fr licensure as a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant. As part f the applicatin prcess, the applicant asks all pstsecndary educatinal institutins he r she has attended t send academic transcripts t the Department. The Department will evaluate the educatin cmpleted and identify what elements f educatin the applicant is missing. Many licensure qualifying certified dental assisting prgrams ffer advanced placement pprtunities t dental assistants wh have cmpleted part f the educatinal prgram requirement. Such pprtunities

10 may include testing ut f elements f the prgram that the applicant already knws. Sme f these schls ffer registered prgrams ff-campus using distance learning methds. Limited Permits 29. What is the purpse f a limited permit in certified dental assisting? Answer: The purpse is t enable an applicant wh has met all licensure requirements except the examinatin requirement t perfrm the wrk f a licensed certified dental assistant. An individual wh has met all requirements fr admissin t the licensing examinatin and has submitted an applicatin and fee fr licensure may receive a limited permit t practice certified dental assisting in New Yrk under the direct persnal supervisin f a licensed dentist upn submissin f the applicatin fr limited permit and payment f the $40.00 limited permit fee. The permit is valid fr ne year and may be renewed fr ne additinal year. Further Infrmatin 30. Where is additinal infrmatin available? Answer: Fr further infrmatin n licensure as a New Yrk State licensed certified dental assistant, cntact the Divisin f Prfessinal Licensing Services, New Yrk State Educatin Department, 89 Washingtn Avenue, Albany, NY ; telephne: , TDD/TTY: ; fax: ; p4inf@mail.nysed.gv r check ur Web site at Fr further infrmatin n the licensure examinatin cntact the Dental Assisting Natinal Bard, Inc. (DANB), P.O. Bx , Chicag, IL 60611; telephne ; fax