1. (1) A dental hygienist, under the direct supervision of a Georgia licensed dentist, may administer local anesthesia for hygiene purposes, including intraoral block anesthesia, soft tissue infiltration anesthesia, or both, to a non-sedated patient that requires local anesthesia for pain management and who is 18 years of age or older if the following criteria are met.

2. (2) Educational and Practical Experience Requirements:

   1. (a) Graduate of an approved curriculum program.

      1. 1. Dental hygiene anesthesia courses or programs required for dental hygienists licensed in Georgia to qualify to administer local anesthesia:

         1. (i) Shall be taught using lecture and laboratory/clinical formats by a dental education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA) or its successor agency, a similar organization approved by the United States Department of Education, or the Board.

         2. (ii) The requirements shall include, at a minimum, sixty (60) hours of coursework comprised of thirty (30) didactic hours, fifteen (15) laboratory hours, and fifteen (15) clinical hours which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

            1. (I) Theory of pain control;
            2. (II) Selection-of-pain-control modalities;
            3. (III) Anatomy;
            4. (IV) Neurophysiology;
            5. (V) Pharmacology of local anesthetics;
            6. (VI) Pharmacology of vasoconstrictors;
            7. (VII) Psychological aspects of pain control;
            8. (VIII) Systemic complications;
            9. (IX) Techniques of maxillary anesthesia;
            10. (X) Techniques of mandibular anesthesia;
            11. (XI) Infection control;
            12. (XII) Safety Injection practices; and
            13. (XIII) Medical emergencies involving local anesthesia.
         3. (iii) Laboratory and clinical instruction shall be provided with a faculty to student ratio of no greater than 1:5 under the direct supervision of a dentist licensed in this state.
         4. (iv) Courses must be taught to a minimum score of eighty percent (80%) in the parenteral administration of local anesthesia, and successful students shall be awarded a certificate of completion.
3. (3) Continuing Education: Dental hygienists administering local anesthesia pursuant to this rule, must complete two (2) hours of approved continuing education per biennium, which shall include a review of local anesthetic techniques, contraindications, systemic complications, medical emergencies related to local anesthesia, and a general overview of dental office emergencies. These hours may be used as part of the twenty-two (22) hours of continuing education required each biennium.

Authority: O.C.G.A. §§ 43-11-1, 43-11-7, 43-11-9, 43-11-73.1, 43-11-74.

History. Original Rule entitled "Administration of Local Anesthetic by Dental Hygienist" adopted. F. May 12, 2023; eff. June 1, 2023.