1. A. A dentist may use the services of a dental assistant to perform certain duties if the dental assistant:

   1. (1) Has successfully completed a Board-approved course of at least 35 hours related to Maryland general duties dental assisting; and
   2. (2) Is certified by the Dental Assisting National Board as qualified in general duties or was recognized by the Board of Dental Examiners, on or before June 19, 1974, as a dental assistant qualified in general duties.

2. B. If a dental assistant meets the qualifications of §A of this regulation, a dentist may use the services of the dental assistant qualified in general duties to perform the following intraoral tasks, provided that the tasks are performed only in response to a specific instruction from and under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist:

   1. (1) Performing vitality tests;
   2. (2) Taking impressions for study models or diagnostic casts;
   3. (3) Taking alginate impressions for intraoral appliances;
   4. (4) Applying topical fluoride;
   5. (5) Applying desensitizing agents;
   6. (6) Applying topical anesthesia;
   7. (7) Placing or removing a rubber dam;
   8. (8) Etching;
   9. (9) Curing by the use of a halogen light;
   10. (10) Fabricating indirect restorations in a dental office;
   11. (11) Placing or removing a matrix band;
   12. (12) Drying a root canal;
   13. (13) Preparing and fitting stainless steel crowns;
   14. (14) Placing or removing retraction cord;
   15. (15) Preparing temporary crowns;
   16. (16) Cementing temporary crowns or restorations;
   17. (17) Removing temporary crowns;
   18. (18) Removing excess cement;
   19. (19) Removing or placing a periodontal dressing (except placing the original periodontal dressing);
   20. (20) Removing sutures;
   21. (21) Constructing athletic mouth guards on models; and
   22. (22) Any other duty approved by the Board.

3. C. A dentist may not use the services of a dental assistant qualified in general duties to perform any of the following services on the basis that the dental assistant meets the qualifications of §A of this regulation:

   1. (1) Examination, diagnosis, and treatment planning;
   2. (2) Surgery on hard or soft tissues;
   3. (3) Oral prophylactic procedures, including scaling, root planing, and polishing teeth;
   4. (4) Condensing, carving, or finishing any restoration;
   5. (5) Administering injectable local anesthesia;
   6. (6) Applying pit and fissure sealants;
   7. (7) Initiation of treatment at any time for the correction of malocclusions and malformations of the teeth or jaws;
   8. (8) Cementing of orthodontic bands, placement of bonded attachments or the removal of cemented or bonded orthodontic bands and attachments;
   9. (9) Cementing permanent crowns or restorations;
   10. (10) Adjusting occlusion of natural teeth, restorations, or appliances;
   11. (11) Registration of jaw relations;
   12. (12) Placing an initial surgical dressing;
   13. (13) Preparing or fitting orthodontic bands;
   14. (14) Placing or removing an arch wire;
   15. (15) Selecting headgear;
   16. (16) Placing elastics or ligatures; and
   17. (17) Adjusting prosthetic appliances.

Authority: Health Occupations Article, §4-205, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: June 19, 1974

Chapter revised effective July 20, 1981 (8:14 Md. R. 1228)

Chapter revised effective December 31, 1984 (11:26 Md. R. 2278)

Chapter revised effective February 19, 1990 (17:3 Md. R. 300)

Regulation .01B amended effective October 23, 2006 (33:21 Md. R. 1677)

Regulation .02 amended effective June 15, 1998 (25:12 Md. R. 947)

Regulation .02 repealed effective June 25, 2001 (28:12 Md. R. 1110)

Regulation .02 adopted effective October 23, 2006 (33:21 Md. R. 1677)

Regulation .02E amended effective January 7, 2016 (42:26 Md. R. 1595)

Regulation .03 amended effective January 7, 2002 (28:26 Md. R. 2274)

Regulation .04 amended effective January 7, 2002 (28:26 Md. R. 2274)

Regulation .04A amended effective June 6, 2016 (43:11 Md. R. 634)

Regulation .05 amended effective January 7, 2002 (28:26 Md. R. 2274)

Regulation .05A amended effective June 6, 2016 (43:11 Md. R. 634)

Regulation .07 amended effective August 24, 1998 (25:17 Md. R. 1360)