1. (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), a dental therapist licensed under ch. DE 2 may provide dental therapy services in this state only under the direct supervision or indirect supervision of a supervising dentist.

2. (2)

   1. (a) Once a dental therapist licensed under ch. DE 2 has provided dental therapy services for at least 2,000 hours under direct supervision or indirect supervision, the dental therapist may provide dental therapy services in this state under the general supervision of a supervising dentist, subject to the terms of a collaborative management agreement described in sub. (5).
   2. (b) For purposes of the 2,000 hours requirement under par. (a), hours may include hours of providing dental therapy services in this state under direct supervision or indirect supervision of a supervising dentist as described in sub. (1) or hours of providing dental therapy services under direct supervision or indirect supervision while licensed as a dental therapist outside this state, but may not include any hours completed prior to graduating from the dental therapy education program.
3. (3) Notwithstanding subs. (1) and (2), the level of supervision for a dental therapist may be further limited under the terms of a collaborative management agreement under sub. (5).
4. (4) A supervising dentist shall accept responsibility for all services performed by a dental therapist pursuant to a collaborative management agreement described in sub. (5). If services needed by a patient are beyond the dental therapist's scope of practice or authorization under the collaborative management agreement, the dental therapist shall, to the extent required under the collaborative management agreement, consult with the supervising dentist as needed to arrange for those services to be provided by a dentist or another qualified health care provider.

5. (5) Prior to providing any dental therapy services, a dental therapist shall enter into a written collaborative management agreement with a licensed dentist who will serve as a supervising dentist under the requirements of this chapter. The dentist must be licensed in this state and must be actively involved in direct patient care in this state, to the satisfaction of the board. The agreement must be signed by the dental therapist and the supervising dentist and address all of the following:

   1. (a) The practice settings where services may be provided and the patient populations that may be served.
   2. (b) Consistent with and subject to s. DE 17.02 and subs. (1) to (4), any conditions or limitations on the services that may be provided by the dental therapist, the level of supervision required, and any circumstances requiring consultation with the supervising dentist prior to performing services.
   3. (c) Age-specific and procedure-specific practice protocols.
   4. (d) Dental record-keeping procedures.
   5. (e) Plans for managing dental or medical emergencies.
   6. (f) A quality assurance plan for monitoring care provided by the dental therapist.
   7. (g) Protocols for administering and dispensing medications.
   8. (h) Criteria or protocols relating to the provision of care to patients with specific medical conditions, treatments, or medications.
   9. (i) Policies relating to supervision of dental hygienists and other staff.
   10. (j) A plan for the referral of patients to other dental or health care providers or clinics when services needed are beyond the scope of practice or authorization of the dental therapist.
   11. (k) Whether and to what extent the dental therapist may perform services described in s. DE 17.02 (1) (o).
6. (6) A collaborative management agreement shall be limited to covering one supervising dentist and one dental therapist.
7. (7) A dental therapist may enter into multiple collaborative management agreements.
8. (8) No supervising dentist may have collaborative management agreements with more than 4 dental therapists at any time.

History

History: EmR2410: emerg. cr., eff. 7-26-24; CR 24-094: cr. Register July 2025 No. 835, eff. 8-1-25; correction in (5) (k) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register July 2025 No. 835.