Washington State Statutes - Washington Attorney Directory

(1) Dental hygienists licensed under this chapter with two years' practical clinical experience with a licensed dentist within the preceding five years may be employed or retained by health care facilities to perform authorized dental hygiene operations and services without dental supervision, limited to removal of deposits and stains from the surfaces of the teeth, application of topical preventive or prophylactic agents, polishing and smoothing restorations, and performance of root planing and soft-tissue curettage, but shall not perform injections of anesthetic agents, administration of nitrous oxide, or diagnosis for dental treatment. The performance of dental hygiene operations and services in health care facilities shall be limited to patients, students, and residents of the facilities. For dental planning and dental treatment, dental hygienists shall refer patients to licensed dentists.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "health care facilities" are limited to hospitals; nursing homes; home health agencies; group homes serving the elderly, handicapped, and juveniles; state-operated institutions under the jurisdiction of the department of social and health services or the department of corrections; and federal, state, and local public health facilities, state or federally funded community and migrant health centers, and tribal clinics.

[1997 c 37 § 2; 1984 c 279 § 63.]

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