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POLICY REGARDING THE MONITORING OF NITROUS OXIDE BY QUALIFIED DENTAL HYGIENISTS
Preamble:
The purpose of this policy is to clarify the Ohio State Dental Board’s (Board) position regarding the monitoring of nitrous oxide by qualified dental hygienists.
- Following submission of documentation to the Ohio State Dental Board showing completion of eight hours of education presented by a Board approved permanent sponsor on nitrous oxide-oxygen
(N2O-O2) analgesia and sedation, the dental hygienist may, under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist, monitor nitrous oxide-oxygen (N2O-O2) within the limits of conscious sedation, while providing treatment, after a satisfactory induction phase has been administered by the dentist. (emphasis added).
Webster’s Dictionary defines a monitor as someone who advises, warns or cautions. The verb monitoring is defined as “to watch or check on”, or “to check on or regulate the performance of, [a machine].”
It is the position of the Board that with respect to the Administrative Code section in question, monitoring means to watch or check on. Once the licensed dentist has initiated and administered the nitrous oxide, the trained dental hygienist is to monitor the nitrous oxide and advise or warn the dentist if something is wrong. The dentist then is the one responsible for adjusting levels, etc. The only thing a dental hygienist can do short of monitoring, is turning the nitrous off.
(November 7, 2007)
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