Public Health Dental Hygienist Credentialed Procedures
Local Anesthetic Permit: Gained as part of a program accredited by a regional or professional accrediting organization recognized by the US Dept of Education or approved course on local anesthetic.
Public Health Authorization: One permit for conducting public health-related services in a public health setting or in a health care or related facility.
Requirements:
Provide evidence of a current Nebraska dental hygiene license.
Carry professional liability coverage.
Complete and submit to DHHS a completed application form.
Advise the patient or recipient that the services provided are preventive in nature and do not constitute a comprehensive dental diagnosis and care.
Provide an annual report of services provided to the department on a form that the department sends out on an annual basis.
https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/DentHygAppForAuthToTreatChildrenAndAdults.pdf
Duties allowable:
Full dental hygiene scope of practice except for periodontal scaling, root planning and the administration of local anesthesia and nitrous oxide. Sec. 38-1130 (3) (a) of statute. A full list to the RDH scope of practice is listed in Sec. 38-1131. https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/Dentistry.pdf
(Caveat—RX writing in scope says under general supervision of a DDS; however, for a PH permit RDH, they are able to perform this under “PH supervision” and denture adjustment is just for PHRDH permit.) (This needs to be changed in statute)
Additional Procedures which can be added for $10 each, after completion of board approved continuing education.
Interim Therapeutic Restorative Technique: Perform interim therapeutic restorative procedures.
Writing Prescriptions for Mouth Rinses and Fluoride Products: Ability to write prescriptions for these products.
Administration and Titrating of Nitrous Oxide Analgesia
Minor Denture Adjustments
(For current graduates these functions are already included. It is for those wanting to go back to add these scope additions to their license)
Licensed Dental Hygienist with 1500 hours of practice time can achieve:
Expanded Function Permits (initial and renewal fees of $25 each)
Simple Restorative Permit: Completion of approved continuing education and passing of a CRDTS restorative exam or equivalent as approved by the board. Allows for placing restorative material in Class I, V and VI preparations. Requires 2 hours of simple restorative continuing education every 2 years to maintain the credential.
https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/AppforApprovalExpandedFuncForRestorativeLevelOneSimple.pdf
Complex Restorative Permits: Completion of approved continuing education and passing of a CRDTS restorative exam or equivalent as approved by the board. Allows for placing restorative material in Class II, III and IV preparations. Requires 2 hours of complex restorative continuing education every 2 years to maintain the credential.
https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/AppForApprovalExpandedFuncForRestorativeLevelTwoComplex.pdf
NOTE: When the statute was passed allowing additional credentials for dental assistants and hygienists, the Board of Dentistry provisionally approved continuing education courses to allow dental auxiliaries to take advantage of their expanded functions. Now that the regulations have been finalized and signed by the governor’s office the subcommittee on continuing education is in the process of reviewing courses for Simple and Complex Restorative permits to insure that the education received in these courses adequately meets the needs of these providers. Therefore, modifications to the approved courses will be forth coming.
NPI Application Updated
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has recently revised the National Provider Identifier (NPI) Application Form. Please note that the previous application form with Rev. 06/18 will not be valid after 08/01/22.
The application form and portal are available here.
ADHA members can access a resource on Reimbursement and NPI numbers here.
Access a resource from the Children's Dental Health Project here.
Dental Continuing Education Update
Here are the updates to continuing education for anyone holding a license as a dental provider in Nebraska. The major changes in the requirements are listed below. For more details see each respective provider regulation for credit hour calculations. Thirty hours are still required for each licensee per renewal period.
A minimum of 2 hours of infection control must be completed and the annual OSHA CE lecture, does not by itself, qualify for this requirement. A maximum of 4 hours may be obtained in practice management or CPR recertification. A maximum of 10 hours in each period may be obtained through home study (see requirements for home study in the regulations) or initial CPR certification.
A maximum of 5 hours may be obtained in each of the following respective categories: dental public health, well being or substance abuse, ethics/professionalism, faculty supervising instructional dental clinics, or for volunteering in such activities as Mission of Mercy events or equivalent. A licensee who is a presenter may receive a maximum of 2 hours total credit per renewal period for the initial presentation of a program, but no additional credit will be given for subsequent presentations of the same lecture.
For licensed dental assistants and dental hygienists with restorative expanded function permits, a minimum of 2 hours is required in each respective expanded function for which a permit has been issued. Attendance at a live presentation (webinar) that is online and allows for attendee participation, such as asking questions, is not considered a home study course.
Dentists who prescribe controlled substances must complete 3 hours of continuing education on opioids of which one half hour must cover Nebraska’s prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). Any dentist holding a sedation permit must complete 6 hours of education on administration and management of general anesthesia/deep sedation or minimal/moderate sedation as determined by each respective sedation permit, with hands on requirements for general anesthesia/deep sedation and moderate sedation permits.
Dental Assistant Credentialed Procedures
Dental Radiology Credential: Gained as part of a dental assisting program or approved dental radiology course (does not require 1500 hours of practice time), a record of completion is maintained by the dental assistant and is required for radiology office inspections by the state.
Licensed Dental Assistant with 1500 hours of practice time can achieve:
Coronal Polish Credential: Gained as part of dental assisting program (no requirement for 1500 hours) or approved coronal polishing course (after 1500 hours). A record of completion is maintained by the dental assistant.
Additional Procedures which can be added to a license for $10 each, after completion of board approved continuing education.
Fixed Prosthetics: Final impressions and dental records.
Removable Prosthetics: Final impressions, dental records and minor denture adjustments.
Primary tooth restorations: Fitting and cementing a prefab fixed restoration on a primary tooth.
Monitoring and Administration of Nitrous Oxide Analgesia
Expanded Function Permits (initial and renewal fees of $25 each)
Simple Restorative Permit: Completion of approved continuing education and passing of a CRDTS restorative exam or equivalent as approved by the board. Allows for placing restorative material in Class I, V and VI preparations. Requires 2 hours of simple restorative continuing education every 2 years to maintain the credential.
Complex Restorative Permit: Completion of approved continuing education and passing of a CRDTS restorative exam or equivalent as approved by the board. Allows for placing restorative material in Class II, III and IV preparations. Requires 2 hours of complex restorative continuing education every 2 years to maintain the credential.
Medicaid Provider Application
Please review this PowerPoint for more information.
NPI Application Updated
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has recently revised the National Provider Identifier (NPI) Application Form. Please note that the previous application form with Rev. 06/18 will not be valid after 08/01/22.
The application form and portal are available here.
ADHA members can access a resource on Reimbursement and NPI numbers here.
Access a resource from the Children's Dental Health Project here.
Dental Continuing Education Update
Here are the updates to continuing education for anyone holding a license as a dental provider in Nebraska. The major changes in the requirements are listed below. For more details see each respective provider regulation for credit hour calculations. Thirty hours are still required for each licensee per renewal period.
A minimum of 2 hours of infection control must be completed and the annual OSHA CE lecture, does not by itself, qualify for this requirement. A maximum of 4 hours may be obtained in practice management or CPR recertification. A maximum of 10 hours in each period may be obtained through home study (see requirements for home study in the regulations) or initial CPR certification.
A maximum of 5 hours may be obtained in each of the following respective categories: dental public health, well being or substance abuse, ethics/professionalism, faculty supervising instructional dental clinics, or for volunteering in such activities as Mission of Mercy events or equivalent. A licensee who is a presenter may receive a maximum of 2 hours total credit per renewal period for the initial presentation of a program, but no additional credit will be given for subsequent presentations of the same lecture.
For licensed dental assistants and dental hygienists with restorative expanded function permits, a minimum of 2 hours is required in each respective expanded function for which a permit has been issued. Attendance at a live presentation (webinar) that is online and allows for attendee participation, such as asking questions, is not considered a home study course.
Dentists who prescribe controlled substances must complete 3 hours of continuing education on opioids of which one half hour must cover Nebraska’s prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). Any dentist holding a sedation permit must complete 6 hours of education on administration and management of general anesthesia/deep sedation or minimal/moderate sedation as determined by each respective sedation permit, with hands on requirements for general anesthesia/deep sedation and moderate sedation permits.