Scope of practice is changing: 6 dentists on what to delegate and what to protect
By Cameron Cortigiano
Originally at beckersdental.com
Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
Practice owners and DSOs face new staffing and liability decisions as nine states have already expanded dental-assistant duties and Missouri proposes adding periodontal charting and scaling to assistants, prompting a lawsuit from the Missouri Dental Hygienists’ Association.
Key points
- Nine states have already expanded what dental assistants can legally do.
- Missouri’s proposed rule would bundle periodontal charting and scaling into the assistant’s scope; the Missouri Dental Hygienists’ Association has sued to block the change.
- Murat Ayik, DDS, would delegate digital imaging, intraoral scanning, isolation techniques and temporary restorations to properly trained assistants, but would keep the final decision on tooth retention or extraction with the dentist.
- Shad Lewis, DMD, would delegate periodontal charting to assistants but keep scaling and the decision to scale with the dentist or a licensed hygienist, citing concerns over production-driven incentives.
Who should care
Read the original on Becker's Dental + DSO Review
Full reporting and any paywall content live on beckersdental.com. We summarize and score; we do not republish.
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