It is about time! I graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry in 1985, and hygiene students were in my local anesthesia class way back then. It is true they were receiving a 4 year BS degree in Hygiene. Florida only offers/requires a 2 year Associates Degree, but they all are National Certified Registered Dental Hygienists.
The Florida Board of Dentistry approved in mid 2010 to let Florida hygienists train to administer local anesthesia. It was sent on to the Florida Legislature for approval.
64B5-16.006 Remediable Tasks Delegable to a Dental Hygienist
A dental hygienist can perform local anesthesia under the indirect supervision of a dentist with the following training:
A minimum of 45 contact hours which includes 12 hours of instruction in emergency medical procedures and the remaining hours in diadactic and clinical education at an accredited institution of higher learning sufficient to establish the dental hygienist’s ability to anesthetize the entire dentition and supporting structures.
The Bill passed both the Florida House and Senate on 3/6/2012 and was sent on to the Governor for signing.
The course was upgraded in the legislature to a minimum of 30 hours of didactic instruction and 30 hours of clinical experience, and instruction in:
- 1. Theory of pain control.
- 2. Selection-of-pain-control modalities.
- 3. Anatomy.
- 4. Neurophysiology.
- 5. Pharmacology of local anesthetics.
- 6. Pharmacology of vasoconstrictors.
- 7. Psychological aspects of pain control.
- 8. Systematic complications.
- 9. Techniques of maxillary anesthesia.
- 10. Techniques of mandibular anesthesia.
- 11. Infection control.
- 12. Medical emergencies involving local anesthesia.
The dental hygienist must present evidence of current certification in basic or advanced cardiac life support.
I will definitely be encouraging my 3 hygienists to get certified ASAP, but not for the reasons you might think. The obvious reasons are that I would not have to take time to give hygiene patients local anesthesia for sensitive patients or for procedures such as scaling and root planing. To be honest, not since we started to use Oraqix have I had to give very many hygiene patients local anesthetic. The real reason is that I want to elevate my staff to the next level. Giving them a new technique/responsibility/power I think will re-energize them into learning more about other areas of dentistry as well. One of my hygienist has been at our office for over 20 years! I think it would put a spark of adventure back in their careers and make them feel more engaged in their every day patient care.
More info on its way!
I have since gone to Amazon.com and purchased 4 of the most popular local anesthesia books for my staff to begin to look over in preparation for these classes when they are offered.
Florida State Hygiene Programs: Local Anesthesia Status
1. Edison State College Date Submitted:
8099 College Parkway S.W.
Ft. Myers, FL 33919
Karen Molumby, RDH, MBA — Director of Dental Programs
Phone: (239) 985-8322 Fax: (239) 985-8352
Email Address: kmolumby@edison.edu
Web Site: www.edison.edu
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2. State College of Florida, Manatee – Sarasota Date Submitted:
5840 26th Street, West
Bradenton, FL 34207
Anita J. Weaver, RDH, MS — Program Director
Phone: (941) 752-5350 Fax: (941) 727-6443
Email Address: weavera@scf.edu
Web Site: www.scf.edu
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3.Brevard Community College Date Submitted:
1519 Clearlake Rd.
Cocoa, FL 32922
Janice Elkins, BSDH, MEd — Program Manager
Phone: (321) 632-1111 X 7568 Fax: (321) 433-7599
Email Address: elkinsj@brevardcc.edu
Web Site: www.brevardcc.edu
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4. Broward College Date Submitted:
3501 Southwest Davie Road
Davie, FL 33314
Joyce Abraham, RDH, BA — Associate Dean
Phone: (954) 201-6904 Fax: (954) 201-6397
Email Address: jabraham@broward.edu
Web Site: www.broward.edu
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5. Daytona State College Date Submitted:
1155 County Road 4139
DeLand, FL 32724
Pamela S. Ridilla, RDH, MS —Chairperson; Program Director
Phone: (386) 785-2093 Fax: (386) 785-2090
Email Address: ridillp@DaytonaState.edu
Web Site: www.daytonastate.edu
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6. Florida State College at Jacksonville Date Submitted:
4501 Capper Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
Jeffrey R. Smith, DMD — Dental Program Manager
Phone: (904) 766-6655 Fax: (904) 713-4856
Email Address: jesmith@fscj.edu
Web Site: www.fscj.edu/
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7.Gulf Coast Community College Date Submitted:
5230 West Highway 98
Panama City, FL 32401-1058
Laura G. Justice, RDH, CDA, MSEd — Coordinator of Dental Programs
Phone: (850) 747-3248 Fax: (850) 747-3246
Email Address: ljustice@gulfcoast.edu
Web Site: www.gulfcoast.edu
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8. Hillsborough Community College Date Submitted:
4001 Tampa Bay Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33614-2754
Debra Heysek, RDH, MS — Dental Hygiene Program Director
Phone: (813) 253-7426 Fax: (813) 253-7491
Email Address: dheysek@hccfl.edu
Web Site: www.hccfl.edu/
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9. Indian River State College Date Submitted: 11/18/2010
Department of Dental Hygiene
3209 Virginia Avenue
Ft. Pierce, FL 34981-5599
Marta G. Ferguson, EdD — Department Chair Dental Hygiene
Phone: (772) 462-7523 Fax: (772) 462-7816
Email Address: mferguso@irsc.edu
Web Site: www.irsc.edu
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10. Miami Dade College Date Submitted:
950 NW 20 Street
Miami, FL 33127
Susan H. Kass, EdD — Program Director
Phone: (305) 237-4029 Fax: (305) 237-4278
Email Address: skass@mdc.edu
Web Site: www.mdc.edu
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11. Palm Beach State College Date Submitted:
4200 Congress Avenue, Dental Health Services #32
Lake Worth, FL 33461
Judith McCauley, RDH, MA — Chair Dental Hygiene Program
Phone: (561) 868-3758 Fax: (561) 868-3753
Email Address: mccaulej@palmbeachstate.edu
Web Site: www.palmbeachstate.edu/
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12. Pasco-Hernando Community College Date Submitted:
10230 Ridge Rd.
New Port Richey, FL 34654-5199
Deborah Nastelli, RDH, MS — Co-Coordinator Dental Programs
Donna Low, RDH, MS — Co-Coordinator Dental Programs
Phone: (727) 816-3423 Fax: (727) 816-3478
Email Address: nasteld@phcc.edu or lowd@phcc.edu
Web Site: www.phcc.edu
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13. Pensacola State College Date Submitted:
5555 Highway 98 West
Pensacola, FL 32507
Linda Lambert, RDH — Program Director
Phone: (850) 484-2242 Fax: (850) 484-2364
Email Address: llambert@pensacolastate.edu
Web Site: www.pjc.edu
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14. Sanford Brown Institute-Ft. Lauderdale Date Submitted:
1201 W. Cypress Creek Road
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309-1906
Jorge Velasquez, DDS — Program Director
Phone: (954) 308-7398 Fax: (954) 375-6940
Email Address: jvelasquez@sbftlaud.com
Web Site: www.sanfordbrown.edu/Fort-Lauderdale
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15. Sanford Brown Institute-Jacksonville Date Submitted:
10255 Fortune Parkway, Suite 501
Jacksonille, FL 32256
Marsha R. Aldrich, RDH, MPH — Dental Hygiene Program Director
Phone: (904) 380-2916 Fax: (000) 000-0000
Email Address: maldrich@sbjacksonville.com
Web Site: www.sanfordbrown.edu/Jacksonville
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16. Sanford Brown Institute-Orlando Date Submitted:
5959 Lake Ellenor Drive
Orlando, FL 32809
Debra Ann Dixon, RDH, MS — Program Director
Phone: (407) 393-1481 Fax: (407) 393-1550
Email Address: ddixon@sbiorlando.com
Web Site: www.sanfordbrown.edu/Orlando
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17. Santa Fe College Date Submitted:
3000 N.W. 83rd Street, W81E
Gainesville, FL 32606
Karen Autrey, RDH, BHS, MEd — Director of Dental Programs
Phone: (352) 395-5705 X 5705 Fax: (352) 395-5785
Email Address:
Web Site: www.sfcollege.edu/
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18. South Florida Community College Date Submitted:
600 West College Drive
Avon Park, FL 33825-9356
Rebecca Sroda, RDH, MS — Associate Dean of Allied Health/Director of Dental Education
Phone: (863) 784-7020 Fax: (863) 453-9442
Email Address: srodar@southflorida.edu
Web Site: www.southflorida.edu
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19. St. Petersburg College Date Submitted:
7200 66th Street N
Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Joan Tonner, RDH, MA — Program Director
Phone: (727) 341-3671 Fax: (727) 341-3796
Email Address: tonner.joan@spcollege.edu
Web Site: www.spcollege.edu/hec/dental/
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20. Tallahassee Community College Date Submitted:
444 Appleyard Dr.
Tallahassee, FL 32304-2895
Michele Edwards, CDA, RDH, MS — Associate Professor & Chair, Dental Health
Phone: (850) 201-6095 Fax: (850) 201-8575
Email Address: edwardsm@tcc.fl.edu
Web Site: www.tcc.fl.edu/
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21. Valencia Community College Date Submitted:
P.O. Box 3028
Orlando, FL 32802
Pamela Sandy, RDH, BS, MA — Program Director
Phone: (407) 582-1544 Fax: (407) 582-1295
Email Address: psandy@valenciacc.edu
Web Site: www.valenciacc.edu
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Other Accredited Schools considering courses in Local Anesthesia:
(list is evolving-check back later)
6 comments
Joleyn McClemens, RDH, BS, CDHC says:
Mar 19, 2011
It is fabulous that you are so supportive of dental hygienists administering local anesthetic in the state of Florida. Presently I serve as the President Elect for the Florida Dental Hygiene Association. While the Board of Dentistry did rule on hygienist administering local anesthetic, it is not automatically legal until it becomes a law. Please see the attached notes from the September 2010 Board of Dentistry meeting. The FDA and FDHA have been working very closely together on other issues that impact more of the citizens of Florida than passing local anesthetic and we presently have legislation in Tallahassee to assist the under served in receiving preventative dental care in public health settings. Please see the attached bills that are in the current legislative process.
I fully agree with your ideas and intentions. Your hygienists are fortunate to have such a forward thinking leader. I too come from a state (Wisconsin) where I was able to administer local anesthetic as a student and as a practicing hygienist. I believe that both associations support local anesthetic moving forward. As to date 44 out of 50 states allow hygienists this scope of practice.
We hope to have legislation on this issue next year and hope you will outwardly let your local, regional and state association and legislators know how much you are behind this effort so it can swiftly move through the process. As soon as the laws are set into place the intention will be that all of the hygiene programs across the state will be offering this program to the hygienists in the local areas. Just as your blog suspected.
Thank you again for your progressive thinking in this issue, you should be commended. It would be my pleasure to answer any future questions that you have regarding dental hygiene in the state of Florida, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Trish Walraven says:
May 5, 2011
So, could you, might you, get the Florida Dental Association to put a bug in the ears of the folks on the Texas State Dental Board? We’ve got a couple of bills in Congress at the moment, but no word yet on whether or not they’ll actually get passed. It’s hard to believe that Florida allows what Texas won’t.
Mark Kraver DDS says:
Jun 2, 2011
FDA Legislative Update: (copied from the West Coast District Dental Association’s Monthly e-Check-up, June 2011)
During the final week of session, the legislature addressed the FDA licensure issue, hygiene supervision levels, medical malpractice legislation and Medicaid fees. Please click here to view the videos. You may also follow the FDA on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information on all emerging issues affecting the dental profession.
The FDA saw success in passing two of its top priorities in HB 1319. *Note – Reports are preliminary and legislation is still subject to gubernatorial approval.
After October 1, 2011, HB 1319:
Changes in the dental licensure exam to ADLEX
Allows individuals who passed ADLEX in other states to be licensed within 365 days of passing. (If 365 days have passed since taking exam, other stringent criteria must be met prior to be license in Florida and the individual must establish a full-time practice).
Allows dental hygienists to apply fluorides and sealants without supervision of a licensed dentist in Health Access Settings.
In Health Access Settings only, allows dental hygienists to perform cleanings if the individual is medically cleared by a dentist or physician. A comprehensive examination by a dentist must be performed within 13 months prior to another cleaning performed.
Deltona Dentist Dr Michael A. Zerivitz DDS says:
Jun 15, 2011
I’m looking forward to seeing more of your updates.
Dental Hygienist Program says:
Nov 1, 2011
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Zach Hartstock says:
Dec 20, 2011
This is an interesting concept because empowering your dental hygienist by encouraging them to learn new information is a great idea. I think you are smart to think about how the new regulations will impact your office and it shows leadership to take advantage of new regulations.