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Expanded Functions & Certifications

Interested in adding another valuable tool to your Dental Hygiene skill set? Explore some of the certification and expanded function options available to Dental Hygienists in West Virginia!

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General Supervision Certification

The General Supervision Certification allows dental hygienists to provide care to patients while the dentist is out of the office for not more than fifteen consecutive days.

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 To apply for this certification, dental hygienists must:

  • Have two years and three thousand hours of clinical dental hygiene experience.

  •  Successfully complete a (3) hour course in the identification and prevention of medical emergencies as part of continuing education credits for licensure every two years.

  • ­Submit the completed application and pay the designated fee.

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 For additional guidelines and information for the General Supervision Certification, please review Section5-13-6 of the 5CSR13 Legislative Rule for Expanded Duties of Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants.

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Public Health Certification

The Public Health Practice Permit allows dental hygienists to practice in a public health environment. Dental hygienists that hold a public health practice permit may practice in the following settings: hospitals, schools, correctional facilities, jails, community clinics, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, home health agencies, group homes, state institutions, and Accredited Dental Hygiene Education programs.

 

To apply for this certification, dental hygienists must:​

  • ­Have two years and three thousand hours of clinical dental hygiene experience. ­

  • Successfully complete a (3) hour course in the identification and prevention of medical emergencies as part of continuing education credits for licensure every two years. ­

  • Successfully complete a (3) hour continuing education course in general public health content.

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­Submit the completed application and pay the designated fee.


Dental Hygienists with a Public Health Practice Permit are also required to submit the West Virginia Board of Dentistry’s Dental Hygiene Care in Public Health Settings Reporting Form with their annual license renewal form.

For additional guidelines and information for the Public Health Practice Permit, please review Section5-13-6.1(b)(2) and 5-13-7.1(d) of the 5CSR13 Legislative Rule for Expanded Duties of Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants.

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  • Link for 5CSR13: 60-17471-55256-2022-05-03-12-58-04-812

  • Link to the West Virginia Board of Dental Examiners Guidelines for Collaborative Agreement for Public Health Practice: Guidelines for Collaborative Agreement.pdf

  • Link to the West Virginia Board of Dentistry’s Dental Hygiene Public Health Practice Permit: DHPublicHealthPracticePermit Application

  • Link to the West Virginia Board of Dentistry’s Dental Hygiene Care in Public Health Settings Reporting Form: DHPublicHealthPraactice Reporting Form

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Image by Dima Solomin

Local Anesthesia Administration Certification

The Local Anesthesia Administration Certification allows dental hygienists to administer infiltration and block anesthesia under the direct supervision of a dentist.

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 To apply for certification, dental hygienists must:

  • Hold a current license to practice dental hygiene in the State of West Virginia.

  • Demonstrate competence to administer local anesthesia by successfully completing a board- approved course consisting of at least 12 hours of didactic instruction and 15 hours of clinical application.

  • Upon completion of the application process and within 12 months of coursework, the applicant must pass a written examination provided by the Council on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA) or equivalent state or regional examination with a minimum score of seventy-five (75%).

  • Provide proof of current certification in health care provider CPR through the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.

  • Submit an application to the Board for approval to administer local and block anesthesia and pay the designated fee.

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 For additional information and guidelines, please review the West Virginia Board of Dentistry’s local anesthesia privileges for dental hygienists in West Virginia document.

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Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Certification

The Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Certification allows dental hygienists to visually monitor nitrous analgesia under the direct supervision of a dentist.

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To apply for certification, dental hygienists must:

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  • Demonstrate competence in monitoring nitrous oxide analgesia by successfully completing a board-approved course consisting of at least 2 hours of didactic instruction and passing an examination with a 75%.

  • Provide proof of current certification in health care provider CPR through the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.

  • Submit an application to the Board for approval to monitor nitrous oxide and pay the designated fee.

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 For additional information about the Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Certification, please review the West Virginia Board of Dentistry’s guidance document.

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  • Link to the West Virginia Board of Dentistry’s Monitoring Nitrous Oxide Analgesia for Dental Hygienists/ Dental Assistants in West Virginia: Nitrous2022.pdf

  • Link to the West Virginia Board of Dentistry’s Application for Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Certificate: NitrousOxideMonitoringApp2022.pdf

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Non-Surgical Periodontal Laser Therapy

Certification for the use of Non-Surgical Periodontal Laser Therapy allows the dental hygienist use of a laser, provided the wavelength is limited to no higher than 1064 nanometers, for laser bacterial reduction, laser assisted periodontal therapy, other non-surgical periodontal therapeutic treatments, photobiomodulation (adjunctive low level laser therapy) and treatment of herpetic lesions and aphthous ulcers after successful completion of a board-approved course and under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist.

 

To apply for this certification, dental hygienists must:

  • Hold a current license to practice dental hygiene in the State of West Virginia.

  • Successfully complete a WV Board of Dentistry sanctioned course in non-surgical periodontal laser therapy for hygienists.

  • Complete the application and pay the designated fee.

 

  • Link to West Virginia Board of Dental Examiners position statement concerning the use of lasers: laserstatementamended72022.pdf

  • Link to the West Virginia Board of Dentistry’s Application for Dental Hygienist Non-Surgical Periodontal Laser Therapy: NonSurgicalLTA82023.pdf

ctts section

Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS)

Equip Yourself to Help Patients Quit for Good

A Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS) is a professional trained to help individuals quit tobacco use. In West Virginia, like elsewhere, these specialists have specific training and certification to provide effective treatment for nicotine dependence. They use research-backed methods to assist people in stopping smoking or using other tobacco and nicotine products. 

“WV Dental Hygienists’ Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS) Credentials:Tobacco Use Disorder is a chronic, relapsing disease which is the leading cause of preventabledeath in the world. Tobacco use is directly related to increased risk of carious lesions, oralcancer and the severity of periodontitis. Clinicians identify insufficient training regarding thehealth impact of tobacco use, pharmacological & behavioral tobacco use disorder treatmentapproaches, and the effectiveness of tobacco treatment as a roadblock to providing tobacco usedisorder cessation services to their clients.The West Virginia University School of Dentistry’s Certified Tobacco Treatment TrainingProgram is an online, self-paced learning platform offering twenty-four continuing educationhours and a Tobacco Treatment Specialist Certificate / CTTS credential. Participants learn toapply evidence-based tobacco cessation strategies with their patients with tobacco use disorder.Tobacco Treatment Specialists target nicotine addiction levels to provide effective, evidence-based pharmacotherapy and counseling. This tailored approach is proven to increase health careproviders’ tobacco treatment knowledge, confidence, and skill to derive greater tobacco usedisorder abstinence rates when compared to traditional methods.”

 

M. Suann Gaydos, RDH, MSDH, NCTTP

Professor & Director, WVU School of Dentistry’s Certified Tobacco Treatment Training Program

West Virginia University, School of Dentistry

Department of Public Health and Professional Practice and Dental Hygiene

Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC)

Connecting Communities to Care

A Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC) in West Virginia is a trained oral health professional who works within communities to improve access to dental care and promote oral health education. They act as a bridge between individuals and the dental healthcare system, helping people overcome barriers to care and navigate the system to receive necessary services. 

West Virginia Oral Health Coalition (WVOHC): The WVOHC works to improve oral health across the state, including supporting the CDHC workforce. 

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Marshall University's Community Oral Health Team: The team includes CDHCs and works to improve oral health in the community. 

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West Virginia University's Department of Dental Hygiene: Offers courses and resources related to CDHCs. 

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Dental Hygiene Workforce Resources: documents that provide state-by-state comparisons of Dental Hygiene Practice and national efforts to improve the dental hygiene workforce.

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