(a) A dental hygienist may provide, for not more than fifteen (15) consecutive business days or not      
more than three (3) consecutive weeks, preventive dental hygiene services to patients when the    
supervising dentist is not physically present at the location at which the services are provided if all 
of the following requirements are met;

(1) The dental hygienist shall apply to the Board of Denistry for a general supervision     
permit. The application will be submitted on a form to be supplied by the Board. The application 
fee shall be equal to the fees charged for expanded duties certificates.

(2) The dental hygienist shall have two (2) years and three thousand (3,000) hours of clinical dental    
hygiene experience.

(3) The dental hygienist shall provide proof of successful completion of a three (3) hour course in the     
identification and prevention of medical emergencies as part of continuing education credits for 
licensure every two years.

(4) The supervising dentist shall have examined the patient, including medical history review,    
diagnosis and treatment planning, not more than twelve months prior to the date the dental   
hygienist provides the dental hygiene services to the patient. No patient may be treated two (2) 
consecutive times by a dental hygienist under general supervision without a licensed dentist   
conducting an examination.

(5) The dental hygienist shall comply with written protocols or written standing orders established   
by the supervising dentist, including an updated medical history, informs the patient or parent or 
guardian of a child and documents in the patient record that dental hygiene services were    
provided under general supervision.

(6) The dental hygienist shall consult with the supervising dentist or an attending physician if a 
significant change has occurred in the patient’s medical history to determine that the patient is in 
a medically stable condition prior to receiving dental hygiene services.

(7) The supervising dentist shall not have more than three (3) dental hygienists treating patients 
under general supervision in dental offices or treatment facilities at any one time when the   
dentist is not physically present.

(b) The dental hygienist may practice under general supervision, consistent with conditions outlined 
above, in the following settings; private dental offices, hospitals, schools, correctional facilities,   
correctional facilities, jails, community clinics, long term care facilities, nursing homes, home 
health agencies, group homes, state institutions under the Department of Health and Human 
Resources, public health facilities, homebound settings and Accredited Dental Hygiene Education  
programs.

(1) Facilities utilized for oral prophylaxis, sealant placement, or both, shall have adequate lighting, 
suction and isolation of teeth.

(2) The dental hygienist shall submit an annual report to the West Virginia Board of Denistry of 
services rendered while practicing under general supervision in all settings other than a private dental 
office or Accredited Dental Hygiene Education program. The supervising dentist shall review and 
sign this report.

(3) All applications and reporting forms shall be provided by the West Virginia Board of Dentistry.

(c) The following procedures may be performed by a dental hygienist when practicing under general   
supervision;

(1) Placing, exposing, developing, and mounting dental radiographs;

(2) Charting existing restorations and missing teeth;

(3) Taking impressions for study cast and pouring models;

(4) Recording medical and dental histories;

(5) Applying topical anesthetic agents;

(6) Applying topical anticariogenic agents;

(7) Applying pit and fissure sealants following diagnosis within four (4) months by the supervising 
dentist;

(8) Checking for and removal of loose orthodontic bands and loose brackets;

(9) Taking intra- and extra-oral photographs;

(10) Complete dental prophylaxis, which may include supra- and subgingival scaling of teeth and 
polishing of coronal and/or exposed surfaces of teeth;

(11) Dental health education;

(12) Nutritional counseling;

(13) Examining and recording periodontal findings;

(14) Scaling excessive cement from the surfaces of teeth and restorations;

(15) Performing clinical examinations and diagnostic tests of teeth and surrounding tissues, including but not limited to restorative chartings, caries activity test, cytology

10.4. Criteria.

(a) The Board shall not give continuing education credit for identical courses taken during the same 
continuing education reporting period.

(b) The Board shall give one hour of credit for each hour of attendance and an hour of
attendance is defined as fifty (50) minutes.

(c) At least two (2) hours of continuing education shall be related to any one or combination of the    
following subjects during each continuing education reporting period:

(1) infection control and/or occupational hazards;

(2) oral effects of tobacco use; or

(3) oral effects of substance abuse.

(d) A current certification for a comprehensive basic life support course for a health care provider that   
includes: resuscitation on an adult, child, and infant; two-person rescuer; barrier mask or bag for 
ventilation; foreign body airway obstruction; and automated external defibrillation. A CPR 
certificate shall be obtained through the American Heart Association health care provider course, the 
American Red Cross professional rescuer course, or an equivalent course. Certification shall be 
required each continuing education period, and such certification may be counted as continuing 
education credits.

(e) Courses or re-certifications completed on the Internet will not be accepted for basic life support 
courses unless the course includes a skills examination with a certified instructor.

(f) Continuing education hours or other education requirements required by board consent decrees or  
orders shall not be used to satisfy continuing education requirements for license renewal.

For more information go to: http://www.wvdentalboard.org/