22 TAC § 115.1. Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) Dental Hygienist--One who possesses the qualifications prescribed by the laws of this state and who possesses a valid certificate and current registration receipt issued by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to so practice.

(2) Irreversible--an act that is "irreversible" is not capable of being reversed or corrected.

(3) Root Planing--A definitive treatment procedure designed to remove cementum or surface dentin that is rough, impregnated with calculus, or contaminated with toxins or microorganisms.

(4) Scaling--Instrumentation of the crown and root surfaces of the teeth to remove plaque and calculus from these surfaces.

(5) Supervising Dentist--The term "supervising dentist" as used in these rules relating to the practice of dental hygiene, shall mean a dentist licensed by the State Board of Dental Examiners, who is responsible for monitoring the services to be performed by the dental hygienist. The supervising dentist must have and maintain a doctor patient relationship with any patient to whom any dental hygienist under his or her supervision provides services.

(6) General Supervision--In this section, "general supervision" means supervision of a dental hygienist by a supervising dentist, where the dentist may or may not be present on the premises when the dental hygienist performs the dental hygiene procedures.

(7) Direct Supervision--In this section, "direct supervision" means that the supervising dentist responsible for the procedure shall be present on the premises during patient care and shall be aware of the patient's physical status and well being.