A dental assistant in South Carolina CAN do the following under direct supervision of the supervising dentist:
– A dental assistant in South Carolina can provide support to a dentist under the supervision of a properly licensed dentist.
– There are x-ray licensing requirements in South Carolina for dental assistants. These are (from the Dental Assisting National Board website):
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Diploma from a CODA-accredited dental assisting program, or DANB CDA certification or the DANB RHS certificate of competency, or Certificate in radiation safety from the South Carolina Dental Association (SCDA), or Certificate documenting completion of a structured course of training in radiation safety (accepted courses include but are not limited to radiation safety training through a technical school).
– Chart and inspect the mouth and teeth.
– Apply fluoride topically.
– Place a rubber dam.
– Take blood pressure, temperature and pulse.
– Give oral hygiene instructions.
A dental assistant in South Carolina CANNOT do the following:
– Remove stains and deposits from teeth (clean teeth).
– Place sealants on the teeth.
– Apply stainless steel crowns or fillings
– Repair or fill cavities.
– Give or administer anesthetics (shots).
– Any other activities or duties of dentistry that are specifically limited to dentists or dental hygenists.
South Carolina also offers a certificate in expanded duty dental assisting. For more information on the requirements, visit the South Carolina Board of Dentistry.
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