Dental therapists: Authorized services; referral of patient to authorizing dentist for certain purposes; supervision of dental assistants and dental hygienists.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 631.3124
in effect1. In accordance with the written practice agreement required pursuant to NRS 631.3122 , a dental therapist may perform the following acts:
(a) Expose radiographs.
(b) Conduct an assessment of the oral health of the patient through medical and dental histories, radiographs, indices, risk assessments and intraoral and extraoral procedures that analyze and identify the oral health needs and problems of the patient.
(c) After conducting an assessment pursuant to paragraph (b), develop a dental hygiene care plan to address the oral health needs and problems of the patient.
(d) Take the following types of impressions:
(1) Those used for the preparation of diagnostic models;
(2) Those used for the fabrication of temporary crowns or bridges; and
(3) Those used for the fabrication of temporary removable appliances, provided no missing teeth are replaced by those appliances.
(e) Remove stains, deposits and accretions, including dental calculus.
(f) Smooth the natural and restored surface of a tooth by using the procedures and instruments commonly used in oral prophylaxis, except that an abrasive stone, disc or bur may be used only to polish a restoration. As used in this paragraph, oral prophylaxis means the preventive dental procedure of scaling and polishing which includes the removal of calculus, soft deposits, plaques and stains and the smoothing of unattached tooth surfaces in order to create an environment in which hard and soft tissues can be maintained in good health by the patient.
(g) Provide dental hygiene care that includes:
(1) Implementation of a dental hygiene care plan to address the oral health needs and problems of patients pursuant to paragraph (c).
(2) Evaluation of oral and periodontal health after the implementation of the dental hygiene care plan described in subparagraph (1) in order to identify the subsequent treatment, continued care and referral needs of the patient.
(h) Perform subgingival curettage.
(i) Remove sutures.
(j) Place and remove a periodontal pack.
(k) Remove excess cement from cemented restorations and orthodontic appliances. A dental therapist may not use a rotary cutting instrument to remove excess cement from restorations or orthodontic appliances.
(l) Train and instruct persons in the techniques of oral hygiene and preventive procedures.
(m) Recement and repair temporary crowns and bridges.
(n) Recement permanent crowns and bridges with nonpermanent material as a palliative treatment.
(o) Place a temporary restoration with nonpermanent material as a palliative treatment.
(p) Administer local intraoral chemotherapeutic agents in any form except aerosol, including, but not limited to:
(1) Antimicrobial agents;
(2) Fluoride preparations;
(3) Topical antibiotics;
(4) Topical anesthetics; and
(5) Topical desensitizing agents.
(q) Apply pit and fissure sealant to the dentition for the prevention of decay.
2. After performing any of the services set forth in subsection 1, the dental therapist shall refer the patient to the authorizing dentist for follow-up care or any necessary additional procedures that the dental therapist is not authorized to perform.
3. A dental therapist may supervise dental assistants and dental hygienists to the extent permitted in a written practice agreement.
Source: NV Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-631.htmlFetched: 10/4/2026