Dental Therapists

V.S.A. tit. 26, ch. 12, subch. 3A

in effect

26 V.S.A. § 611 License by examination

611. License by examination (a) Qualifications for examination. To be eligible for examination for licensure as a dental therapist, an applicant shall: (1) have attained the age of majority; (2) be a Vermont-licensed dental hygienist; (3) be a graduate of a dental therapist educational program administered by an institution accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation to train dental therapists; (4) have successfully completed an emergency office procedure course approved by the Board; and (5) pay the application fee set forth in section 662 of this chapter and an examination fee established by the Board by rule. (b) Completion of examination. (1)(A) An applicant for licensure meeting the qualifications for examination set forth in subsection (a) of this section shall pass a comprehensive, competency-based clinical examination approved by the Board and administered independently of an institution providing dental therapist education. (B) An applicant shall also pass an examination testing the applicant’s knowledge of the Vermont statutes and rules relating to the practice of dentistry approved by the Board. (2) An applicant who has failed the clinical examination twice is ineligible to retake the clinical examination until further education and training are obtained as established by the Board by rule. (c) The Board may grant a license to an applicant who has met the requirements of this section. (d) A person licensed as a dental therapist under this section shall not be required to maintain his or her dental hygienist license. Added 2015, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 2016.

26 V.S.A. § 612 License by endorsement

612. License by endorsement (a) The Board may grant a license as a dental therapist to an applicant who: (1) is currently licensed in good standing to practice as a dental therapist in any jurisdiction of the United States or Canada that has licensing requirements deemed by the Board to be at least substantially equivalent to those of this State; (2) has passed an examination testing the applicant’s knowledge of the Vermont statutes and rules relating to the practice of dentistry approved by the Board; (3) has successfully completed an emergency office procedure course approved by the Board; (4) has met active practice requirements and any other requirements established by the Board by rule; and (5) pays the application fee set forth in section 662 of this chapter. (b) [Repealed.] Added 2015, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 2016; amended 2017, No. 48, § 10.

26 V.S.A. § 613 Practice; scope of practice

613. Practice; scope of practice (a) A person who provides oral health care services, including prevention, evaluation, and assessment; education; palliative therapy; and restoration under the general supervision of a dentist within the parameters of a collaborative agreement as provided under section 614 of this subchapter shall be regarded as practicing as a dental therapist within the meaning of this chapter. (b) A dental therapist may perform the following oral health care services: (1) Oral health instruction and disease prevention education, including nutritional counseling and dietary analysis. (2) Periodontal charting, including a periodontal screening examination. (3) Exposing radiographs. (4) Oral evaluation and assessment of dental disease. (5) Dental prophylaxis. (6) Mechanical polishing. (7) Applying topical preventive or prophylactic agents, including fluoride varnishes, antimicrobial agents, and pit and fissure sealants. (8) Pulp vitality testing. (9) Applying desensitizing medication or resin. (10) Fabricating athletic mouthguards. (11) Suture removal. (12) Changing periodontal dressings. (13) Brush biopsies. (14) Administering local anesthetic. (15) Placement of temporary restorations. (16) Interim therapeutic restorations. (17) Placement of temporary and preformed crowns. (18) Emergency palliative treatment of dental pain in accordance with the other requirements of this subsection. (19) Formulating an individualized treatment plan, including services within the dental therapist’s scope of practice and referral for services outside the dental therapist’s scope of practice. (20) Minor repair of defective prosthetic devices. (21) Recementing permanent crowns. (22) Placement and removal of space maintainers. (23) Prescribing, dispensing, and administering analgesics, anti-inflammatories, and antibiotics, except Schedule II, III, or IV controlled substances. (24) Administering nitrous oxide. (25) Fabricating soft occlusal guards, but not for treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders. (26) Tissue conditioning and soft reline. (27) Tooth reimplantation and stabilization. (28) Extractions of primary teeth. (29) Nonsurgical extractions of periodontally diseased permanent teeth with tooth mobility of +3. A dental therapist shall not extract a tooth if it is unerupted, impacted, fractured, or needs to be sectioned for removal. (30) Cavity preparation. (31) Restoring primary and permanent teeth, not including permanent tooth crowns, bridges, veneers, or denture fabrication. (32) Preparation and placement of preformed crowns for primary teeth. (33) Pulpotomies on primary teeth. (34) Indirect and direct pulp capping on primary and permanent teeth. Added 2015, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 2016.

26 V.S.A. § 614 Collaborative agreement

614. Collaborative agreement (a) Before a dental therapist may enter into his or her first collaborative agreement, he or she shall: (1) complete 1,000 hours of direct patient care using dental therapy procedures under the direct supervision of a dentist; and (2) receive a certificate of completion signed by that supervising dentist that verifies the dental therapist completed the hours described in subdivision (1) of this subsection. (b) In order to practice as a dental therapist, a dental therapist shall enter into a written collaborative agreement with a dentist. The agreement shall include: (1) practice settings where services may be provided and the populations to be served; (2) any limitations on the services that may be provided by the dental therapist, including the level of supervision required by the supervising dentist; (3) age- and procedure-specific practice protocols, including case selection criteria, assessment guidelines, and imaging frequency; (4) a procedure for creating and maintaining dental records for the patients that are treated by the dental therapist; (5) a plan to manage medical emergencies in each practice setting where the dental therapist provides care; (6) a quality assurance plan for monitoring care provided by the dental therapist, including patient care review, referral follow-up, and a quality assurance chart review; (7) protocols for prescribing, administering, and dispensing medications, including the specific conditions and circumstances under which these medications may be prescribed, dispensed, and administered; (8) criteria relating to the provision of care to patients with specific medical conditions or complex medication histories, including requirements for consultation prior to the initiation of care; (9) criteria for the supervision of dental assistants and dental hygienists; and (10) a plan for the provision of clinical resources and referrals in situations that are beyond the capabilities of the dental therapist. (c)(1) The supervising dentist shall be professionally responsible and legally liable for all services authorized and performed by the dental therapist pursuant to the collaborative agreement. (2) A supervising dentist shall be licensed and practicing in Vermont. (3) A supervising dentist is limited to entering into a collaborative agreement with no more than two dental therapists at any one time. (d)(1) A collaborative agreement shall be signed and maintained by the supervising dentist and the dental therapist. (2) A collaborative agreement shall be reviewed, updated, and submitted to the Board on an annual basis and as soon as a change is made to the agreement. (e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a dentist to enter into a collaborative agreement with a dental therapist. Added 2015, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 2016.

26 V.S.A. § 615 Application of other laws

615. Application of other laws (a) A dental therapist authorized to practice under this chapter shall not be in violation of section 562 of this chapter as it relates to the unauthorized practice of dentistry if the practice is authorized under this chapter and under the collaborative agreement. (b) A dentist who permits a dental therapist to perform a dental service other than those authorized under this chapter or any dental therapist who performs an unauthorized service shall be in violation of section 584 of this chapter. Added 2015, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 2016.

26 V.S.A. § 616 Use of dental hygienists and dental assistants

616. Use of dental hygienists and dental assistants (a) A dental therapist may supervise dental assistants and dental hygienists directly to the extent permitted in the collaborative agreement. (b) At any one practice setting, a dental therapist may have under his or her direct supervision no more than a total of two assistants or hygienists or a combination thereof. Added 2015, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 2016.

26 V.S.A. § 617 Referrals

617. Referrals (a) The supervising dentist shall refer patients to another dentist or specialist to provide any necessary services needed by a patient that are beyond the scope of practice of the dental therapist and which the supervising dentist is unable to provide. (b) A dental therapist, in accordance with the collaborative agreement, shall refer patients to another qualified dental or health care professional to receive any needed services that exceed the scope of practice of the dental therapist. Added 2015, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 2016.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/26/012Fetched: 10/21/2026