Exemptions from chapter.
RCW 18.32.030
in effectThe following practices, acts, and operations are excepted from the operation of the provisions of this chapter: (1) The rendering of dental relief in emergency cases in the practice of his or her profession by a physician or surgeon, licensed as such and registered under the laws of this state, unless the physician or surgeon undertakes to or does reproduce lost parts of the human teeth in the mouth or to restore or to replace in the human mouth lost or missing teeth; (2) The practice of dentistry in the discharge of official duties by dentists in the United States federal services on federal reservations, including but not limited to the armed services, coast guard, public health service, veterans' bureau, or bureau of Indian affairs; (3) Dental schools or colleges approved under RCW 18.32.040 , and the practice of dentistry by students in accredited dental schools or colleges approved by the commission, when acting under the direction and supervision of Washington state-licensed dental school faculty; (4) The practice of dentistry by licensed dentists of other states or countries while appearing as clinicians at meetings of the Washington state dental association, or component parts thereof, or at meetings sanctioned by them, or other groups approved by the commission; (5) The use of roentgen and other rays for making radiographs or similar records of dental or oral tissues, under the supervision of a licensed dentist or physician; (6) The making, repairing, altering, or supplying of artificial restorations, substitutions, appliances, or materials for the correction of disease, loss, deformity, malposition, dislocation, fracture, injury to the jaws, teeth, lips, gums, cheeks, palate, or associated tissues or parts; providing the same are made, repaired, altered, or supplied pursuant to the written instructions and order of a licensed dentist which may be accompanied by casts, models, or impressions furnished by the dentist, and the prescriptions shall be retained and filed for a period of not less than three years and shall be available to and subject to the examination of the secretary or the secretary's authorized representatives; (7) The removal of deposits and stains from the surfaces of the teeth, the application of topical preventative or prophylactic agents, and the polishing and smoothing of restorations, when performed or prescribed by a dental hygienist licensed under the laws of this state; (8) A qualified and licensed physician and surgeon or osteopathic physician and surgeon extracting teeth or performing oral surgery pursuant to the scope of practice under chapter 18.71 or 18.57 RCW; (9) The performing of dental operations or services by registered dental assistants and licensed expanded function dental auxiliaries holding a credential issued under chapter 18.260 RCW when performed under the supervision of a licensed dentist, by dental therapists licensed under chapter 18.265 RCW, or by other persons not licensed under this chapter if the person is licensed pursuant to chapter 18.29 , 18.57, 18.71, or 18.79 RCW as it applies to registered nurses and *advanced registered nurse practitioners, each while acting within the scope of the person's permitted practice under the person's license: PROVIDED HOWEVER, That such persons shall in no event perform the following dental operations or services unless permitted to be performed by the person under this chapter or chapters 18.29 , 18.57, 18.71, 18.79 as it applies to registered nurses and *advanced registered nurse practitioners, and 18.260 RCW: (a) Any removal of or addition to the hard or soft tissue of the oral cavity; (b) Any diagnosis of or prescription for treatment of disease, pain, deformity, deficiency, injury, or physical condition of the human teeth or jaws, or adjacent structure; (c) Any administration of general or injected local anaesthetic of any nature in connection with a dental operation, including intravenous sedation; (d) Any oral prophylaxis; (e) The taking of any impressions of the teeth or jaw or the relationships of the teeth or jaws, for the purpose of fabricating any intra-oral restoration, appliance, or prosthesis; (10) The performing of dental services described in RCW 18.350.040 by dental anesthesia assistants certified under chapter 18.350 RCW when working under the supervision and direction of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or dental anesthesiologist; and (11) The performance of dental health aide therapist services to the extent authorized under chapter 70.350 RCW.
The following practices, acts, and operations are excepted from the operation of the provisions of this chapter:
(1) The rendering of dental relief in emergency cases in the practice of his or her profession by a physician or surgeon, licensed as such and registered under the laws of this state, unless the physician or surgeon undertakes to or does reproduce lost parts of the human teeth in the mouth or to restore or to replace in the human mouth lost or missing teeth;
(2) The practice of dentistry in the discharge of official duties by dentists in the United States federal services on federal reservations, including but not limited to the armed services, coast guard, public health service, veterans' bureau, or bureau of Indian affairs;
(3) Dental schools or colleges approved under RCW 18.32.040 , and the practice of dentistry by students in accredited dental schools or colleges approved by the commission, when acting under the direction and supervision of Washington state-licensed dental school faculty;
(4) The practice of dentistry by licensed dentists of other states or countries while appearing as clinicians at meetings of the Washington state dental association, or component parts thereof, or at meetings sanctioned by them, or other groups approved by the commission;
(5) The use of roentgen and other rays for making radiographs or similar records of dental or oral tissues, under the supervision of a licensed dentist or physician;
(6) The making, repairing, altering, or supplying of artificial restorations, substitutions, appliances, or materials for the correction of disease, loss, deformity, malposition, dislocation, fracture, injury to the jaws, teeth, lips, gums, cheeks, palate, or associated tissues or parts; providing the same are made, repaired, altered, or supplied pursuant to the written instructions and order of a licensed dentist which may be accompanied by casts, models, or impressions furnished by the dentist, and the prescriptions shall be retained and filed for a period of not less than three years and shall be available to and subject to the examination of the secretary or the secretary's authorized representatives;
(7) The removal of deposits and stains from the surfaces of the teeth, the application of topical preventative or prophylactic agents, and the polishing and smoothing of restorations, when performed or prescribed by a dental hygienist licensed under the laws of this state;
(8) A qualified and licensed physician and surgeon or osteopathic physician and surgeon extracting teeth or performing oral surgery pursuant to the scope of practice under chapter 18.71 or 18.57 RCW;
(9) The performing of dental operations or services by registered dental assistants and licensed expanded function dental auxiliaries holding a credential issued under chapter 18.260 RCW when performed under the supervision of a licensed dentist, by dental therapists licensed under chapter 18.265 RCW, or by other persons not licensed under this chapter if the person is licensed pursuant to chapter 18.29 , 18.57, 18.71, or 18.79 RCW as it applies to registered nurses and *advanced registered nurse practitioners, each while acting within the scope of the person's permitted practice under the person's license: PROVIDED HOWEVER, That such persons shall in no event perform the following dental operations or services unless permitted to be performed by the person under this chapter or chapters 18.29 , 18.57, 18.71, 18.79 as it applies to registered nurses and *advanced registered nurse practitioners, and 18.260 RCW:
(a) Any removal of or addition to the hard or soft tissue of the oral cavity;
(b) Any diagnosis of or prescription for treatment of disease, pain, deformity, deficiency, injury, or physical condition of the human teeth or jaws, or adjacent structure;
(c) Any administration of general or injected local anaesthetic of any nature in connection with a dental operation, including intravenous sedation;
(d) Any oral prophylaxis;
(e) The taking of any impressions of the teeth or jaw or the relationships of the teeth or jaws, for the purpose of fabricating any intra-oral restoration, appliance, or prosthesis;
(10) The performing of dental services described in RCW 18.350.040 by dental anesthesia assistants certified under chapter 18.350 RCW when working under the supervision and direction of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or dental anesthesiologist; and
(11) The performance of dental health aide therapist services to the extent authorized under chapter 70.350 RCW.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.32&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026