A dental hygienist under the direct supervision of a dentist may administer local anesthesia, including intraoral block anesthesia, soft tissue infiltration anesthesia, or both, to a nonsedated patient who is 18 years of age or older, if the following criteria are met:
The dental hygienist has successfully completed a course in the administration of local anesthesia which is offered by a dental or dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or approved by the board. The course must include a minimum of 30 hours of didactic instruction and 30 hours of clinical experience, and instruction in areas as stated in subsection (5) of s. 466.017, F.S.
Any dental hygienist seeking a certificate to administer local anesthesia must apply to the department, remit a one-time application fee of $35.00 and submit proof of successful completion of a course in the administration of local anesthesia pursuant to Florida statutes and evidence of current certification in basic or advanced cardiac life support. The board shall certify, and the department shall issue a certificate to any dental hygienist who fulfills the qualifications of subsection (5) of s. 466.017, F.S. The certificate is not subject to renewal but is part of the dental hygienist’s permanent record and must be prominently displayed at the location where the dental hygienist is authorized to administer local anesthesia.
