Research Demonstrates the Safety of Local Anesthesia Administration by Dental Hygienists

By Sean G. Boynes, DMD, MS, Kathy Bassett, RDH, MEd, Royann Royer, CDA, RDH, MPH, Arthur C. DiMarco, DMD, Alicia Johnston, CDA, RDH, MPHD, Suzanne Newkirk, RDH, Meghan R. Bastin, DMD, MPH, Lauren Kuhn Nuth, DMD, MSD, Mel Hawkins, DDS, BScD(AN), FADSA, DADBA and Stanley F. Malamed, DDS
Studies published over the past half-century demonstrate that dental hygienists safely administer local anesthetic injections within the standard of care and provide outcomes similar to or better than dentists or medical providers (Table 1).1–15 In the first pilot program designed to train dental hygienists in expanded functions, complications following anesthesia administration by dental hygienists rarely occurred.16 Of the 19,849 injections administered by dental hygienists, only three cases (0.01%) of transient paresthesia were identified with no reports of severe or permanent complications.16
* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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