(1) A person is
practicing dentistry if the person:
(a) Performs or attempts or professes to perform any dental operation, oral
surgery, or dental diagnostic or therapeutic services of any kind;
(b) Is a proprietor of a place where dental operation, oral surgery, or dental
diagnostic or therapeutic services are performed;
(c) Directly or indirectly, by any means or method, takes a physical or digital
impression or scan of the human tooth, teeth, jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent
and associated structures; performs any phase of any operation incident to the
replacement of a part of a tooth; or supplies artificial substitutes for the natural
teeth, jaws, or adjacent and associated structures;
(d) Furnishes, supplies, constructs, reproduces, or repairs a prosthetic
denture, bridge, appliance, or other structure to be worn in the human mouth or
upon the jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent and associated structures other than
on the dental laboratory work order of a duly licensed and practicing dentist;
(e) Places an appliance or structure described in subsection (1)(d) of this
section in the human mouth;
(f) Adjusts or attempts or professes to adjust an appliance or structure
described in subsection (1)(d) of this section;
(g) Delivers an appliance or structure described in subsection (1)(d) of this
section to any person other than the dentist upon whose laboratory work order the
work was performed;
(h) Professes to the public by any method to furnish, supply, construct,
reproduce, or repair any prosthetic denture, bridge, appliance, or other structure to
be worn in the human mouth or upon the jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent and
associated structures;
(i) Examines, diagnoses, plans treatment of, or treats natural or artificial
structures or conditions associated with, adjacent to, or functionally related to the
oral cavity, jaws, maxillofacial area, or adjacent and associated structures and their
impact on the human body;
(j) Extracts or attempts to extract human teeth or corrects, or attempts to
correct, malformations of human teeth or jaws;
(k) Repairs or fills cavities in human teeth;
(l) Prescribes ionizing radiation or the use of an X ray for the purpose of
taking dental X rays;
(m) Gives or professes to give interpretations or readings of dental X rays,
CT scans, or other diagnostic methodologies;
(n) Represents themself to an individual or the general public as practicing
dentistry by using the words dentist or dental surgeon or by using the letters
D.D.S., D.M.D., D.D.S./M.D., or D.M.D./M.D.;
(o) States, permits to be stated, or professes by any means or method
whatsoever that the person can perform or will attempt to perform dental
operations or render a diagnosis connected with dental operations;
(p) Prescribes drugs or medications and administers local anesthesia,
analgesia including nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation, medication prescribed or
administered for the relief of anxiety or apprehension, minimal sedation, moderate
sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia as necessary for the proper practice
of dentistry;
(q) Prescribes, induces, and sets dosage levels for inhalation anesthesia;
except that nothing in this subsection (1)(q) prohibits the delegation of monitoring
and administration to dental hygienists and appropriately trained unlicensed
personnel in accordance with this article 220 and rules of the board, including
requiring training;
(r) Gives or professes to give interpretations or readings of dental charts or
records or gives treatment plans or interpretations of treatment plans derived from
examinations, patient records, or dental X rays; except that nothing in this
subsection (1)(r) prohibits a dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant
from performing tasks and procedures consistent with sections 12-220-501 (2.5)
and (3), 12-220-503, 12-220-504, and 12-220-508;
(s) Maintains patient clinical records, dental charts, images, treatment plans,
interpretations, or other documentation, except when undergoing a transition in
practice ownership as permitted in section 12-220-303 (2);
(t) (I) Pursuant to rules adopted by the board, orders and administers
immunizations to patients six years of age or older. The board shall adopt rules
regarding delegation of immunization administration by a licensed dentist to a
dental therapist or dental hygienist and may adopt rules specifying the minimum
training requirements for dentists to administer immunizations.
(II) A dentist who administers immunizations shall:
(A) Not provide medical or nonmedical exemptions for any required
immunizations;
(B) Enter all immunization-related administration information into the
Colorado immunization information system created pursuant to part 24 of article 4
of title 25;
(C) Disclose their medical training related to pediatric administration,
including the ability to manage side effects or adverse outcomes, to patients as
part of the patient consent process;
(D) Administer only respiratory and oral health, including human
papillomavirus, immunizations; and
(E) Distribute immunization educational materials and recommendations
developed by the department of public health and environment to their patients.
(u) Orders and administers neuromodulators and dermal fillers to dental
patients of record for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes pursuant to rules adopted
by the board regarding required training, ongoing competency, record keeping, and
delegation to dental hygienists.
(2) This section does not prohibit:
(a) A dental assistant from performing tasks and procedures consistent with
section 12-220-501 and in accordance with rules adopted by the board;
(b) A dental hygienist from performing tasks and procedures consistent with
sections 12-220-501, 12-220-503, and 12-220-504 and in accordance with rules
adopted by the board; or
(c) A dental therapist from performing tasks and procedures consistent with
sections 12-220-501 and 12-220-508 and in accordance with rules adopted by the
board.
(3) A provider performing itinerant surgery shall develop and maintain a
written protocol for emergency follow-up care with appropriately trained
practitioners for all patients treated. The plan shall be provided to each patient
undergoing treatment and must be available immediately at the request of the
board. The written protocol must include a provision that requires the provider to
include in a plan of care follow-up treatment in a permanently established
treatment facility within a reasonable proximity of the location where itinerant
surgical treatment was performed. This follow-up treatment shall be provided by
the itinerant surgical treatment operator or an appropriately trained practitioner
who has agreed in writing to participate in the emergency follow-up care plan for
the itinerant surgical treatment operator. The appropriately trained practitioner
must be available when the itinerant surgical operator is not available.