Which task is explicitly allowed for expanded duty dental assistants?

Which task is explicitly allowed for expanded duty dental assistants?

• A. Performing oral cleanings
• B. Performing oral inspections with a mirror
• C. Diagnosing periodontal disease
• D. Administering sedation

Answer: (B)

Expanded-duty dental assistants are authorized to perform limited, predefined tasks that support the dentist and do not involve making diagnoses or performing full procedures. One explicitly allowed task is conducting an oral screening with a mouth mirror to look for obvious problems. This is a screening activity, not a diagnostic or treatment procedure, and it can be performed under the dentist’s supervision with proper training and protocols. The other tasks go beyond the expanded scope: performing oral cleanings is a procedure typically reserved for a licensed dental hygienist or dentist; diagnosing periodontal disease requires professional diagnosis by a licensed clinician; and administering sedation involves controlled anesthesia practice that requires specialized credentials and supervision.

Expanded-duty dental assistants are authorized to perform limited, predefined tasks that support the dentist and do not involve making diagnoses or performing full procedures. One explicitly allowed task is conducting an oral screening with a mouth mirror to look for obvious problems. This is a screening activity, not a diagnostic or treatment procedure, and it can be performed under the dentist’s supervision with proper training and protocols.

The other tasks go beyond the expanded scope: performing oral cleanings is a procedure typically reserved for a licensed dental hygienist or dentist; diagnosing periodontal disease requires professional diagnosis by a licensed clinician; and administering sedation involves controlled anesthesia practice that requires specialized credentials and supervision.