ARSD 20:43:08:02. Dental assistant -- Duties

Subject to the supervising dentist exercising full responsibility, a dental assistant may perform duties or procedures incidental to patient care, including intraoral services or assisting in the performance of clinical or clinical-related duties, if the duties or procedures are performed under direct or indirect supervision of a dentist or personal supervision of a dental hygienist. Subject to the supervising dentist exercising full responsibility, a dental assistant may perform the following duties or procedures if the supervising dentist is not present in the dental clinic, but has prior knowledge of and has authorized the performance: (1) Making impressions or obtaining digital records for casts and appliances; (2) Creating or delivering vacuum-formed orthodontic retainers; (3) Taking photographs extraorally or intraorally; (4) Cutting long or broken wires; (5) Removing loose bands, clasps, or brackets on orthodontic appliances or retainers; (6) Removing and replacing existing ligature ties and arch wires on orthodontic appliances; (7) Removing existing and replacing lost or missing elastic orthodontic separators; (8) Recementing existing provisional restorations; (9) Manipulating dental software for designing restorations; (10) Duties or procedures that involve infection control; and (11) Taking vital signs and updating health history.