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Can dental assistant remove permenant crown in California?

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My friend just had some dental crowns redone, the dentist had the dental assistant doing most of the work, she had to sit in the dental chair for like 4 hours with dentist only doing the anesthetic while the dental assistant was removing the permant crown and putting on the temporary crown for nearly all of the 4 hours.

Dentist says DA has extended function 2 and is allowed to remove dental crowns under dentist supervision.

It's a small office, for a while two assistant were there doing the dental work while the dentist is at the front answering the phone.

Is that legal in california?
 
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quincy

Senior Member
My friend just had some dental crowns redone, the dentist had the dental assistant doing most of the work, she had to sit in the dental chair for like 4 hours with dentist only doing the anesthetic while the dental assistant was removing the permant crown and putting on the temporary crown for nearly all of the 4 hours.

Dentist says DA has extended function 2 and is allowed to remove dental crowns under dentist supervision.

It's a small office, for a while two assistant were there doing the dental work while the dentist is at the front answering the phone.

Is that legal in california?
A dental assistant must have either general supervision (which does not require the dentist's physical presence) or direct supervision (where the dentist's physical presence is required).

Here is a link to California's Business and Professional Code, Sections 1740-1777, which states what a dental assistant can and cannot do without direct supervision.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=bpc&group=01001-02000&file=1740-1777
 
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Thanks for the link. I do not see anywhere it says RDA can remove permanent crowns though..

Also dentist was having assistant doing most of the work over the span of 3-4 hours. on a major restorative work like this, I think it shows bad judgement at the least.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Thanks for the link. I do not see anywhere it says RDA can remove permanent crowns though..

Also dentist was having assistant doing most of the work over the span of 3-4 hours. on a major restorative work like this, I think it shows bad judgement at the least.
Is there a problem with the work?
 

quincy

Senior Member
Thanks for the link. I do not see anywhere it says RDA can remove permanent crowns though..

Also dentist was having assistant doing most of the work over the span of 3-4 hours. on a major restorative work like this, I think it shows bad judgement at the least.
Your dentist said that your dental assistant was a registered dental assistant in extended functions (RDAEF). RDAEFs have completed "post-licensure clinical and didactic training." This is covered under Section 1753 of the Business and Professional Code.

I wonder, as Zigner does, why you have questions on this. Is there a problem with the work that was done?
 
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Your dentist said that your dental assistant was a registered dental assistant in extended functions (RDAEF). RDAEFs have completed "post-licensure clinical and didactic training." This is covered under Section 1753 of the Business and Professional Code.

I wonder, as Zigner does, why you have questions on this. Is there a problem with the work that was done?
Yes there were several issues:

1) the RDA was hitting on her tooth with some dental instruments using a hammering motion try to get the old crown off and she felt pain on the bone even with anesthetic, she doesn't know if she was suppose to do that, and if that had caused small fracture on the teeth, she may not know until years later when the tooth cracks

2) when the RDA brought the temporary crown back, she had a hard time fitting them on, my friend was complaining she doesn't seem to know what she was doing.


3) total hour of 3-4 hours in a dental chair seem very long for removing 4 crowns and put one 4 temporaries.

You will have to put yourself in her shoe, imaging sitting in a dentist chair for 3 hours, the dentist is working on another patient or answering phone at front sometimes, while the RDA is hammering your teeth.. wouldn't you wonder?? would you be happy if you were in that situation?

And in terms of what problem it caused, most of these you wouldn't even know.. for example what she did might crack the tooth, or she might be taking away too much tooth structure after removing the crown, which might cause problems down the road..I believe in most states DAs cannot remove permenant restorations.

That's why there are strict guidelines, because you don't really want to pay the dentist $4000 and have him sit at the front anwwerng the phone while the DA work on your teeth. The 3-4 hour of pain and stress is minor compare to some potential permenant damage caused by sub quality work, which unfortunately patient may not be aware at the moment.
 
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In other words, there was nothing done wrong (at this point.)
There is nothing wrong we know of at the moment.

my question is if it's legal for RDA to do what she did, and what supervision is required from dentist.

Do you want someone without proper training or not legally allowed to work on your teeth even if the result appears normal?
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
There is nothing wrong we know of at the moment.

my question is if it's legal for RDA to do what she did, and what supervision is required from dentist.

Do you want someone without proper training or not legally allowed to work on your teeth even if the result appears normal?
That question was answered above. It appears that the dentist properly supervised this procedure. Feel free to have your girlfriend consult with another dentists and/or an attorney about this matter if she wishes.
 

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