Administration of Local Infiltration Anesthesia

Who can perform this function?

A licensed hygienist who works under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist and holds a current local infiltration anesthesia certificate in accordance with board rule 115.10.

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Requirements for Initial Certification

To receive a dental hygiene local infiltration anesthesia certificate from the Board, a dental hygienist must:

(1) submit a completed application and application fee,

(2) submit proof of the successful completion of a current course in Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers;

(3) submit proof to the Board that he or she has fulfilled at least one of the following qualifications:

• completed a minimum of 12 hours of clinical and 20 hours of didactic education in the administration of local infiltration anesthesia taken in a classroom setting at an educational institution accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (CODA).

• during the preceding year of initial application, was authorized to administer a local anesthetic agent by:

  • a branch of the United States armed forces; or

  • another state with clinical and didactic requirements substantially equivalent to the requirements of a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program, and have practiced for a minimum of three out of five years immediately preceding application to the Board; or

• successful completion of a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program.

(4) have passed a Board-approved certification examination relating to the administration of a local anesthetic agent. A “Board-approved certification examination” means an examination provided by a CODA-accredited course.

Questions regarding this application process may be directed to anesthesiainfo@tsbde.texas.gov.

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This information was obtained from the TSBDE website. For more information please visit the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners.