To enact section 4715.231 of the Revised Code to allow a dental hygienist under the supervision of a dentist to administer local anesthesia to a patient.

Section 1. That section 4715.231 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 4715.231. (A) Under the direct supervision of a dentist, a dental hygienist may administer intraoral, block, and infiltration anesthesia to a patient if the dental hygienist is in compliance with division (C) of this section and has done both of the following:

(1) Successfully completed a course in the administration of local anesthesia offered by a dental or dental hygiene program that is accredited by the commission on dental accreditation of the American dental association and approved by the state dental board;

(2) Within eighteen months of completion of the anesthesia course, successfully passed a state or regional written examination on local anesthesia approved by the board.

(B) To be approved by the board, a local anesthesia administration course must contain not less than fifteen hours of didactic instruction and not less than fourteen hours of clinical experience and include instruction on each of the following subjects:

(1) Theory of pain control;

(2) Selection of pain control modalities;

(3) Anatomy;

(4) Neurophysiology;

(5) Pharmacology of local anesthetics;

(6) Pharmacology of vasoconstrictors;

(7) Psychological aspects of pain control;

(8) Systemic complications;

(9) Techniques of maxillary and mandibular anesthesia;

(10) Infection control;

(11) Local anesthesia medical emergencies.

(C) A dental hygienist may administer local anesthesia only if the dental hygienist has obtained current certification to perform basic cardiac life-support procedures as required by section 4715.251 of the Revised Code.