NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 99 — 3 NOVEMBER 2016

Dated this 26th day of October 2016.

A. TIER, Product Group Manager, Blackcurrants NZ Incorporated.

Contact Details: Blackcurrants NZ Incorporated, PO Box 107, Rolleston, Canterbury 7643.

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Notice of Oral Health Therapy Scope of Practice

Pursuant to sections 11 and 12 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, the Dental Council hereby gives notice of the Scope of Practice for Oral Health Therapy, which comes into effect on 1 November 2017.

Scope of Practice for Oral Health Therapy

The scope of practice for oral health therapy is the practice of oral health therapy as set out in the document Detailed Scope of Practice for Oral Health Therapy produced and published from time to time by the Dental Council. Oral health therapy is a part of the practice of dentistry.

Oral health therapists provide oral health assessment, diagnosis, management, treatment and preventive care for patients in accordance with the detailed scope of practice, and commensurate with their approved education, training and competence.

Oral health education, disease prevention and oral health promotion for individuals and communities are core activities, aimed at achieving and maintaining oral health as an integral part of general health.

Oral health therapists practise as part of the dental team and work collaboratively with other oral health practitioners and health practitioners to provide appropriate and comprehensive care to the benefit of patients’ overall health.

Oral health therapists and dentists have a consultative professional relationship. The relationship may be held by the oral health therapist with one dentist or dental specialist, or with a number of dentists/dental specialists. The establishment and maintenance of the consultative professional relationship is required for the practice of oral health therapy.

Practitioners within the consultative professional relationship are jointly responsible and accountable for the standard of decisions and care delivered to patients based on professional advice sought and given. Practitioners may wish to jointly develop a document containing agreed processes to support the consultative professional relationship and ensure advice is readily available when needed, however this is not mandatory.

Areas of oral health practice not included in an oral health therapist’s education must not be undertaken unless the practitioner has since completed appropriate further education and practises within the detailed oral health therapy scope of practice and to the standards required by the Council.

Detailed Scope of Practice for Oral Health Therapy

Practised commensurate with the oral health therapist’s approved education, training and competence, oral health therapy involves:

• Obtaining and assessing medical and oral health histories.
• Examining oral tissues and recognising abnormalities.
• Taking and interpreting intra and extra-oral radiographs.
• Taking intra and extra-oral photographs.
• Diagnosing dental caries for patients up to age 18.
• Diagnosing periodontal disease.
• Preparing oral health care plans.
• Consulting with other health practitioners as appropriate.
• Referring as necessary to the appropriate practitioner/agency.
• Obtaining informed consent.
• Providing oral health education, information and counselling to patients.
• Applying and dispensing non-prescription preventive agents.
• Applying and dispensing prescription medicines and preventive agents.
• Applying and dispensing topical agents for the treatment of tooth surface sensitivity and tooth discolouration.

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