Dental Regulations (Practice of Veterinary Medicine Defined)

Regulations Regarding Who Can Perform Dental Procedures

2037. Dental Operation, Defined.

The term "dental operation" as used in Business and Professions Code section 4826 means:

(1) The application or use of any instrument or device to any portion of an animal's tooth, gum or any related tissue for the prevention, cure or relief of any wound, fracture, injury or disease of an animal's tooth, gum or related tissue; and

(2) Preventive dental procedures including, but not limited to, the removal of calculus, soft deposits, plaque, stains or the smoothing, filing or polishing of tooth surfaces.

(3) Nothing in this regulation shall prohibit, however, any person from utilizing cotton swabs, gauze, dental floss, dentifrice, toothbrushes or similar items to clean an animal's teeth.

NOTE Authority cited:

Section 4808, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4826, Business and Professions Code.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 4-2-90; operative 5-2-90 (Register 90, No. 14).

Section 4826, Business and Professions Code. Practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry, Defined.

Any person practices veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry, and the various branches thereof, when he or she does any one of the following:

(a) Represents himself or herself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, veterinary surgery, or veterinary dentistry in any of its branches.

(b) Diagnoses or prescribes a drug, medicine, appliance, application, or treatment of whatever nature for the prevention, cure or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or disease of animals.

(c) Administers a drug, medicine, appliance, application, or treatment of whatever nature for the prevention, cure, or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or disease of animals, except where the drug, medicine, appliance, application, or treatment is administered by a registered veterinary technician or an unregistered assistant at the direction of and under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian subject to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 4832). However, no person, other than a licensed veterinarian, may induce anesthesia unless authorized by regulation of the board.

(d) Performs a surgical or dental operation upon an animal.

(e) Performs any manual procedure for the diagnosis of pregnancy, sterility, or infertility upon livestock or Equidae.

(f) Uses any words, letters or titles in such connection or under such circumstances as to induce the belief that the person using them is engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, veterinary surgery, or veterinary dentistry. This use shall be prima facie evidence of the intention to represent himself or herself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, veterinary surgery, or veterinary dentistry.