CHAPTER 141. DENTAL SERVICES
GENERAL PROVISIONS Sec.
141.1. Principle.
141.2. Dental director.
141.3. Organization and staffing.
141.4. Special area of dental practices.
141.5. Staffing.
141.6. Scope of services.
FACILITIES
141.11. Facilities and equipment.
141.12. Availability of beds.
POLICIES
141.21. Policies and procedures.
141.22. Medical supervision of dental patients.
141.23. Medical appraisal of dental patients.
141.24. Dental surgical procedures.
141.25. Emergency dental services.
141.26. Patient dental records.Cross References This chapter cited in 55 Pa. Code § 6100.2 (relating to applicability).
GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 141.1. Principle.
When a hospital provides dental services, the services shall be an integral part of comprehensive health care and should be readily available to meet the needs of patients, in accordance with accepted ethical and professional practices.
§ 141.2. Dental director.
In hospitals that provide dental services, there shall be a director of dental services who is a dentist qualified to assume professional, organizational and administrative responsibility, and who serves either full-time or part-time as the activity of the services requires.
§ 141.3. Organization and staffing.
The dental service shall be staffed by a sufficient number of competent personnel, in keeping with the size and scope of dental services of the hospital.
§ 141.4. Special area of dental practices.
In hospitals where dental services are confined largely to one of the special areas of dental practice, the dental services organizational plan may be limited to a section of the department of surgery co-equal with other surgical specialities.
§ 141.5. Staffing.
Each dentist member of the medical staff shall be qualified for membership and for the exercise of the clinical privileges granted to him, in accordance with the medical staff bylaws. The dental service shall be organized to include dentist members of the medical staff. If qualified dental hygienists, dental assistants, or dental laboratory technicians are employed, they shall be recommended by and be under the supervision of the director of dental services.
Cross References This section cited in 28 Pa. Code § 141.23 (relating to medical appraisal of dental patients).
§ 141.6. Scope of services.
(a) If the hospital provides dental services, the dental director shall develop, where appropriate, a comprehensive oral health plan.
(b) The oral health plan should encompass at least the following:
(1) Provision for consultation and treatment in accordance with local needs.
(2) Provision for emergency services.
(3) Provision for oral hygiene, preventative dentistry and pain control.
(4) Provision for coordination of oral health services, facilities and procedures with other services of the hospital.
(5) Provision for a continuing program of professional education.
(6) Provision for audit and utilization review of health care in a manner consistent with policies of the medical staff.
FACILITIES
§ 141.11. Facilities and equipment.
Facilities and supplies for the dental service shall be such as to foster effective and timely patient care. The dental service area shall have adequate space to facilitate effective care of dental patients. Equipment, instruments and supplies in the dental service shall be of the same high quality as is required by generally accepted standards of dental practice.
§ 141.12. Availability of beds.
Hospital beds shall be available to the dental service in the same manner as they are to other services of the hospital.
POLICIES
§ 141.21. Policies and procedures.
Policies and procedures for dental services shall be written and shall be available to medical staff members and nursing personnel.
§ 141.22. Medical supervision of dental patients.
A physician member of the medical staff shall be responsible for the care of any medical problem which may be present or suspected or which may arise during the hospitalization of a dental patient. The dentist shall be responsible for requesting consultation with physician members of the medical staff when medical complications are present or develop during hospitalization of a dental patient.
§ 141.23. Medical appraisal of dental patients.
A patient admitted for dental services shall receive the same basic admission appraisal by a physician member of the medical staff or appropriate house staff as patients admitted for other service in accordance with § § 105.12—105.14 (relating to admission criteria; alternate admissions arrangements; and admission diagnosis). However, oral surgeons who admit patients without known medical problems may perform a complete admission history and physical examination and assess the medical risks of the procedure on the patient if they are qualified to do so. The hospital, if it chooses to permit oral surgeons to perform these services, shall evaluate the qualifications of each oral surgeon as set forth in § 141.5 (relating to staffing).
Authority The provisions of this § 141.23 issued under section 2102(g) of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 532(g)); and section 803 of the Health Care Facilities Act (35 P. S. § 448.803).
Source The provisions of this § 141.23 amended through December 3, 1982, effective December 4, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 4129. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (37916).
§ 141.24. Dental surgical procedures.
The scope and extent of surgical procedures which each dentist may perform shall be specifically defined and recommended by the medical staff in the same manner as all other surgical procedures.
§ 141.25. Emergency dental services.
A well organized plan for emergency dental care shall be an integral part of the emergency plan of the hospital as required in § § 117.11—117.15 (relating to emergency services planning). When the medical staff includes sufficient dentists, the emergency service of the hospital must have a policy whereby emergencies involving the oral cavity and associated structures are assessed by a dentist member of the medical staff.
§ 141.26. Patient dental records.
A record of any dental services provided for an inpatient, outpatient or emergency patient shall be made a part of the patient’s medical record. Completion of dental records shall be in accordance with Chapter 115 (relating to medical record services).
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 33.209 (relating to preparing, maintaining and retaining patient records).
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