| (a) A visual dental health inspection is performed
as a group activity taking place in a school or other institutional
setting for the purpose of making a gross assessment of the dental
health status of group members, at no cost to the members. It is cursory
and does not involve the use of dental instruments, though use of
gloves, tongue depressors and intra oral lighting is encouraged. Further,
it does not involve making a diagnosis, providing treatment, or treatment
planning. Individuals performing visual dental health inspections
in accordance with this chapter do not engage in the practice of dentistry
if the inspection process is limited to recognizing when tissue does
not appear normal and encouraging the member to appoint with a licensed
Texas dentist.
(b) A visual dental health inspection may be performed
by:
(1) a dentist, dental student, dental hygienist or
dental hygiene student to conduct research or for educational purposes
in the field of dentistry or dental hygiene; or
(2) dentists or dental hygienists employed by the State
of Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Department of
Aging and Disability (DADS), or by any public health dentist or dental
hygienist employed by any other state, county, of city health department
for the purposes of oral health surveillance, oral health program
planning, or epidemiological surveys required by state or federal
agencies.
(c) A visual dental health inspection performed under
subsection (b) of this section is performed for the purpose of making
a gross assessment of the dental health status of group members, at
no cost to the members. It does not involve making a diagnosis, providing
treatment, or treatment planning.
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