RN in Dental Office

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I'd like to work in a dental office as an RN. Anyone know if this is an acceptable setting for an RN? I know there are currently RNs working in oral surgery offices, and the job description would be very similar. Have you or anyone you know worked in a dental office as an RN? I've contacted my BON about it, but haven't received a reply yet. (I know they would give me the definitive answer, but just thought I'd check here for advice).

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Welcome to allnurses! :balloons:

I must say your question is one I've never heard before. I've been going to dentists (in a few different states) all my life, and I've never encountered an RN in a dentist's office. What would an RN do in that setting?

I imagine that the BON will tell you that, as long as you're practicing within the scope of your Nurse Practice Act, you can work wherever you like. That's what governs nursing practice, not the work setting.

Best wishes, in any case! :)

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Well, the reasons I am looking into it are these:

(I am a neonatal nurse now by the way)

I am also a Registered Dental Hygienist

My husband is a dentist and we have two small children so it would be great to work in his office and get credit for practicing nursing rather than to have to leave my family to work in the hospital right now.

As for job description, I would be reviewing medical histories, checking BPs prior to procedures, assisting with surgical extractions and other dental procedures, monitoring O2 sats with nitrous oxide sedation, administering medications, calling in prescriptions, and giving home care and follow up instructions... on top of my dental hygienist duties.

It would really make life easier right now with the children.

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Not sure what you mean by "get credit for practicing nursing," but the rest of it makes sense. Good luck!

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What I mean by "credit" is practice hours in nursing. Anyway, thanks for the luck.

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I have worked in dental for 12 years, pediatric Hygiene. In a regular dental practice I would say no. BUT if you look into one such as OS or even peds that does in office sedation (I worked with one that had an anestiologist come in and do actual IV there in the office) than that could be a possibility. Or even a DDS that specializes in inplant/major reconstruction that does IV. Some DDS's that I have known of take the cheap and risky way and do not hire the proper support staff for in house IV, but the good ones, especially the ones that work with kids, will take the extra step. Have you looked into mobile anestesia - docs who travels to dental offices to sedate? They bring their own nurse to start the IV and monitor, etc... Good Luck!

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Brenney9101, thanks for your reply! I didn't even know such a thing existed as mobile anesthesia. I'm not sure if they exist in our area, but it's worth a look. My whole purpose for investigating this route is that I would like to work in my husband's office. He does not do any sedation other than nitrous. Dental assistants and hygienists in our state can monitor nitrous. At one time he did employ a dentist that did implants and she did IV sedation and I started IVs for her at times, but she's moved and is practicing elsewhere now. A friend of ours is an OS and his wife who is an RN works in his office. She does not start IVs, but recovers the pts. FWIW, I did speak with my BON and they said it is fine so long as I have a job description that necessitates an RN. However, in my state you don't have to have practice hours to maintain your license. You can maintain it by having CEUs. So, I may go that route if necessary and still work in his office regardless of whether it qualifies as "nursing practice". So, are you a hygienist or a nurse?

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Brenney9101, thanks for your reply! I didn't even know such a thing existed as mobile anesthesia. I'm not sure if they exist in our area, but it's worth a look. My whole purpose for investigating this route is that I would like to work in my husband's office. He does not do any sedation other than nitrous. Dental assistants and hygienists in our state can monitor nitrous. At one time he did employ a dentist that did implants and she did IV sedation and I started IVs for her at times, but she's moved and is practicing elsewhere now. A friend of ours is an OS and his wife who is an RN works in his office. She does not start IVs, but recovers the pts. FWIW, I did speak with my BON and they said it is fine so long as I have a job description that necessitates an RN. However, in my state you don't have to have practice hours to maintain your license. You can maintain it by having CEUs. So, I may go that route if necessary and still work in his office regardless of whether it qualifies as "nursing practice". So, are you a hygienist or a nurse?

I am changing careers to nursing! I have done pediatric dental hygiene since I was 20, so it is really all I know! LOL!! I have decided to persue the nurse route and im in the process of studying for the NET. I just got back from the library actually:yeah: Wish me luck , I am going to take the NEW in a few weeks. Not sure how how common the mobile anestesia is in your area, but alteast alot of pedodontists here are going to it in lieu of the surgery center here.

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Good Luck!! I practiced dental hygiene for 2 years before attending nursing school. I have my associates in dental hygiene and wanted a bachelors degree so I decided to get my BSN so that I could work in just about any medical field and have lots of variety. I got burned out on dental hygiene very quickly as I did tons of periodontal scalings every day. I still fill in for my husband's hygienists when they need me, but I just can't do it full time. I love being a nurse!! You have so many different options. I did neonatal ICU for 8 years and now I'm in a newborn nursery because I've moved to an area where there is no level 3 NICU. I love working with babies, but only 12 hour shifts are available, so I figured I'd somehow put my nursing license to work in the dental office and take a break from the longer shifts while my children are still young. Anyway, good luck!

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Carolinamom-it probably depends on the state you are in. I am a dental hygienist, too, but I quit my job to go back to school to be an RN. Anyway, a good friend of mine is both a dental hygienist and an RN and she works in a general dentist office. There is a mix of adult and pediatric patients, but not a lot of oral surgery, just simple extractions, and no implants placed in the office. As far as I know, she continues to keep her RN license valid by only performing her duties as a dental hygienist. Hope this helps!

I have one more idea for what you could do if it is possible in your state. If you are able to practice independently without a dentist, then you could perhaps find or create a position to make your own hours and specialize in patients of need in the hospital or in long-term facilities. Ventilator patients, coma patients, and others might require extra attention from a dental hygienist. It is just a thought if you want to mix it up and not go back to work in the dental office. :wink2:

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Carolinamom,

How did you ever decide to handle this? I'm currently an RN working as a safety specialist and plant nurse for a production facility in SC. My son just graduated from Dental school and purchased his practice. I'm considering going to work with him and was wondering if I would be able to maintain my nursing license in this situation. I would be taking patients medical histories, acting as the office OSHA manager, conducting employee training, publishing the practice Medical Emergency procedures manual and providing BLS, if necessary, until EMS could arrive in an emergency.

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