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1. You are a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice (RDHAP) and
you have been hired by a nursing home to provide oral care services to the
residents. You notice that one of the residents, Mrs. Jones, has severe
periodontal disease and needs scaling and root planing. However, the
nursing home does not have a dentist on staff and Mrs. Jones has not seen a
dentist in years. What is the most ethical and legal course of action for you to
take?
 a) Perform scaling and root planing on Mrs. Jones without a dentist's
supervision or referral.
 b) Refer Mrs. Jones to a dentist and wait for his or her authorization before
performing scaling and root planing.
 c) Inform the nursing home administrator of Mrs. Jones' condition and
request that they arrange for a dentist to examine her.
 d) Decline to provide any oral care services to Mrs. Jones until she sees a
dentist.
 *Answer: b) Refer Mrs. Jones to a dentist and wait for his or her
authorization before performing scaling and root planing.*
 *Rationale: According to the Dental Practice Act of California, RDHAPs can
only perform scaling and root planing under the general supervision of a
dentist, which means that the dentist has authorized the procedure but does
not need to be physically present. Performing scaling and root planing
without a dentist's supervision or referral would be unethical and illegal, as
it would violate the scope of practice and endanger the patient's health.
Informing the nursing home administrator or declining to provide any oralÂÂ
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