FOR KENTUCKY DENTAL OFFICES
Kentucky Dental Compliance
Kentucky OSH, Kentucky Board of Dentistry and HIPAA requirements for your office and team, in one place. From Dental Ed, helping dental offices with compliance since 1988.
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What Kentucky dental offices are required to have
Kentucky runs its own OSHA program (Kentucky OSH) that covers private dental offices, and the Kentucky Board of Dentistry sets licensing and assistant rules. Here are the main requirements to plan for.
Bloodborne Pathogens
Kentucky OSH enforces the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard for dental offices.
- Written Exposure Control Plan, reviewed yearly
- Hepatitis B vaccine offer and sharps safety
- Annual employee training
Hazard Communication
Required when your team works with hazardous chemicals.
- Written program and chemical inventory
- Safety Data Sheets on hand
- Labels and employee training
Emergency & fire safety
Plan for evacuations, fires and medical emergencies.
- Emergency action and fire prevention plans (written once you have more than 10 employees)
- Exits, extinguishers and eyewash stations
- Required Kentucky OSH poster
Assistant registration & CPR
The employer dentist registers each dental assistant and keeps their training on file.
- Add assistants when you renew your dental license
- Current CPR for every assistant
- Proof of x-ray and other expanded duty training
Infection control
Kentucky regulation (201 KAR 8:540) requires dentists and every team member who handles patients, blood, saliva or instruments to follow the CDC's dental infection control guidelines.
- Routine spore testing to prove your autoclave works
- The Board inspects against CDC guidelines when it receives a complaint
- No infection control CE is required for renewal
Patient privacy
Every dental office that bills electronically follows federal HIPAA rules.
- Privacy and security policies
- Staff training on patient information
- Breach response steps
This is a summary to help you plan, not legal advice. Regulations change, so confirm details with the agency before you act.
License renewal CE, by license and permit
Kentucky dental licenses renew every two years on December 31. Dentists renew in odd-numbered years and hygienists in even-numbered years.
Dentists
Kentucky Board of Dentistry
Dental hygienists
Kentucky Board of Dentistry
Dental assistants
Kentucky Board of Dentistry
Registered by the employer dentist. Assistants need current CPR and training before expanded duties.
Sedation & anesthesia permits
Kentucky Board of Dentistry
Every two-year permit term, in a classroom setting, in addition to your 30 hours. Keep ACLS and/or PALS current.
Required inside those 30 hours
20 hours
ClinicalAt least 20 of your 30 hours must be clinical. The other 10 can be practice management, charitable clinical volunteering or dental society meetings.10 hours
Live interactiveAt least 10 hours must be live. Live Zoom or Google Meet courses count.3 hours
KASPER, pain management or addictionDentists who prescribe controlled substances.Current
CPRRequired for licensees, but CPR hours don't count toward the 30.- Hygienists practicing under general supervision need a 3-hour Board-approved medical emergencies course every two years (counts toward the 30).
- Public health registered hygienists also need 5 hours of public health CE.
- New grads: no CE for a renewal in your graduation year; 15 hours if you graduated the year before renewal.
- Hygienists: at least half an hour on Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma or Child Abuse and Neglect each renewal, and keep certificates for 5 years.
- Keep your certificates. If you're audited, you'll need to send them to the Board. CE Broker is the Board's tracking system.
- Courses don't need a specific approval program. AGD PACE and other approved-provider courses count if your certificate shows the provider, date, hours and format.
Source: Kentucky Board of Dentistry continuing education. Always confirm current requirements with the Board before you renew.
Dental assistants in Kentucky
Assistants don't hold their own license in Kentucky. The employer dentist registers them and keeps proof of training in each assistant's personnel file.
Every 2 yrs
RegistrationThe dentist lists each assistant when renewing the dental license. Nothing has to be filed before an assistant starts work.Current
CPRRequired for every assistant. Keep the card in their personnel file.6 + 4 hours
Taking x-raysA 6-hour radiation safety course plus 4 hours of technique training (a course or supervised in-office training).8 hours
Coronal polishingAn 8-hour course from a CODA-accredited school. IV access lines need a separate Board-approved course.- Titles like "EFDA" aren't separately recognized in Kentucky, but that training may count toward expanded duty requirements.
- All assistants still need OSHA bloodborne pathogens training every year.
Source: Kentucky Board of Dentistry dental assistant registration.
How we help Kentucky offices
Dental Ed has run dental compliance training since 1988. We're expanding our compliance system state by state.
The CALM Compliance System™
Year-round compliance management: we train your team, write your programs and answer your questions all year. Tell us you're interested and we'll reach out when CALM is available in Kentucky.
- Annual OSHA training for your whole team
- Written programs customized for your office
- HIPAA training for every team member
- Monthly safety topics
- Call or email us anytime
Available now
On demand. Certificates are emailed when you pass.
Dental Ed is an AGD PACE approved provider (#310218). Not sure what your office needs? Book a quick call and we'll walk you through it.
Kentucky compliance questions
Quick answers for Kentucky dentists and office managers.
Does Kentucky have its own OSHA program?
How many CE hours do Kentucky dentists and hygienists need?
When do Kentucky dental licenses renew?
Does Kentucky require infection control training or CE?
Do Kentucky dental assistants need a license?
Not sure where your office stands?
Talk with Joyce or April for 15 minutes. We'll walk through what Kentucky requires for your office and the simplest way to get there.
Book a 15-Minute CallCall (760) 930-9401