Homebound Patients

By Bruce Bronoske, Jr., Dental Hygiene Program Manager

Imagine this. One of your established patients has an accident and can’t get into the office for their regular dental visit. It’s too bad there isn’t a way for someone to go to their home and provide desperately needed dental preventative care. But wait--there is!

Did you know that dental hygienists can see homebound patients? RCW 18.29.058 allows a dental hygienist with two years of practical clinical experience to go to a patient’s home and perform tasks that fall under general supervision of a Dentist. The patient must have been examined by the supervising dentist previously. The dental hygienist must also contact the patient’s primary health care provider to find out about any relevant health conditions that would prevent the hygienist from providing dental preventative care. 

Please review RCW 18.29.058 to see if this is a service you may want to provide your patients who cannot get into the dental office.