Nitrous Oxide Administration for New Jersey Hygienists & Assistants

This Light Sedation online course qualifies for New Jersey’s nitrous oxide administration and monitoring requirements* for dental hygienists and assistants. It provides 15 hours of CE credit (8 hours didactic; 7 hours clinical; 10 patient experiences) that is issued with a digital certificate upon successful completion and a minimum exam score of 75%, and the 10 patient experiences.

DOCS has provided Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen training to thousands of dentists and staff since 1999 and is proud to offer specialized nitrous oxide and oxygen sedation training for New Jersey dental hygienists and assistants. 

Presented by DOCS Education with Dr. Anthony Feck, Dr. Carol Wilson, and others, this comprehensive light sedation program will teach hygienists and assistants the techniques of N₂O administration and monitoring, enabling them to maximize patient comfort and increase the practice’s productivity.  

You will learn the fundamentals of providing safe and comfortable dental care using a combination of light oral sedation protocols.  

Course Objectives: 

• Follow the ADA-recommended guidelines for minimal sedation. 
• Understand the proven and safe light sedation protocols. 
• Learn the science of nitrous oxide and other inhalation anesthetics. 
• Review hands-on techniques of N₂O administration, both fundamental and advanced. 
• Cover guidelines for patient monitoring and special equipment. 
• Understand airway management, including signs of an impending emergency. 
• Review prescribing, dispensing, and dosing oral sedatives, and related regulatory issues. 
• Learn to combine enteral/inhalation sedation. 
• Minimize nitrous exposure and biohazards for patients and staff. 
• Discuss proper sedation candidate selection.  

Including your team in the training of nitrous oxide and light sedation is an investment in the healthy longevity of your sedation practice.

Three-Step Process:

Part 1

Dental hygienists and assistants will complete 8 hours of online didactic training through DOCS Education, on their own schedule, at their home or office. Students must pass the final quiz with a 75% or greater grade before moving on to clinical training.

Part 2

Once students have completed and passed the didactic requirements, they must administer (Hygienist only) and/or monitor nitrous oxide to ten (10) patients in a clinical setting under observation by a New Jersey-licensed dentist.

The New Jersey dentist you choose (generally the employer dentist) will document competency and completion on a form provided by DOCS, and the signed affidavit will be proof of completion.

Part 3

Once both the didactic and live patient portion of the course is completed, CE will be provided. Send the documents to [email protected] to request a certificate of completion. The dental hygienist or assistant should retain a copy of certificate of completion and the signed affidavit in order to legally initiate and monitor N2O and oxygen under indirect dentist supervision.

*NJ Regulation for Dental Hygienist administration: A registered dental hygienist practicing under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:30-1A.3(b) may administer nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation analgesia provided the registered dental hygienist has successfully completed a Board-approved course offered in a CODA-accredited college or university or in a hospital licensed by the Department of Health, which emphasizes the administration of nitrous oxide simultaneously with the administration of oxygen and safe and effective patient monitoring. NJAC 13:30-1A.3(b)

NJ Regulation for Dental Assistant monitoring: A registered dental assistant practicing under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:30-8.20 may monitor a patient to whom the supervising dentist has administered nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation analgesia provided the registered dental assistant has successfully completed a Board-approved course offered in a CODA-approved college or university clinical setting or hospital setting which emphasizes the administration of nitrous oxide simultaneous with the administration of oxygen and safe and effective patient monitoring. NJAC 13:30-2.4(b)

For both: The nitrous oxide/oxygen administration course shall be at least 14 hours in length, which shall include at least seven hours of didactic training and seven hours of clinical training; and the clinical training shall include, at a minimum, 10 monitored administrations of nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation analgesia.

All sales are final. 

Purchase of this course grants access for one year and requires an internet connection, computer with video and audio capabilities, and in some cases, Adobe Reader to view handouts and articles.  
 
You can download this course and watch it anywhere using the DOCS APP. Get it on Google Play or the Apple Store. 
  
Scientific support and additional resources are available here.