Kathy Bassett, RDH, MEd, is a professor of dental hygiene at Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington, and an affiliate professor in the Department of Oral Health Sciences at the University of Washington School of Dentistry in Seattle. She is also a member of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene’s Editorial Advisory Board. A national and international lecturer, Bassett writes frequently on local anesthesia and is a coauthor of Local Anesthesia for Dental Professionals.
In addition to the conventional Halsted inferior alveolar nerve block and two well-known alternatives, this discussion will examine key features of other mandibular block techniques and short needle approaches.
Even though dental hygienists have been successfully administering local anesthesia for more than 40 years, consensus on national education standards and utilization guidelines has yet to be achieved.