Dental Hygienist Supervision & Scope of Practice
2024
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Dental Hygienist Supervision & Scope of Practice
Supervision in Private Dental Facilities
Dentists should adhere to the ASA Classifications( see State Board of Dentistry regulations) used to determine a patient’ s health and treatment plan, as well as the level of supervision needed. There have been changes to how the classifications apply to supervision of dental hygienists. Most notably, the definition of general supervision was changed so that hygienists may provide hygiene services to patients within one year of a dentist having examined a patient, rendered a diagnosis and treatment plan, and authorized the hygiene services. Previously, hygienists had to provide these services within 90 days of the dentist’ s examination.
Direct supervision is still defined as the dentist having examined the patient, authorized the procedure to be preformed, is physically present in the dental facility and available when the procedure occurs and takes full professional responsibility for the completed procedure.
Following are the supervision requirements applying to these hygiene services:
Placement of sub gingival agents: Hygienists may provide this service under direct supervision, but general supervision would apply if the dentist has review the patient’ s records and medical history and has written a prescription or given an order for the placement of sub gingival agents.
Periodontal probing, scaling, root planning, polishing or another procedure required to remove calculus deposits, accretions, excess or flash restorative materials and stains from the exposed surfaces of the teeth and beneath the gingival: Hygienists may provide these services under direct supervision when the patient is suffering from systemic disease which is severe, incapacitating or life threatening. General supervision would apply if the patient is free of systemic disease or suffers from mild systemic disease( as determined by the dentist, with input from the hygienist).
Evaluation of that patient to collect data to identity dental hygiene care needs: Hygienists may provide this service under general supervision.
Application of fluorides and other recognized topical agents for the prevention of oral diseases: Hygienists may provide this service under general supervision.
Conditioning of teeth for and application of sealants: Hygienists may provide this service under general supervision.
2024