The NJ State Board of Dentistry has passed a law, effective October 6, 2012, called General Supervision. The law gives dental hygienists permission to see patients of record for routine cleanings and x-rays without the presence of the dentist in the office. A “patient of record” is someone who has had an exam by the doctor in the last 365 days. The rule does not allow hygienists to have their own practices or to make a diagnosis.
New Jersey joins almost two-thirds of the States who already have the Supervision Rule in place to help improve access to care.
