States Allowing "Unsupervised" Practice

According to the American Dental Hygienists' Association, dental hygienists in Colorado can practice "without supervision" in certain situations--nearly 55,000 procedures were performed in one year's time. Dental hygienists in Maine can practice under "public health supervision" status and with referrals from dentists--almost 5,500 patients were examined by dental hygienists in more than 400 clinics. In Missouri, dental hygienists can practice "without supervision" in public health settings, e.g. a school district's sealant program. New Mexican dental hygienists may practice under "collaborative practice" through consulting dentists, an arrangement serving 4,000 patients. In Nevada, dental hygienists provide services as "public health dental hygienists" for schools, community health centers, etc. Dental hygienists in Washington State may practice "unsupervised" in hospitals, nursing homes and other similar settings.