What is the supervision level required for dental hygienists to make bleaching trays?

To manufacture bleaching trays, dental hygienists operate under the supervision level known as indirect supervision. This means that while the dentist must be available to consult and is responsible for the overall patient care, the dental hygienist can perform the task of making bleaching trays without the dentist being physically present in the operatory.

Indirect supervision allows the dental hygienist to use their professional judgment and training to create the trays, as long as they are following the general parameters set by the supervising dentist. This is consistent with the level of autonomy granted to hygienists in tasks that do not require direct, on-site oversight by a dentist.

Understanding this supervision level is crucial for dental hygienists in practice, as it delineates the boundaries of their responsibilities and the collaborative framework within which they operate with dentists.