Under general supervision, who may dental hygienists perform procedures on?

Under general supervision, dental hygienists are allowed to perform procedures on a referred patient. This means that the patient has typically been referred to the hygienist by a dentist, indicating that the dentist has evaluated the patient’s needs and determined that certain services can be conducted by the hygienist without the dentist being present in the office.

Referrals are crucial as they ensure that dental hygienists are working within a structured framework that maintains the quality of care and patient safety. A referred patient has a prior relationship with the dentist, and the dentist's oversight helps to ensure that the hygienist is providing care that aligns with the patient's broader treatment needs.

The other options suggest various conditions under which hygiene procedures could be performed, which are not correct for general supervision. For instance, treating any new patient without referring may not involve appropriate oversight, and limitations based on payment plans or the duration of the patient-dentist relationship do not apply under general supervision parameters.