# When does California require direct supervision for dental auxiliary duties?

> The answer depends on the current California duties table. Direct supervision is a specific legal lane, not a loose synonym for 'the dentist is somewhere nearby.'

Last verified: 2026-06-09
Reviewed by: Mahtab Mansour, DDS on 2026-04-25 (re-verification in progress)

## Direct answer
- Use the current Dental Board duties table first.
- Direct supervision and general supervision are not interchangeable.
- If the stem turns on an auxiliary duty, the current legal supervision lane matters more than old office custom.

## Common trap
- Older duties charts are especially risky after the January 1, 2025 updates. Verify the current table before trusting memory.

## Full guide
- [What can California dental auxiliaries do and under what supervision?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/auxiliaries-delegation-supervision/index.html.md): Use this guide when you need the current California duties table, supervision definitions, and delegation boundaries for auxiliaries.

## Focused answer page
- [Focused answer](https://dentovio.com/answers/glossary-when-is-direct-supervision-required/index.html.md): Short, source-bounded answer page for search and AI citation.
- [California law and ethics glossary answer topic](https://dentovio.com/answers/topic/california-law-ethics-glossary/index.html.md)

## Primary sources
- `A6` Dental Board of California — Table of Dental Auxiliary Duties Delegable by Supervising Dentist, effective 1/1/2025 (DA/OA/DSA/RDA/RDAEF; G/D/CR notation; 16 CCR §1068 posting notice). <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/formspubs/pub_permitted_duties.pdf>
- `A17` BPC section 1741 direct and general supervision definitions. <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC&sectionNum=1741.>
- `A18` BPC section 1750.1 dental assistant duties. <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC&sectionNum=1750.1.>
- `A38` BPC section 1750 dental assistant definition, BSDP, and infection-control prerequisites. <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC&sectionNum=1750.>

## Next step
- [Take the free diagnostic](https://dentovio.com/free-practice-test)
- [See the paid California prep overview](https://dentovio.com/products/california-dental-law-ethics/index.html.md)

## Related glossary pages
- [What changed in California dental auxiliary duties and supervision in 2025?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/what-changed-in-auxiliary-duties-2025/index.html.md)
- [Which rules govern infection control in a California dental office?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/which-rules-govern-dental-infection-control/index.html.md)