? for Florida Hygienists and Dentists

Can we set the record straight? Is it illegal for a patient to be seen by the hygienist, for cleaning, if they have not had a dental exam in 13 months? The office I’m working for now said, the ADA established new guidelines where a patient can go two years without seeing a dentist, and the hygienist is still able to clean them. I have not seen this new guideline. There has been a lot of controversy, at this office, as many patients are declining x-rays and exam. When patients decline x-rays, most of the dentists will not do the exam. However, the office manager and some of the dentists, require the hygienists to perform a cleaning anyway, so we do not lose the patient. I don’t feel comfortable going against the statutes and this has been discussed with the office manager previously. I am a long term temp at this office, so I will be leaving soon. But I want to make sure boundaries are established, with facts, for the next office I work at.