Yes — in every one of the 51 jurisdictions tracked by the ADHA's Practice Act Overview (8.24.26 update), dental hygienists are listed as permitted to take dental x-rays.
That's not true of nitrous oxide or Botox, each of which the same chart marks unlisted in several states.
What differs by state is the supervision required — from a dentist physically present to full direct access — so the level, not the permission, is what actually varies.
The short answer
Every jurisdiction the American Dental Hygienists' Association's Practice Act Overview tracks — all 50 states plus the District of Columbia — lists a permitted supervision level for a dental hygienist taking dental x-rays.
That makes x-rays unusual among the functions on the same chart: nitrous oxide and Botox each show multiple states marked "-" — not listed as a permitted function — on this same source.
X-rays doesn't.
What isn't uniform is how much dentist oversight applies.
States range from requiring the dentist physically present in the operatory to allowing a hygienist to expose x-rays under a collaborative-practice agreement with no dentist on site at all.
That range is the actual question worth checking for your state.
Informational only — the state board is the authority
What "taking x-rays" covers — and what it doesn't
On the ADHA chart, this function means exposing dental radiographs — bitewings, periapicals, and panoramic images — using x-ray equipment to capture a diagnostic image.
It does not mean diagnosing from that image.
Reading and diagnosing what an x-ray shows is the dentist's role everywhere; a hygienist's scope is capturing the image and, in day-to-day practice, flagging what they notice for the dentist's exam.
Dental assistants take x-rays in many states too, usually under their own separate radiography permit rather than the hygienist's license — see our dental hygienist vs. dental assistant comparison for how the two roles' credentials and scope differ.
Some states additionally require hygienists to complete a specific radiography course or certification before operating x-ray equipment at all; that requirement sits on top of — and separately from — the supervision level the ADHA chart reports, which covers supervision only.
Reading the supervision levels
The chart defines its own terms, and they're worth using precisely rather than guessing at what the letters mean:
- D — Direct Supervision: the dentist needs to be present.
- ID — Indirect Supervision: the dentist must authorize the procedure and be in the dental office while it's performed.
- G — General Supervision: the dentist authorizes the service beforehand but need not be present.
- A — Direct Access: the hygienist can provide the service based on their own determination, without specific authorization.
- CP — Collaborative Practice: the hygienist may practice without supervision, under a collaborative agreement with a licensed dentist.
- "-" — not listed as a permitted function in the chart. That is not the same as prohibited; it means the chart doesn't record a permitted supervision level, so confirm directly with the state board.
Where a cell shows more than one letter — for example Alaska's G/A/CP — those are separate settings, typically private versus public practice, each with its own level.
It's three distinct answers, never a range and never one blended answer.
X-ray supervision, state by state
Quoting the chart as written, here is the supervision level listed for every jurisdiction.
General supervision (G) is the most common single level, covering 24 of the 51.
A direct-supervision requirement (D) is the only listed level in 8 states, and D also shows up alongside another level in three more — Hawaii (D/G), Indiana (D/CP), and Louisiana (D/G) — for 11 states where a hygienist may need the dentist physically present in at least one setting.
General supervision paired with direct access (G/A) appears in 9 states, and Alaska's three-way G/A/CP is the broadest split on the chart, bringing the total listing both general supervision and direct access to 10.
| State | X-ray supervision level (ADHA chart) |
|---|---|
| Alabama | D |
| Alaska | G/A/CP |
| Arizona | G |
| Arkansas | ID |
| California | G/A |
| Colorado | A |
| Connecticut | G |
| Delaware | G |
| District of Columbia | G |
| Florida | G |
| Georgia | D |
| Hawaii | D/G |
| Idaho | G |
| Illinois | G |
| Indiana | D/CP |
| Iowa | G |
| Kansas | G |
| Kentucky | G |
| Louisiana | D/G |
| Maine | A |
| Maryland | G |
| Massachusetts | G |
| Michigan | A |
| Minnesota | ID |
| Mississippi | G/A |
| Missouri | G/A |
| Montana | G/A |
| Nebraska | G |
| Nevada | G/A |
| New Hampshire | G/CP |
| New Jersey | G |
| New Mexico | G/A |
| New York | G |
| North Carolina | D |
| North Dakota | G |
| Ohio | G |
| Oklahoma | G |
| Oregon | G/A |
| Pennsylvania | G/A |
| Rhode Island | G/A |
| South Carolina | G |
| South Dakota | G |
| Tennessee | G |
| Texas | G |
| Utah | D |
| Vermont | D |
| Virginia | G |
| Washington | D |
| West Virginia | G |
| Wisconsin | D |
| Wyoming | D |
Source: ADHA Dental Hygiene Practice Act Overview, 8.24.26 update.
Multi-letter cells are separate settings (commonly private/public practice), not a range — quoted here exactly as the chart lists them.
How this compares to local anesthesia, nitrous oxide, and Botox
The same ADHA chart tracks 22 functions, and x-rays is one of the least restricted of them. Nitrous oxide shows several states with no listed level at all, and Botox is unlisted in nearly every state — the opposite pattern from x-rays. Local anesthesia is governed separately again, with its own distinct state-by-state pattern.
Don't assume permission for one function carries over to another; the chart treats each one separately, and so should you.
If you're evaluating a move, checking a specific state's direct-access provisions alongside this table gives the fuller picture of how independently you'd be able to work there.
How to confirm your state's rule
The ADHA's Practice Act Overview is a useful starting reference, but your state dental board's practice act is the authority, and it can change between legislative sessions.
If the two ever seem to disagree, the board wins.
Confirm both the supervision level and any separate radiography-certification requirement before relying on a general summary — including this one.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Scope-of-practice and licensing rules vary by state and change over time — confirm current requirements with your state dental board.