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Dental Hygienist

Pennsylvania Licensure Requirements


Associate's Degree


2 Examinations


No Experience Requirement


3 Hours of Continuing Education


140.00 Initial Fee


50.00 Renewal Fee


Healthcare professional who is trained and licensed to clean teeth, take dental x-rays, and provide related dental services and care, under the supervision of a dentist.

Degree Requirement: 

Associate's Degree - Candidates for licensure as Dental Hygienists shall submit a certification of graduation from a dental hygiene school accredited or provisionally accredited by an approved United States Department of Education-recognized regional accrediting agency or the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association.

Examination Requirement: 

2 Examinations Required - Candidates for licensure as a Dental Hygienists shall pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (written examination) and the dental hygiene clinical examination administered by one of the following:

  1. The North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners, Inc. (NERB).
  2. The Southern Regional Testing Agency, Inc. (SRTA).
  3. The Western Regional Examining Board (WREB).
  4. The Central Regional Dental Testing Service, Inc. (CRDTS).
  5. The Council of Interstate Testing Agencies, Inc. (CITA).

Experience: 

No Experience Requirements - All dental hygienists complete the training and experience requirement during the completion of their associate's degree.

Continuing Education: 

3 Hours (for initial licensure) 

Applicants must complete 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting for initial licensure. 

20 Hours (when renewing license)

20 hours of continuing education is required for biennial renewal of license. Of those 20 hours, 2 hours must be Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting. 


Initial Licensing Fee: 

$140.00

Licensure Renewal Fee: 

$50.00 - Biennial Renewal of license.

Licensure by Credentials & Licensure by Act 41:


Dentists, dental hygienists and expanded function dental assistants who are currently licensed or certified in another state or territory or in Canada may be granted licensure if the credentials submitted meet Pennsylvania requirements. Licensure and certification by criteria approval will be granted only to applicants whose licensing boards confirm that they reciprocate with the Commonwealth.

Act 41 allows for portability of out-of-state professional licensees coming to work in Pennsylvania. Act 41 does this by granting all boards and commissions within the Commonwealth the authority to endorse licensees from other states, territories or jurisdictions (with substantially equivalent licensing requirements) who are active, in good standing and without discipline against their license or criminal conviction.


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