To work as a dental hygienist in Michigan, you need a license from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). The Michigan dental hygienist license requirements include graduating from an accredited dental hygiene program, passing both a national written exam and a regional clinical exam, completing background and training steps set by LARA, and paying a $98.80 application fee. Once licensed, you renew every three years with 36 hours of continuing education.
Education and Examinations
Every applicant must graduate from a dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In practice that means an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Official transcripts have to be sent directly from the program to LARA.
After graduation, two exams stand between you and the license. The first is the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE), a written test covering biomedical sciences and clinical dental hygiene knowledge.1Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) The second is a regional clinical exam that tests hands-on skills. Michigan accepts clinical exams from several regional testing agencies, including the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA, formerly NERB) and its ADEX examination.
Additional LARA Requirements
Beyond school and exams, LARA’s licensing guide lists several items that catch some applicants off guard:2Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Registered Dental Hygienist Licensing Guide
- Criminal background check. LARA emails fingerprinting instructions after you submit the online application. A criminal history is not an automatic bar, but you will need to show rehabilitation and that the offense is not reasonably related to safe dental practice.
- Human trafficking identification training. A one-time course, completed before the license is issued.
- Implicit bias training. At least two hours, completed within the five years before the license is issued.
- English language proficiency. Shown by graduating from an English-language program, earning at least 60 college-level credits from an English-speaking school, or passing an approved proficiency exam.
- Verification of other licenses. Any state or country where you hold or have ever held a license must send verification directly to LARA.
How to Apply and What It Costs
Applications go through the MiPLUS online portal at michigan.gov/miplus. The fee for a registered dental hygienist license, whether by examination or endorsement from another state, is $98.80.2Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Registered Dental Hygienist Licensing Guide Transcripts and license verifications must come straight from the issuing institution; LARA does not accept applicant-forwarded copies.
What the License Lets You Do
Michigan’s Public Health Code, starting at MCL 333.16611, sets what dental hygienists may do and under what level of dentist oversight.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws Section 333-16611 Four supervision categories apply: direct access, general supervision, indirect supervision, and direct supervision.
Michigan grants hygienists direct access for many routine procedures, meaning you can provide the service without case-by-case authorization from a dentist. Direct-access procedures include cleanings (oral prophylaxis), x-rays, fluoride, sealants, scaling and root planing, suture removal, and topical anesthesia. That is broader autonomy than many neighboring states allow.
General supervision requires a dentist to authorize the procedure beforehand but does not require the dentist to be physically present. Placing and removing periodontal dressings fall here.
Direct supervision is the strictest level and requires a dentist to be in the office while you work. Local anesthesia and nitrous oxide administration both require direct supervision, and they also require a separate specialty certification.4Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Registered Dental Hygienist Specialty Certification Licensing Guide
Patient education duties, including dietary counseling, recommending oral hygiene products, and teaching brushing and flossing, do not require direct dentist involvement.
Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Certification
A standard registered dental hygienist license does not authorize you to administer local anesthesia or nitrous oxide. Each requires a separate specialty certification from the Board of Dentistry. You have to complete an accredited training course in the specific technique, hold current basic or advanced cardiac life support certification, and pass a state or regional board written exam within 18 months of finishing the training.4Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Registered Dental Hygienist Specialty Certification Licensing Guide
Even once certified, you may only administer local anesthesia or nitrous oxide to patients age 18 or older, and only under the direct supervision of a dentist. Each specialty certification costs $10.40, and you must already hold your base registered dental hygienist license before applying.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Michigan dental hygienist licenses renew on a three-year cycle. The renewal fee is $78.00, paid by credit or debit card through MiPLUS.2Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Registered Dental Hygienist Licensing Guide You also have to complete 36 hours of board-approved continuing education during the three-year period before each renewal, under Michigan Administrative Code R 338.11704.
Those 36 hours are not freely interchangeable. The Board requires specific allocations within the total:
- At least 2 hours in pain and symptom management.
- At least 1 hour in dental ethics and jurisprudence, with coverage of delegating duties to allied dental personnel.
- At least 1 hour in infection control, covering handpiece sterilization, personal protective equipment, and CDC infection control guidelines.
- At least 12 hours in clinical topics, including delivery of care, materials used in care, and pharmacology.
- At least 12 hours from synchronous live courses that allow direct interaction between faculty and participants, whether in person or virtual.
Up to 18 of the 36 hours can be completed through asynchronous, noninteractive self-study. Submitting the renewal is your certification that you have met the requirements, but the Board can audit you and request proof. Keep your course certificates for at least five years after each renewal.
Conduct That Can Cost You the License
Once you are licensed, the Michigan Board of Dentistry can investigate and discipline you under MCL 333.16221. The statute lists several categories of conduct that trigger action, including negligence or failure to exercise due care, incompetence, substance use disorder that affects safe practice, certain criminal convictions, fraud or deceit in licensing or billing, practicing outside your authorized scope, and lack of good moral character.5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws Section 333-16221 Penalties range from a reprimand or fine to probation, suspension, or revocation. Practicing on a lapsed license or missing continuing education typically leads to suspension until you come into compliance; patient harm and fraud cases are where revocations happen.