How to Become a Licensed Dental Hygienist in California

To become a licensed dental hygienist in California, you need to graduate from a dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, pass a board-approved clinical exam (or qualify for California’s new graduate exemption), pass the California law and ethics exam, and submit an application with BLS certification and Live Scan fingerprints to the Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC). From the first day of your dental hygiene program through license in hand, plan on roughly three years of education and several additional months for exams and application processing.

Finish a CODA-Accredited Dental Hygiene Program

The DHBC will only accept a degree or certificate from a program accredited by CODA. Coursework from any non-accredited program will not count, no matter how thorough it looks on paper.1Dental Hygiene Board of California. Information for Applicants to Become Licensed CODA sets a single national curriculum standard, so any accredited program in the country qualifies you to apply in California.2Commission on Dental Accreditation. Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs

Degree Level

The entry credential is an associate degree, usually about four semesters of professional coursework after prerequisites, which lands most students on a three-year timeline overall.3ADEA GoDental. Dental Hygiene Programs Bachelor’s and master’s programs exist too. All three lead to the same RDH license and the same clinical role; the higher degrees matter mainly for teaching, public health, and program administration jobs down the road.4ADEA. Career Options

Prerequisites

Most programs expect a year or more of college-level prerequisites before you start the professional curriculum. The usual list includes general biology, human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology, general chemistry, statistics, introductory psychology, and a communications or public speaking course. Programs commonly require around a 3.0 GPA in prerequisites, and competitive schools set it higher. Many also ask applicants to shadow a practicing hygienist for a set number of hours.

Radiation Safety Training

California requires every hygienist to show competency in dental radiation safety. If you graduate from a California program, the training is built in and runs at least 32 clock hours covering radiation physics, exposure techniques, infection control, and radiograph evaluation.5Dental Hygiene Board of California. Radiation Safety Certification for an Applicant From a California Dental Hygiene Educational Program Out-of-state graduates may need to submit proof of equivalent training separately.

Pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination

The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) is the written exam used by every U.S. licensing jurisdiction. It covers biomedical sciences, dental hygiene science, and clinical reasoning.6Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. National Board Dental Hygiene Examination Registration is $600, which includes score reports to three licensing jurisdictions and to your dental hygiene program.7Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. 2026 NBDHE Candidate Guide Select California when you register so the DHBC receives your score directly.

Pass a Clinical Exam, or Qualify for the Graduate Exemption

California requires proof of hands-on clinical competency. The DHBC accepts passing scores from the Western Regional Examining Board (WREB), the Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS), and the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX). Scores must be less than three years old when you apply.1Dental Hygiene Board of California. Information for Applicants to Become Licensed

WREB and CRDTS have merged operations with CDCA into CDCA-WREB-CITA, which administers the ADEX examination. The full ADEX dental hygiene exam costs $1,150, and retakes run $795 or more.8ADHA. Overview of Clinical Examinations

There is a significant exception. If you graduated from a California CODA-accredited dental hygiene program on or after January 1, 2024, you can apply for licensure without a clinical exam score, provided you apply within three years of graduation.1Dental Hygiene Board of California. Information for Applicants to Become Licensed This exemption is for California graduates only, and only within that three-year window. Out-of-state graduates and anyone past three years still need a passing clinical exam score.

Pass the California Law and Ethics Exam

Every RDH applicant has to pass a state-specific exam on the California Dental Practice Act. PSI Services delivers it by computer: 60 questions, 90-minute limit, $32.07 nonrefundable registration fee.9Dental Hygiene Board of California. RDH Law and Ethics Examination Candidate Handbook You won’t receive scheduling information until the DHBC determines your application is otherwise complete, so file your application materials first.10Dental Hygiene Board of California. How to Become a Licensed Registered Dental Hygienist in California

Get Current BLS Certification

You need an active Basic Life Support certification from an approved provider: the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the American Safety and Health Institute, or a provider approved through the ADA’s CERP or the AGD’s PACE programs.11Dental Hygiene Board of California. CE Course Requirements Fully online BLS courses are not accepted. The course must include a live, in-person skills practice session, a skills test, and a written exam.

Submit Your Application to the DHBC

Once your education, exam scores, and BLS card are in hand, you file your application with the DHBC. The application fee is $200. Applicants who took the WREB or CRDTS clinical exam can apply online through BreEZe at breeze.ca.gov; ADEX manikin-based exam candidates must submit a paper application by mail.12Dental Hygiene Board of California. Licensure by Clinical Exam – Application Checklist

What to Include

  • Your diploma or graduation certificate. Recent graduates can submit a letter from the program director on school letterhead, bearing the school’s seal, confirming completion and graduation date.
  • Your NBDHE score report, routed to California through the ADA.
  • Your clinical exam score report: a sealed success report from WREB, a watermarked score report from CRDTS, or an original score report from ADEX. California graduates using the exemption do not submit this.
  • One 2-by-2-inch passport-style color photo taken within the last six months.
  • License verification from every state where you now hold or have ever held a professional license, whether that license is active, expired, or revoked.
  • A completed Live Scan fingerprint form.12Dental Hygiene Board of California. Licensure by Clinical Exam – Application Checklist

Fingerprints and Background Check

Every applicant submits fingerprints for a California Department of Justice and FBI background check. California uses electronic Live Scan, where your fingers are rolled on a glass scanner at an authorized location.13Dental Hygiene Board of California. Electronic Fingerprint Requirement Information Print the DHBC’s own Live Scan form and bring it with you; it carries the routing codes that direct results to the DHBC. The scanning location charges its own service fee. Using Live Scan replaces the DHBC’s separate $51 fingerprint processing fee.14Dental Hygiene Board of California. Fingerprinting Information Your license will not issue until the background check clears, which takes several weeks.

How Long Processing Takes

Once the DHBC approves your application and you pass the law and ethics exam, your license typically arrives in about two to three weeks.15Dental Hygiene Board of California. General FAQs The total elapsed time is usually longer, because the background check, score verification, and law and ethics exam scheduling run in sequence rather than at the same time.

What It All Costs

Beyond tuition, the licensing-related fees add up quickly:

An applicant who takes the clinical exam will spend roughly $2,000 on licensing fees alone, before books, instruments, or tuition. California graduates who qualify for the exemption save the $1,150 clinical exam fee.

Already Licensed in Another State? Use Licensure by Credential

If you hold an active RDH license in another state and have been licensed for at least five years, you can apply through the Licensure by Credential (LBC) pathway and skip the clinical exam entirely. You still have to pass the California law and ethics exam, submit fingerprints, and show 25 hours of continuing education covering infection control, the California Dental Practice Act, and BLS.16Dental Hygiene Board of California. RDH Licensure by Credential

You’ll also need to show equivalent training in soft tissue curettage, local anesthesia, and nitrous oxide. Since July 2022, the DHBC reviews out-of-state education in these areas against California standards.16Dental Hygiene Board of California. RDH Licensure by Credential Foreign dental hygiene education and licensure are not recognized in California, even where the applicant holds a dentistry degree earned abroad.

Renewing Your License

California RDH licenses renew every two years. Renewing more than 30 days after expiration adds a delinquency fee equal to half the renewal amount on top of the standard charge.17Dental Hygiene Board of California. License Renewals Each cycle requires continuing education that includes mandatory courses in BLS, infection control, and the California Dental Practice Act, all completed within the two-year renewal period.11Dental Hygiene Board of California. CE Course Requirements The BLS course follows the same rules as initial licensure, so a fully online course won’t satisfy it. The DHBC audits compliance, so keep your certificates on file.