 Preparation
Prospective dental hygienists must become licensed in the state in
which they wish to practice. A degree from an accredited dental hygiene
school is usually required along with licensure examinations.
A high school diploma and
college entrance test scores are usually required for admission to a
dental hygiene program. High school students interested in becoming a
dental hygienist should take courses in biology, chemistry, and
mathematics. Also, some dental hygiene programs require applicants to
have completed at least 1 year of college. Specific entrance
requirements vary from one school to another.
 Licensure
 Dental
hygienists must be licensed by the state in which they practice. Nearly
all States require candidates to graduate from an accredited dental
hygiene school and pass both a written and clinical examination. The
American Dental Association's Joint Commission on National Dental
Examinations administers the written examination, which is accepted by
all states and the District of Columbia. State or regional testing
agencies administer the clinical examination. In addition, most States
require an examination on the legal aspects of dental hygiene practice.
Alabama is the only state that allows candidates to take its
examinations if they have been trained through a State-regulated
on-the-job program in a dentist's office.
Accredited
Programs
 The
American Dental
Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation is the nationally
recognized accrediting authority for
dental education accreditation.
There are about 286 dental
hygiene programs currently accredited. Most dental hygiene programs
grant an associate degree, although some also offer a certificate, a
bachelor's degree, or a master's degree. A minimum of an associate
degree or certificate in dental hygiene is generally required for
practice in a private dental office, so working toward an associate
degree is recommended over a certificate program. A bachelor's or
master's degree usually is required for research, teaching, or clinical
practice in public or school health programs.
Schools offer
laboratory, clinical, and classroom instruction in subjects such as
anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, nutrition,
radiography, histology (the study of tissue structure), periodontology
(the study of gum diseases), pathology, dental materials, clinical
dental hygiene, and social and behavioral sciences.
Below is a listing of accredited dental hygiene programs in the United
States.
|
Undergraduate
Degree Programs
Associate's or Bachelor's Recommended |
Alabama
● Wallace State Community College
Alaska
● University of Alaska Fairbanks
● University of Alaska, Anchorage - Community and
Technical College
Arizona
● Mesa Community College
● Mohave Community College
● Northern Arizona University, School of Health
Professions
● Phoenix College
● Pima County Community College
● Rio Salado College
Arkansas
● Univ. of Arkansas -Fort Smith, Health Sciences
● Univ. of Arkansas, College of Health Related
Professions
California
● Cabrillo College
● Cerritos College
● Chabot College
● Cypress College
● Diablo Valley College
● Foothill College
● Fresno City College
● Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
●
Oxnard College
● Pasadena City College
● Riverside Community College
● Sacramento City College
● San Joaquin Valley College, Inc
● Santa Rosa Junior College
● Shasta College
● Southwestern College
● Taft College
● University of Southern California School of Dentistry
● University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of
Dentistry
● West Los Angeles College
● Western Career College
● Western Career College at San Jose
Colorado
● Colorado Northwestern Community College
● Community College of Denver
● Pueblo Community College
● University of Colorado Denver
Connecticut
● Briarwood College
● Tunxis Community College - Allied Health
● University of Bridgeport/Fones School of Dental
Hygiene
● University of New Haven
Delaware
● Delaware Technical & Community College
District of Columbia
● Howard University College of Dentistry
Florida
● Brevard Community College
● Broward Community College
● Daytona Beach Community College
● Edison College
● Florida Community College, Jacksonville
● Gulf Coast Community College
● Hillsborough Community College
● Indian River Community College
● Manatee Community College
● Miami-Dade Community College
● Palm Beach Community College
● Pasco-Hernando Community College
● Pensacola Junior College
● Santa Fe Community College-Florida
● South Florida Community College
● St. Petersburg College
● Tallahassee Community College
● Valencia Community College
Georgia
● Armstrong Atlantic State University
● Athens Technical College-Allied Health and Nursing
● Central Georgia Technical College
● Clayton State University
● Columbus Technical College
● Darton College
● Georgia Highlands College
● Georgia Perimeter College
● Lanier Technical College
● Medical College of Georgia School of Allied Health
Sciences
● Middle Georgia Technical College
● Southeastern Technical College
● Valdosta State Univ/Valdosta Technical College
● West Central Techical College
Hawaii
● University of Hawaii
Idaho
● Apollo College of Boise
● Idaho State University College of Health Professions
Illinois
● Carl Sandburg College
● College of DuPage
● College of Lake County
● Illinois Central College
● John A. Logan College
● Kennedy-King College
● Lake Land College
● Lewis & Clark Community College
● Parkland College
● Prairie State College
● Rock Valley College
● Southern Illinois University Carbondale
● William Rainey Harper College
Indiana
● Indiana University Northwest
● Indiana University Purdue University
● Indiana University School of Dentistry
● Indiana University South Bend
● University of Southern Indiana
Iowa
● Des Moines Area Community College
● Hawkeye Community College
● Iowa Central Community College
● Iowa Western Community College
● Kirkwood Community College
Kansas
● Johnson County Community College
● Wichita State University
Kentucky
● Big Sandy Community and Tech College
● Bluegrass Community and Technical College - Cooper
Campus
● Henderson Community College
● University of Louisville School of Dentistry
● Western Kentucky University
Louisiana
● Louisiana State University School of Dentistry
● Southern University
● University of Louisiana at Monroe
Maine
● University College of Bangor
● University of New England
Maryland
● Allegany College of Maryland
● Baltimore City Community College
● University of Maryland Baltimore College of Dental
Surgery
Massachusetts
● Bristol Community College
● Cape Cod Community College
● Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
● Middlesex Community College
● Mount Ida College
● Mount Wachusett Community College
● Quinsigamond Community College
● Springfield Technical Community College
Michigan
● Baker College of Auburn Hills
● Baker College of Port Huron
● Delta College
● Ferris State University
● Grand Rapids Community College
● Kalamazoo Valley Community College
● Kellogg Community College
● Lansing Community College
● Mott Community College
● Oakland Community College
● University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry
● University of Michigan School of Dentistry
● Wayne County Community College District
Minnesota
● Argosy University
● Century College
● Herzing College, Lakeland Academy Division
● Lake Superior College
● Minnesota State Comm and Tech ● College, Moorhead
● Minnesota State University, Mankato
● Normandale Community College
● Rochester Community & Technical College
● St. Cloud Technical College
● University of Minnesota School of Dentistry
Mississippi
● Meridian Community College
● Mississippi Delta Community College
● Northeast Mississippi Community College
● Pearl River Community College
● University of Mississippi School of Health Related
Professions |
Missouri
● Missouri Southern State University
● Ozarks Technical Community College
● St. Louis Community College, Forest Park
● State Fair Community College
● University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry
Montana
● Montana State University, Great Falls
Nebraska
● Central Community College
● University of Nebraska Medical Center College of
Dentistry
Nevada
● Community College of Southern Nevada
● Truckee Meadows Community College
New Hampshire
● New Hampshire Technical Institute
New Jersey
● Bergen Community College
● Burlington County College
● Camden County College
● Middlesex County College
● University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey
School of Health-Related Professions
New Mexico
● Dona Ana Branch Community College
● San Juan College
● University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
New York
● Broome Community College
● Erie Community College, North Campus
● Eugenio Maria De Hostos Community College
● Farmingdale State University of New York
● Hudson Valley Community College
● Monroe Community College
● New York City College of Technology
● New York University College of Dentistry
● Orange County Community College
● SUNY at Canton School of Sciences, Health and
Professional Studies
North Carolina
● Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
● Cape Fear Community College
● Catawba Valley Community College
● Central Carolina Community College
● Central Piedmont Community College
● Coastal Carolina Community College
● Fayetteville Technical Community College
● Forsyth Technical Community College
● Guilford Technical Community College
● Halifax Community College
● University of North Carolina School of Dentistry
● Wake Technical Community College
● Wayne Community College
North Dakota
● North Dakota State College of Science
Ohio
● Columbus State Community College
● Cuyahoga Community College
● James A. Rhodes State College
● Lakeland Community College
● Lorain County Community College
● Ohio State University College of Dentistry
● Owens Community College
● Shawnee State University
● Sinclair Community College
● Stark State College of Technology
● University of Cincinnati/Raymond Walters College
● Youngstown State University
Oklahoma
● Rose State College
● Tulsa Community College
● University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry
Oregon
● Lane Community College
● Mt Hood Community College
● Oregon Institute of Technology
● Pacific University
● Portland Community College
Pennsylvania
● Community College of Philadelphia
● Harcum College
● Harrisburg Area Community College
● Luzerne County Community College
● Manor College
● Montgomery County Community College
● Northampton Community College
● Pennsylvania College of Technology
● Tri-State Business Institute
● University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
● Westmoreland County Community College
Rhode Island
● Community College of Rhode Island
South Carolina
● Florence-Darlington Technical College
● Greenville Technical College
● Horry-Georgetown Technical College
● Midlands Technical College
● Trident Technical College
● York Technical College
South Dakota
● University of South Dakota
Tennessee
● Chattanooga State Technical Community College
● East Tennessee State University
● Roane State Community College
● Tennessee State University
● University of Tennessee College of Allied Health
Texas
● Amarillo College
● Austin Community College
● Baylor College of Dentistry Component of Texas A & M
Health Sci Ctr
● Blinn College-Dental Hygiene
● Coastal Bend College
● Collin County Community College
● Del Mar College
● El Paso Community College
● Howard College
● Kingwood College
● Lamar Institute of Technology
● Midwestern State University
● Northeast Texas Community College
● Tarrant County College
● Temple College
● Texas State Technical College at Harlingen
● Texas Woman's University
● Tyler Junior College
● Univ. of Texas Health Science Cnt-Houston Dental
Branch
● University of Texas Health Science Cnt-San Antonio
School of Allied Health Sciences
● Wharton County Junior College
Utah
● Dixie State College of Utah
● Salt Lake Community College
● The Utah College of Dental Hygiene
● Utah Valley State College
● Weber State University
Vermont
● Vermont Technical Allied Health Department
Virginia
● Northern Virginia Community College
● Old Dominion University
● Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry
● Virginia Western Community College
● Wytheville Community College
Washington
● Clark College
● Columbia Basin College
● Eastern Washington University
● Lake Washington Technical College
● Pierce College
● Seattle Central Community College
● Shoreline Community College
● Yakima Valley Community College
West Virginia
● Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College
● The Community and Technical College at West Virginia
University Institute of Technology
● West Liberty State College
● West Virginia University School of Dentistry
Wisconsin
● Chippewa Valley Technical College
● Fox Valley Technical College
● Madison Area Technical College
● Milwaukee Area Technical College
● Northcentral Technical College
● Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
● Waukesha County Technical College
● Western Technical College
Wyoming
● Laramie County Community College
● Sheridan College |
|
Master's Degrees
and/or Doctoral Programs |
Connecticut
● University of Bridgeport
Graduate: MS-DH
Idaho
● Idaho State University
Graduate: MS-DH
Maryland
● University of Maryland Dental School
Graduate: MS-DH
Michigan
● University of Michigan
Graduate: MS-DH
Minnesota
● University of Minnesota
Graduate: MS
Missouri
● University of Missouri-Kansas
Graduate: MS-DH
North Carolina
● The University of North Carolina
Graduate: MS-DH
Nebraska
● University of Nebraska Medical
Graduate: MS
New Jersey
● University of Medicine & Dentistry of
New Jersey
Graduate: MA-HPE/MSHS/MHS
Doctoral: PhD
|
New
Mexico
● University of New Mexico
Graduate: MS-DH
Tennessee
● East Tennessee State University
Graduate: MS
● University of Tennessee Health
Science Center
Graduate: MDH
Texas
● U of Texas Health Science Center at
San Antonio
Graduate: MS-DH
● Baylor College of Dentistry
Graduate: MS-DH
Virginia
● Old Dominion University
Graduate: MS-DH
Doctoral: PhD
Washington
● University of Washington
Graduate: MS
Doctoral: PhD
West Virginia
● West Virginia University
Graduate: MS-DH |
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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