Dental Hygienist states
51
Top quartile, highest
Occupational licensing · Healthcare · 51 state boards
Dental Hygienist Licensing Requirements by State
Dental Hygienist licensing rules differ by state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible state boards (current as of May 15, 2026), this registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.
Dental Hygienist across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Athletic Trainer, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Dental Assistant.
- States regulated
- 51
- Avg initial fee
- $201
- Require an exam
- 100%
- Avg education hours
- 2,959
Board Pathway Strip
Dental Hygienist: 51 boards · ~2,959 avg pre-licensure hrs · exam on 100% · background check on 100% · avg first fee $201. Same-lane boards: Athletic Trainer, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Dental Assistant.
- Athletic Trainer
- Certified Nurse-Midwife
- Dental Assistant
- Dietetic Technician
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Hearing Aid Specialist
Dental Hygienist vs. every tracked profession
Average confirmed pre-licensure education hours, board-sourced state requirements
2,959 15th of 47 higher than 32 of 47 professions
professions with confirmed education-hour requirements, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more professions. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCredential NCSL and state-board corpus · 2026
Provides preventive dental care and examines patients for oral disease.
Dental Hygienist initial fees swing $75 (NH) to $346 (CA), a $271 spread across 51 boards ; Athletic Trainer often lands on a different fee band.
Board thresholds for Dental Hygienist drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Athletic Trainer and Certified Nurse-Midwife in healthcare. Methodology notes live on our methods page.
Dental Hygienist edu hrs
2,959 hrs
Above median
Dental Hygienist first fee
$201
Top quartile, highest
Dental Hygienist renewal
$119
Above median
Board gates for Dental Hygienist: exam on 51/51 (100%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , CE on 51/51 (avg 24 hrs/cycle) . Stack that against Athletic Trainer / Certified Nurse-Midwife before calling this license soft or hard.
Dental Hygienist: nationwide coverage neighbours
Coverage band
- Security Alarm Installer · 51 states
- Amusement Ride Operator · 51 states
- Animal Breeder · 51 states
- Arborist / Tree Surgeon · 51 states
Hour load
- Licensed Professional Counselor · 2,959 avg hrs
- Marriage and Family Therapist · 2,959 avg hrs
- Private Investigator · 2,777 avg hrs
Cheapest vs priciest jurisdiction for Dental Hygienist
A $271 fee spread for the same credential
Initial licensing fees in New Hampshire ($ 75) and California ($ 346) bracket the field, a 4.6× spread for identical practice rights.
NH
New Hampshire
$75 initial licensing fee
CA
California
$346 initial licensing fee
Dental Hygienist boards vs Athletic Trainer / Certified Nurse-Midwife - state table
51 statesWhat to do with this
Dental Hygienist is regulated in 51 states -- here's how to use that before you act.
- Dental Hygienist ranks #15 of 47 professions by average pre-licensure education hours -- see how it compares to similar roles. Browse all professions
- #21 of 97 professions by number of states requiring a license -- see which states are strictest overall. State burden rankings
- Initial fees for Dental Hygienist range from $75 (NH) to $346 (CA) -- check whether your license transfers before assuming you'd need to pay again. Reciprocity guide
Requirements are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research and verified against state board sites where possible; always confirm current rules with the licensing board before relying on any single row.
Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. Dental Hygienist requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.