Dental Hygienist / Georgia
2026 data Georgia board official source

Georgia Dental Hygienist License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

What the state board actually requires: fees, renewal cycle, and requirements from official records.

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Provides preventive dental care and examines patients for oral disease.

What the Georgia data shows for Dental Hygienists

Georgia sets the entry bar for dental hygienists at 2,959 training hours and a passing score on NBDHE (National Board Dental Hygiene Exam). A background check is a standard part of the process, and applicants must be 18 or older. The credential is administered under Georgia's licensing regime, which classifies the training track as "Associate or Bachelor of Science Degree".

Budget $201 to get started, plus $119 at each renewal on a 2-year cycle. Maintaining the license requires 24 hours of continuing education per 2-year cycle, an ongoing cost applicants often underestimate when budgeting the career.

Reciprocity for this profession works like this: Dental Hygiene Compact: 20+ states.

Licensing Ease Score

D
Licensing Ease Score
43/100
Dental Hygienist · Georgia

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training F
2,959 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee F
$201
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden D
$60/yr
$119 every 2 years
Continuing Education C-
12.0 hrs/yr
24 hours every 2 years
Experience Required A+
None required
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in Georgia

Education / Training Hours
Associate or Bachelor of Science Degree
2,959 hours
Exam Requirement
NBDHE (National Board Dental Hygiene Exam)
Required
Initial License Fee
$201
Renewal Fee
$119
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing Education
24 hrs/cycle
Criminal History Check
Required
Minimum Age
18 years

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for Dental Hygienist All Georgia licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Georgia licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Dental Hygienist in Georgia? ▼
Georgia's requirements cover 2959 hours of education or training, the NBDHE (National Board Dental Hygiene Exam) exam, and an initial fee of $201. Applicants also go through a criminal background check.
How do I get certified as a Dental Hygienist in Georgia? ▼
Certification as a dental hygienist in Georgia means clearing the state's checklist: 2959 hours of education, and a passing exam score. The Georgia licensing board can confirm the current details.
Can I transfer my Dental Hygienist license to Georgia from another state? ▼
Dental Hygienist licenses generally reciprocate as follows: Dental Hygiene Compact: 20+ states. Interstate licensing compacts cover many professions and can further ease a move between states. The Georgia licensing board can confirm the current rules for your credential.
Does Georgia require a background check for Dental Hygienist licensing? ▼
Background screening is part of the dental hygienist licensing process in Georgia. The state licensing board determines which offenses disqualify an applicant and how appeals are handled.
What are the continuing education requirements for Dental Hygienist in Georgia? ▼
To stay licensed as a dental hygienist in Georgia, plan on 24 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle; renewal itself runs $119.

Related Guides

What to do with this dental hygienist license

Dental Hygienist in Georgia, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a dental hygienist-wide, 50-state comparison.

  • See how Georgia's dental hygienist requirements compare to every other state before relocating. Dental Hygienist in every state
  • Confirm whether your out-of-state dental hygienist license transfers under an interstate compact before starting a new application. Reciprocity guide
  • See how Georgia's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. Georgia overview

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Georgia licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.