License Requirements for Dental Hygienists

Any use of the title "Dental Hygienist" within New York State requires licensure.

To be licensed as a dental hygienist in New York State you must:

• be of good moral character;
• be at least 17 years of age for dental hygiene licensure by examination; be at least 21 years of age for licensure by endorsement of another state's license;
• meet education and examination requirements; and
• have satisfactorily practiced for at least two years for licensure by endorsement.

You must file an application for licensure and the other forms indicated along with the appropriate fee, to the Office of the Professions at the address specified on each form. It is your responsibility to follow up with anyone you have asked to send us material.

The specific requirements for licensure are contained in Title 8, Article 133, Section 6600 of New York's Education Law and Part 61 of the Commissioner's Regulations.

You should also read the general licensing information applicable for all professions.

The licensure and first registration fee is $128.

Fees are subject to change. The fee due is the one in law when your application is received (unless fees are increased retroactively). You will be billed for the difference if fees have been increased.

• Do not send cash.
• If you apply for licensure electronically using the online Application for Licensure, you will be required to pay by credit card.
• Other payments must be made by personal check or money order payable to the New York State Education Department. Your cancelled check is your receipt.
• Mail any required forms and fees to the indicated address on the form.

NOTE: Payment submitted from outside the United States should be made by check or draft on a United States bank and in United States currency; payments submitted in any other form will not be accepted and will be returned.

Individuals who withdraw their licensure application may be entitled to a partial refund.

• For the procedure to withdraw your application, contact the Dental Hygiene Unit at opunit3@nysed.gov or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 270, or by fax at 518-402-5354.
• The State Education Department is not responsible for any fees paid to an outside testing or credentials verification agency.

If you withdraw your application, obtain a refund, and then decide to seek New York State licensure at a later date, you will be considered a new applicant, and you will be required to pay the licensure and registration fees and meet the licensure requirements in place at the time you reapply.

To meet the education requirements for licensure, you must have:

• earned a high school diploma, or the equivalent, and
• completed a New York State registered licensure qualifying or American Dental Association accredited dental hygiene program.

In addition to the professional education requirement, every applicant for licensure as a dental hygienist or a limited permit must complete coursework or training in the identification and reporting of child abuse in accordance with Section 6507(3)(a) of the Education Law. See additional information and a list of approved providers for this training.

Every dental hygienist must also complete approved coursework or training appropriate to the professional's practice in infection control and barrier precautions, including engineering and work practice controls, to prevent the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis b virus (HBV) in the course of professional practice. See additional information and a list of approved providers for this training.

For licensure, you must obtain a passing score on both the written and clinical examinations explained below. You may be admitted to the examinations during your last year of study. You are responsible for contacting the examination agencies to obtain appropriate information and forms. Deadlines and examination application requirements may differ for each.

Written Examinations

The Department must receive verification of a passing score on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination directly from that organization.

For application to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination or to transmit scores to the New York State Education Department, contact:

Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Phone: 312-440-2678
Web: www.ada.org

Clinical (Practical) Examination

The Department must receive verification of passing scores from The Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA) clinical dental hygiene examination directly from that organization. The Department will verify the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) scores from 1994 to present.

If you failed any component of the Clinical Examination prior to March 9, 2016, when the regulations changed (§61.7(e)) more than once, you will be required to complete additional education requirements at a dental hygiene school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation before re-admission to the Clinical Exam. Specifically:

• After two failures in the dental hygiene comprehensive component of the clinical exam, you must complete 20 clock hours of instruction in each subject failed.
• After two failures in the clinical component of the clinical exam, you must complete 40 clock hours of instruction.

For application to take the ADEX clinical dental hygiene examination or to transmit scores to the New York State Education Department, contact:

The Commission on Dental Competency Assessments.
1304 Concourse Drive, Suite 100
Linthicum, MD 21090
Phone: 301-563-3300
FAX: 301-563-3307
Email: director@cdcaexams.org
Web: www.cdcaexams.org

Scores are not available by telephone from the Office of the Professions or the testing agencies.

Reasonable Testing Accommodations

If you have a disability and may require reasonable testing accommodations for the examinations, please contact both the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations and The Commission on Dental Competency Assessments for information. They can be contacted at:

Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312-440-2678
Web: www.ada.org

The Commission on Dental Competency Assessments
1304 Concourse Drive, Suite 100
Linthicum, MD 21090
Phone: 301-563-3300
FAX: 301-563-3307
Email: director@cdcaexams.org
Web: www.cdcaexams.org

A limited permit in dental hygiene allows a dental hygiene program graduate to practice dental hygiene only under the direct personal supervision of a New York State licensed dentist before completing the license examination requirement.

You may apply for a limited permit by submitting the Application for Limited Permit (Form 5) and the limited permit fee of $50 (the limited permit fee is not refundable) at the same time or any time after you submit your Application for Licensure (Form 1), the $128 fee for licensure and first registration, and evidence of satisfactory education using the Certification of Professional Education (Form 2). The limited permit cannot be issued until the Department has approved your education.

The limited permit is valid for a period of one year and may be renewed once, at the discretion of the Department, for one additional year. If your supervising dentist changes during the one-year period, you must reapply for a new limited permit by submitting a new Form 5. No additional fee is required. If you want to renew your limited permit for a second year, you must submit a new Form 5 with the $50 limited permit fee.

Direct personal supervision means that the dentist in the dental office or facility, personally diagnoses the condition to be treated, personally authorizes the procedure and, before dismissal of the patient, personally examines the condition after treatment is completed by the limited permittee.

The Department may endorse a dental hygiene license issued by another state if the Department determines you have met New York's educational requirements, have passed a comparable licensing examination, have the required professional experience and have:

• met all dental hygiene application requirements;
• been licensed in another jurisdiction of the United States and practiced lawfully for at least 2 years (full-time) following initial licensure; 8 months of such practice must have been in the 2-year period preceding your application; and
• not failed a licensing examination used by the State of New York either prior to or after making application for licensure by endorsement, unless you have later passed a comparable licensing examination.

To administer and monitor local infiltration anesthesia and nitrous oxide analgesia in the practice of dental hygiene, dental hygienists must meet additional requirements and obtain a Dental Hygiene Restricted Local Infiltration Anesthesia/Nitrous Oxide Analgesia Certification.