The career as a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) in California offers a stable and rewarding pathway within the healthcare sector. Demand for preventive oral care professionals remains consistently high across the state, making this an attractive career choice for many. Navigating the state’s specific regulatory environment requires a structured approach to education, examination, and administrative requirements.
Foundational Prerequisites and Education
Before applying to a dental hygiene program, candidates must satisfy the foundational academic requirements, beginning with a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) equivalent. Admission to these programs is highly competitive, necessitating the completion of specific college-level coursework with high academic standing. Typical prerequisite classes focus on the biological sciences, including anatomy, physiology, and general chemistry, often requiring both lecture and laboratory components.
Microbiology, English composition, and sometimes sociology or psychology are also commonly required courses. Maintaining a competitive grade point average (GPA), often 3.0 or higher in the required science courses, is strongly recommended to increase the chance of program acceptance.
Completing an Accredited Dental Hygiene Program
Securing licensure in California mandates graduation from a professional program that has received accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Most dental hygiene programs result in an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, which is the minimum educational requirement for state licensure. While an associate degree is sufficient, several institutions also offer Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees in dental hygiene.
The typical program length is approximately two years of full-time study, following the completion of all prerequisite courses. The curriculum blends extensive didactic instruction, covering subjects like periodontology and pharmacology, with significant hands-on clinical experience where students develop proficiency in areas such as patient assessment, scaling, root planing, and local anesthesia administration.
Required Licensing Examinations
The path to licensure requires candidates to successfully pass two distinct types of standardized examinations designed to assess both cognitive knowledge and clinical skill competency. The first hurdle is the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE), which is a comprehensive, written assessment of a candidate’s theoretical knowledge base. Passing the NBDHE is a mandatory requirement for licensure in California, as it validates the graduate’s understanding of basic sciences, clinical sciences, and community health principles.
California does not administer its own state-specific clinical examination but instead accepts results from several major regional testing agencies. Candidates typically choose to take a clinical competency exam from organizations such as the Western Regional Examining Board (WREB), the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX), or the Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS). These examinations require the candidate to demonstrate their practical skills by performing procedures, such as periodontal scaling and root planing, on a live patient. The accepted clinical examination must include an evaluation of local anesthesia and nitrous oxide sedation administration, reflecting the expanded scope of practice in California.
An alternative pathway for demonstrating clinical competence may be available through a portfolio examination process, depending on the specific rules of the Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC). The portfolio method allows candidates to submit documented evidence of their clinical work, including patient cases and treatment records, completed during their CODA-accredited program. Successful completion of both the national written board and an accepted clinical competency assessment is a prerequisite to moving forward with the state application process.
California-Specific Licensure Requirements
Beyond the national and clinical testing requirements, candidates must satisfy several administrative and legal mandates specific to the state of California, overseen by the Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC). A standalone requirement is the successful completion of the California Law and Ethics Examination, which tests the applicant’s understanding of the state’s specific dental practice act, regulations, and ethical standards. This examination is typically administered in a computerized, open-book format and is separate from the cognitive NBDHE.
All applicants must undergo a mandatory criminal history review, which involves submitting fingerprints through the state’s Live Scan system. The Live Scan process electronically captures and transmits the applicant’s fingerprints to the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additionally, applicants must provide proof of current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which must meet the standards for Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers.
Submitting the Official Application
The final administrative step involves compiling and submitting a comprehensive application package directly to the Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC). This package requires the official Registered Dental Hygienist license application form, along with the payment of the required application fee. Candidates must arrange for official transcripts to be sent directly from their CODA-accredited program, verifying their graduation and degree completion.
Proof of passing scores for all required examinations—the NBDHE, the accepted clinical exam, and the California Law and Ethics exam—must also be submitted. Confirmation that the Live Scan background check process has been completed and cleared is required for the DHBC review. Following submission, the DHBC typically requires a processing period, after which the applicant is issued their official license number, granting them the legal authority to practice in the state.
Maintaining Your Registered Dental Hygienist License
Once the initial license is secured, a Registered Dental Hygienist must adhere to ongoing regulatory requirements to maintain active status in California. The license renewal cycle operates biennially, requiring renewal every two years on the last day of the licensee’s birth month. To qualify, the DHBC mandates the completion of a specific number of Continuing Education (CE) units during each two-year cycle.