It is your responsibility to review the rules and determine for which license you are qualified BEFORE submitting an application. Submission of an incorrect application may result in loss of fees.

• If you are a new graduate or have ADEX scores less than 5 years old, you should apply for Licensure by Examination.  Must have graduated from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program.  Cost of license: $75.00
• If your ADEX scores are over 5 years old, you should apply for Licensure by Credentials, if qualified.  To qualify:  You must have been licensed in another state via clinical exam for at least 2 years, you must have 2,000 hours of patient care within the last 2 years, and you must never have been disciplined by another licensing board.  Must have graduated from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program.  Cost of license: $750.00
  
• If you are short practice hours for credentials or have a long wait before you can take ADEX, you may apply for a Provisional License.  This is NOT a temporary license while waiting for a different license; you do not get it any faster.  This license is restricted to practice under supervision of an NC dentist at their offices only.  Letter from Supervising Dentist is required. It is good for one year only and cannot be renewed or extended.  Cost of license: $60.00
  
• If you serve or have served as a dental hygienist in the military or are married to an active member of the military, you may apply for Licensure by Military Endorsement/Military Spouse, if qualified.  To qualify:  You must have 1,000 hours of patient care per year for at least 2 of the last 5 years.  Cost of initial license: $0.00.
  
• Click here for information on becoming permitted to practice under the Military Relief Act. This is not a license.
  
• Internationally trained dentists are not eligible for dental hygiene licensure in NC.

• With the recent passage of SB 146 which allows certification of dental hygienists to administer local anesthetics in North Carolina, the Board has developed temporary rules and a process to receive certification. Click here for the process and instructions on how to submit your documents.

• All candidates for licensure in this state who do NOT qualify for Licensure by Credentials or Military Endorsement are required to participate in written and clinical examinations.
• 
  Written examinations are offered on-line in two subject areas: infection control/sterilization and North Carolina jurisprudence.
• The only acceptable clinical exams are the ADEX Dental Hygiene or the CITA Dental Hygiene exam.  Both written and clinical exams must be passed before a license will be issued.  Passing either the written or clinical exam alone does not fulfill requirements for licensure.  No candidate may engage in the practice of dental hygiene until the license is issued and properly displayed as required by 21 NCAC 16I .0109.

To apply for a license you must first create an account in our Gateway System. Once logged in, you may access and complete the appropriate application.

To access Licensure Gateway and create a Gateway Account, click here:

Licensure Gateway