Michigan dental hygienist license
What Michigan requires to license a dental hygienist, what a licensed hygienist may do, and how to keep the license current, taken from Michigan Board of Dentistry (Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing) and state code pages.
| Licensing board | Michigan Board of Dentistry (Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing) Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
|---|---|
| How to apply | Apply online through MiPLUS at www.michigan.gov/miplus; the Registered Dental Hygienist Licensing Guide lists the requirements. Open the page Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Education | Graduation from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program, shown by official transcripts sent directly to the Bureau. Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| National written exam | National Board Dental Hygiene Examination scores reported directly by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Clinical exam | Passing scores on all parts, written and clinical, of the ADEX examination given by CDCA-WREB-CITA or another regional testing agency. Non-ADEX exams are not accepted for licensure by exam. Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Fees | $98.80 for the application plus 3 year license fee, by exam or endorsement, paid by credit or debit card. Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Licensed in another state | Licensure by endorsement requires a license in good standing in another state for at least one year. Hygienists licensed at least 3 years in a state that required a regional or state exam send certified scores; those licensed less than 3 years must also show CODA graduation, National Board and ADEX scores. Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Local anesthesia | An RDH may give intraoral block and infiltration anesthesia to patients 18 years of age or older after an approved course of at least 15 hours didactic and 14 hours clinical instruction and a state or regional written exam passed within 18 months of the course. Source: ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Nitrous oxide | An RDH may administer no more than 50% nitrous oxide analgesia to patients 18 years of age or older after an approved course of at least 4 hours didactic and 4 hours clinical instruction and a state or regional written exam passed within 18 months of the course. Source: ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Supervision and direct access | Michigan rules set three levels for allied dental personnel: assignment, general supervision and direct supervision. Under assignment, the dentist designates a patient of record and describes the procedures, and need not be physically present. Source: ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Renewal | Licenses renew every 3 years through MiPLUS, no sooner than 90 days before expiration. The renewal fee is $78.00. Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Continuing education | 36 hours per 3 year cycle, including at least 12 hours on clinical issues, 2 hours in pain and symptom management, 1 hour in ethics and jurisprudence, and 1 hour in infection control. At least 12 hours must be live, and no more than 18 may be asynchronous. Also 1 hour of implicit bias training for each year of the cycle. Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Background check | Required. After submitting the online application, applicants receive emailed instructions for completing the criminal background check. Source: michigan.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
Rules and fees change. Confirm with Michigan Board of Dentistry (Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing) before you rely on them.
Licensed hygienists in Michigan earn a median $40.28 an hour ($83,790 a year). See Michigan pay by metro.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
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