Virginia dental hygienist license
What Virginia requires to license a dental hygienist, what a licensed hygienist may do, and how to keep the license current, taken from Virginia Board of Dentistry (Virginia Department of Health Professions) and state code pages.
| Licensing board | Virginia Board of Dentistry (Virginia Department of Health Professions) Source: dhp.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
|---|---|
| How to apply | Hygienists apply online through the Board of Dentistry's Dental Hygienist application page, choosing licensure by examination or by credentials. Open the page Source: dhp.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Education | Applicants must have graduated from, or been issued a certificate by, a CODA or CDAC accredited dental hygiene program. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| National written exam | Applicants must pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination given by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Clinical exam | For licensure by examination, the Board accepts only the ADEX clinical exam (for exams completed in 2023 and later). Credentials applicants may use the clinical exam required in the state where they were first licensed. Source: dhp.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Fees | The application fee is $175 for licensure by examination and $275 for licensure by credentials. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Licensed in another state | Hygienists licensed in another US jurisdiction can apply by credentials if they have active clinical practice for 24 of the past 48 months, good standing everywhere licensed, a substantially equivalent clinical exam, and the national board exam. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Local anesthesia | Yes, to patients 18 or older under a dentist's indirect supervision, after completing a CODA accredited didactic and clinical local anesthesia course and passing its examination. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Nitrous oxide | Yes, under a dentist's indirect supervision, after completing a CODA accredited didactic and clinical nitrous oxide course and passing its examination. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Supervision and direct access | Hygienists work under the direction or general supervision of a licensed dentist; general supervision means the dentist has evaluated the patient and prescribed the services but need not be present. Remote supervision routes exist for public health and other settings. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Renewal | Active and inactive hygiene licenses renew every year in the licensee's birth month. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Continuing education | 15 hours of approved continuing education each annual renewal, plus a current hands-on basic CPR course for health care providers. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Background check | Applications must include a current report from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Interstate compact | Virginia has enacted the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact; the Code section carries a contingent effective date. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
Rules and fees change. Confirm with Virginia Board of Dentistry (Virginia Department of Health Professions) before you rely on them.
Licensed hygienists in Virginia earn a median $49.50 an hour ($102,950 a year). See Virginia pay by metro.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
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