Washington dental hygienist license
What Washington requires to license a dental hygienist, what a licensed hygienist may do, and how to keep the license current, taken from Washington State Department of Health, Dental Hygiene Examining Committee and state code pages.
| Licensing board | Washington State Department of Health, Dental Hygiene Examining Committee Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
|---|---|
| How to apply | Applications, forms and the fee schedule are on the Department of Health's Apply for a Dental Hygienist License page, including an online application. Open the page Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Education | Graduation from a dental hygiene program accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), with an official transcript sent directly from the program. Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| National written exam | The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) is the only written exam accepted. Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Clinical exam | Washington accepts dental hygiene clinical exams from WREB, CRDTS or CDCA, including their manikin or simulated versions if passed after October 8, 2021, plus WREB or CRDTS anesthesia and restorative expanded function exams. Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| State law exam | Applicants must pass the Washington State dental hygiene drug and law jurisprudence exam. Source: app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Fees | License application by examination (or reexamination) is $100; a credentialing application is $100; annual renewal is $70. Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Licensed in another state | Licensure by interstate endorsement requires a valid, current, nonlimited license in another state, clinical practice within the previous year, a substantively equivalent exam, and passing the Washington drug and law jurisprudence exam. Source: app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Local anesthesia | Yes. Hygienists may administer local anesthetic under a dentist's close supervision, or under general supervision when the patient is at least eighteen, was examined by the delegating dentist within twelve months, and the dentist approved it in the record. Anesthesia education is required for licensure. Source: app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Nitrous oxide | Yes. Hygienists may administer nitrous oxide analgesia under a dentist's close supervision; nitrous oxide training is part of the expanded function education required for licensure. Source: app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Supervision and direct access | Hygienists practice under a dentist's or dental therapist's general or close supervision depending on the procedure. With two years of clinical experience in the preceding five years, they may work without dental supervision in health care facilities and senior centers, with limits on scope. Source: app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Renewal | Licenses renew every year and expire on the licensee's birthday; renewal is possible within 90 days of the expiration date. Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Continuing education | 15 hours of continuing education every year, a current basic life support (BLS) card, and a one-time three-hour suicide prevention training that can count toward the hours. Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
| Interstate compact | Washington joined the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact when ESHB 1576 was signed on May 4, 2023. Source: doh.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-29. |
Rules and fees change. Confirm with Washington State Department of Health, Dental Hygiene Examining Committee before you rely on them.
Licensed hygienists in Washington earn a median $63.06 an hour ($131,160 a year). See Washington pay by metro.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
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