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Licensure
Dental Hygiene Licensure
Facts
A dental hygienist is a licensed
healthcare professional. Other licensed professionals include nurses, physical therapists,
dentists, physicians, and dieticians. Licensure is the strongest form
of regulation used today. In accordance with state law, licensed individuals
are the only persons who meet the minimum qualifications necessary to
practice their profession.
Why have licensure?
- Licensure is a means of protecting the public
from unqualified individuals and unsafe practice. In fact, in addition
to initial graduation and testing, states require dental hygienists
to complete continuing education courses to renew their license.
Who grants licensure?
- Licensure is granted by each individual state. Dental hygienists practice in accordance with requirements of individual
state dental practice acts.
How is licensure obtained:
In virtually every state, several steps are required
before a license can be granted:
- Graduation from an accredited dental hygiene
program
- Successful completion of the written National
Board Dental Hygiene Examination
- Successful completion of a regional or state
clinical board examination
Once these steps have been completed, an applicant for licensure must
then contact the state licensing authority in the state where he/she wishes
to practice. As licensing requirements vary from state to state, it is
necessary to contact each licensing authority in a given state for its specific application
requirements and procedures. Examples of other types of requirements and
information needed are:
- Successful completion of a jurisprudence exam
- Proof of CPR certification
- Letters of recommendation from dentists licensed
in the state in which you wish to obtain licensure
- Official transcripts from high school and colleges
attended
- Official letters from the boards of dentistry
where licensure is held
Typically state boards have the authority to deny a license to an applicant who has committed an act for which the board could revoke a license. Persons convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor may be refused licensure, as well as those disciplined on the license application about prior convictions, discipline, etc. Most states conduct background checks on a case by case basis, and may take into consideration the seriousness of the offense and other factors in making the decision to grant licensure.
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