License renewal
Dental hygienist license renewal by state
When each state's dental hygienist licenses renew and how much continuing education is due, for office managers who keep the schedule running. Every figure is quoted from the state board, statute or administrative code and linked on the state's page. Rules change: confirm with the board before you rely on it.
| State | Renews | Deadline | CE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | every year (annual registration; certificate valid October 1 through September 30) | No later than September 30 of each year | 12 hours of continuing education every year |
| Alaska | every 2 years (biennial) | February 28, 2027 - end of the licensing period the board states as "March 1, 2025 – February 28, 2027"; the board form states "There is no grace period" (prior deadline was February 28, 2025) | 20 contact hours per licensing period (one contact hour = minimum 50 minutes of instruction) |
| Arizona | every 3 years (triennial) | On or before the last day of the licensee's birth month every third year (license expires thirty days after the licensee's birth month) | 45 credit hours of recognized continuing dental education per renewal period (3 years) |
| Arkansas | every 2 years (even-numbered years) | January 1 of even-numbered years; a license not renewed within thirty (30) days after January 1 is forfeited | 40 CEUs for every two-year reporting period (1 CEU = minimum 50 minutes; reporting period starts on an even-numbered year) |
| California | every two years | by the last day of the month of the licensee's birthday | 25 CE units per 2-year renewal period (RDH and RDHEF), including mandatory coursework |
| Colorado | every 2 years | February 28 of even-numbered years (February 29 during leap years) | 30 hours of continuing education per two-year license period |
| Connecticut | annually (registration renewed every year; CE is counted over the preceding 24 months) | annually, during the month of such person's birth | 16 contact hours of continuing education within the preceding 24-month period (a contact hour is a minimum of 50 minutes) |
| Delaware | every 2 years (biennial) | May 31 of even-numbered years | 24 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) per 2-year renewal period (June 1 - May 31, even-numbered years) |
| Florida | biennial (two-year licensure cycle) | no later than midnight, Eastern Time, on February 28, 2028 (current cycle) | 24 hours per biennium (22 general + 2 medical error) |
| Georgia | biennial | by the last day of December in odd-numbered years | 22 hours per biennium |
| Hawaii | every 2 years (biennial) | December 31 of every odd-numbered year (next: December 31, 2027) | 20 hours per biennium (calendar years preceding the odd-year renewal) |
| Idaho | every 2 years (biennial; transitioning from fixed March 31 odd-year dates to two-year birth-date renewal beginning 2026-08-01) | Dental hygienists renewing by March 31, 2027; after that, licenses expire on the licensee's birthday (statute 54-920 still reads: prior to March 31 of each odd-numbered calendar year) | 30 oral health/health-related continuing education hour credits per biennial renewal period (verifiable CE or volunteer practice) |
| Illinois | every 3 years | expires on September 30 every 3 years (renew during the month preceding expiration) | 36 hours per 36-month prerenewal period |
| Indiana | every 2 years | March 1 of even-numbered years | 19 hours of continuing education per two-year renewal period |
| Iowa | every 2 years (odd-numbered years) | August 31 of every odd-numbered year | 30 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle (24-month period September 1 through August 31) |
| Kansas | every 2 years (biennial) | On or before December 1 of the year in which the licensee's license expires (license expires December 1 of the year specified by the board) | 30 hours of continuing dental education courses that qualify for credit, each completed in the 24 months immediately preceding license expiration |
| Kentucky | every 2 years (biennial) | December 31 of even-numbered years | 30 hours of continuing education during the two-year licensure period |
| Louisiana | biennial (every 2 years) | All online renewal payments must be completed by 11:59 PM, December 31, 2026, to avoid a late fee (board renewal page for licenses expiring December 31, 2026; LAC 46:XXXIII.409 says licenses 'expire on December 31 of each calendar year of the renewal period') | 20 hours of continuing education during each renewal period |
| Maine | every 2 years (biennial) | December 31 of even-numbered years | 30 credit hours per biennial license term (January 1 of odd years through December 31 of even years) |
| Maryland | every 2 years (biennial) | June 30 of the second year following the effective date of the license (renewal due June 30 of the year the license is due for renewal) | 30 full hours of Board-approved continuing education per renewal cycle |
| Massachusetts | every 2 years (biennial) | no later than March 31st of odd-numbered years | 20 CEUs during the 24 months immediately preceding March 31st in odd numbered years |
| Michigan | every 3 years | on or before the expiration date shown on each license (no single calendar date is stated); renewal may be started no sooner than 90 days before the expiration date | 36 hours of board-approved continuing education during the 3 years before the end of the license cycle |
| Minnesota | every 2 years (biennial, 24-month term) | the last day of the licensee's birth month, in an even-numbered year for an even-numbered birth year or an odd-numbered year for an odd-numbered birth year | 25 hours of professional development per biennial cycle (called 'professional development') |
| Mississippi | every 2 years (dental hygienists renew in even-numbered years; 2026-2028 cycle begins September 1, 2026) | License renewal occurs from September 1 through October 31 each biennial period; penalties apply November 1 through December 31; licenses not renewed by December 31, 2026 will VOID | 20 hours of Board-approved CDE per biennial renewal period (January 1 of odd year through December 31 of even year for hygienists) |
| Missouri | every two years | November 30 of each even-numbered year (postmarked on or before the license expiration date) | 30 hours per two-year renewal period (December 1 through November 30) |
| Montana | annual license renewal; CE is reported on a rolling 3-year cycle | March 1 of every year | 36 hours per three-year cycle (cycle start date April 15, 2015) |
| Nebraska | every 2 years (odd-numbered years) | March 1 of each odd-numbered year | 30 hours of acceptable continuing education during the preceding 24-month period |
| Nevada | biennially (every two years) | June 30 of each even-numbered year (on or before June 30) | 30 hours biennially (of which at least 24 must be clinical subjects) |
| New Hampshire | every 2 years (license valid 2 years from date of issuance) | On or before the expiration of the license (OPLC emails notice at least 2 months before; renewal may be filed not more than 60 days before expiration) | 20 CEUs of continuing education per biennium (1 CEU = one hour of attendance) |
| New Jersey | every two years (biennial) | December 31 of odd-numbered years | 20 hours per biennial licensing period |
| New Mexico | every three years (three-year cycle) | Dental hygiene licenses expire every three years on June 30 (licenses not renewed by July 1 are considered expired; the renewal application must be post-marked on or before July 1 of the renewal year) | 45 hours per triennial (three-year) renewal cycle, July 1 through June 30 |
| New York | three-year registration period | registration periods are adjusted so that renewals occur during the licensee's birth month | 24 contact hours per three-year registration period |
| North Carolina | annually | law requires renewal with payment by January 1 of each year; may renew until January 31 without penalty | 6 clock hours each calendar year |
| North Dakota | every 2 years (biennial) | December 31 of odd-numbered years | 16 hours per two-year cycle (no more than 8 hours from self-study) |
| Ohio | two-year period | a license expires on the date that is two years from the date of issuance (Ohio Revised Code 4715.24, effective January 1, 2025) | 20 hours in the two-year period preceding renewal |
| Oklahoma | annually (license January 1 through December 31); continuing education due every two years | On or before the last day of December of each year | 20 hours per two-year continuing education period (current period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027) |
| Oregon | every other year (biennial); dental hygienists licensed in odd-numbered years renew in odd-numbered years and those licensed in even-numbered years renew in even-numbered years | September 30 every other year | 24 hours every two years (36 hours every two years for an Expanded Practice Permit dental hygienist) |
| Pennsylvania | biennial (2-year period beginning April 1 of each odd-numbered year) | licenses expire March 31 of odd-numbered years (current period April 1, 2025 - March 31, 2027) | 20 hours per biennial renewal |
| Rhode Island | every 2 years (biennial); license expires June 30 of even-numbered years | Renewal application with CE attestation due by May 1 of each even-numbered year; license expires June 30 of even-numbered years | 20 hours in the preceding two years (prorated at an average of 10 hours per year if licensed less than two years) |
| South Carolina | biennially (every two years) | Renews Biennially by March 1 (odd-numbered years; next renewal period on or around October 15, 2026 - March 1, 2027) | 14 hours every CE cycle (two years; hours earned March 2 through March 1 of odd years) |
| South Dakota | annual license renewal; CE is reported on a 5-year cycle | July 1 each year | 75 hours of board-approved CE per five-year licensure cycle |
| Tennessee | biennially (every two years); CE cycle is two calendar years, January 1 of an odd year through December 31 of an even year | The last day of the month in which a licensee's birthday falls | 30 hours per two calendar-year cycle (January 1 of an odd year - December 31 of an even year) |
| Texas | biennially | no later than midnight on the day the license is due to expire | 24 hours biennially |
| Utah | two-year renewal cycle | May 31st of even years | 30 hours of qualified continuing professional education (CPE) during each two-year renewal cycle |
| Vermont | every 2 years (biennial) | September 30 of odd-numbered years (OPR fee/date chart for the Dental profession group) | 18 hours of Board-approved continuing education during the preceding 2-year renewal cycle |
| Virginia | annually (each year) | in the licensee's birth month each year | 15 hours of approved continuing education per annual renewal |
| Washington | annually (every year) | the practitioner's birthday; credentials may be renewed within 90 days of the expiration date | 15 clock hours of continuing education each year following the first license renewal |
| Wisconsin | every 2 years (odd-numbered years) | October 1 of each odd-numbered year | 12 credit hours of continuing education during the 2-year period immediately preceding the renewal date, related to the clinical practice of dental hygiene or the practice of medicine |
| Wyoming | every 2 years (biennial; licenses expire December 31 of every second year) | December 31 (renewal window October 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027 for the current cycle) | 16 hours every two years (current period January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2027) |
Sources and quotes are on each state's page. This is information, not legal advice.
Keep renewals off the critical path
Make a free renewal calendar for your staff's expiry dates, or read how to track staff licenses and certifications.