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License renewal · California

Dental Hygienist License Renewal in California

The Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC) sets the rules. Renewal: every two years; deadline: by the last day of the month of the licensee's birthday. Continuing education: 25 CE units per 2-year renewal period (RDH and RDHEF), including mandatory coursework. Each fact below is quoted from an official state source, linked beside it, and was checked on 2026-10-09. Confirm with the board before you rely on it: rules change.

Renewal cycle and deadline

every two years — by the last day of the month of the licensee's birthday

Source: dhbc.ca.gov

Continuing education

25 CE units per 2-year renewal period (RDH and RDHEF), including mandatory coursework.

  • 2 units: Dental Board of CA approved California Dental Practice Act course
  • 2 units: Dental Board of CA approved Infection Control course
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) course, maximum of four units; 100% online BLS not accepted

Source: dhbc.ca.gov · dhbc.ca.gov

CPR / BLS

BLS is listed under 'Mandatory Courses'; up to four units count toward CE; BLS courses that are 100% online only are not accepted; must be completed within the most recent 2-year renewal period.

Source: dhbc.ca.gov

Late renewal and lapse

License is expired if not renewed by the expiration date; renewing more than 30 days after expiration requires a Delinquency Fee equal to half the renewal fee; performing licensed duties on an expired, cancelled or inactive license is a criminal offense; a license expired more than five years is automatically cancelled.

Source: dhbc.ca.gov

Verify a license

The board's public lookup: search.dca.ca.gov

For the office manager

The renewal is the hygienist's to complete, but a lapsed license is the practice's problem on the schedule. Keep each hygienist's expiry date where an alert reaches both of you well before it, long enough for any CE still owed. The free renewal calendar makes reminders for your own calendar; LVL Up Performance keeps the dates on each staff record and alerts ahead. Neither tracks CE hours or checks anything with the board.

Sources, quoted

  • “Each licensee must renew their license every two years by the last day of the month of their birthday.” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), Registered Dental Hygienist in Extended Functions (RDHEF) | 25 | (including the required mandatory coursework)” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “A two-unit, Dental Board of CA approved California Dental Practice Act course.” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “A two-unit, Dental Board of CA approved Infection Control course.” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “A maximum of four units from a Basic Life Support (BLS)* course.” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “All CE courses, including Basic Life Support, must be completed within the most recent 2- year license or permit renewal period” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “a Delinquency Fee equivalent to half the License Renewal Fee will be required” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE TO PERFORM LICENSED DUTIES WITH AN EXPIRED, CANCELLED, OR INACTIVE LICENSE!” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “A license that has been expired for more than five years is automatically cancelled, and cannot be renewed” — dhbc.ca.gov
  • “You may check on the status of a dental hygiene license here.” — dhbc.ca.gov

Checked 2026-10-09. Something out of date? Write to mauricio@lvlupperformance.com and we will fix it. This page is information, not legal advice.

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