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New York offers many options for dental hygienists, which means this profession is popular in this state.
Check out the article below if you want to learn how to become a licensed dental hygienist in New York.
Article Table of Contents
Education Requirements for Licensing
New York requires its dental hygienists to undergo a licensing process managed by The New York Office of the Professions.
Before applying for a license, you need to enroll in a technical program.
You need a minimum of 2 years of education within a program and an associate’s degree to meet the criteria.
However, many schools in New York also offer higher degrees, which results in increased career opportunities.
One of these options is earning a bachelor’s degree.
The program you attend must be approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| CUNY Hostos Community College | 500 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York 10451 |
| CUNY New York City College of Technology | 300 Jay St, Brooklyn, New York 11201 |
| Erie Community College | 121 Ellicott St, Buffalo, New York 14203-2698 |
| Farmingdale State College | 2350 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale, New York 11735-1021 |
| Hudson Valley Community College | 80 Vandenburgh Ave, Troy, New York 12180 |
| Monroe Community College | 1000 E Henrietta Rd, Rochester, New York 14623 |
| NYU College of Dentistry | 345 E 24th St, New York, NY 10010 |
| SUNY Broome Community College | 907 Upper Front St, Binghamton, New York 13905 |
Other schooling requirements
In addition to the CODA training program, you have to take a course in child abuse reporting, and infection control.
Take the Licensing Exams
To receive a license in the field, you need to take a theory exam and a practical exam.
The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) exam will asses your knowledge of general dental hygiene practice.
This is a written exam that needs to be passed before taking the clinical exam.
Regional Licensing Exam
The North East Regional Board (NERB) will asses your ability to put into practice the theory you learned in the program.
You will also get tested on the job duties you will have to perform after getting hired.
If you don’t pass this exam, you need to take an extra 20 class hours for each of the subjects you failed.
How to Apply for a Certification
In order to apply, you need to fill in 2 forms:
- A licensing application
- A professional education form
You will also have to pay a $128 fee for your first dental license.
Dental Hygiene Anesthesia Permit
If you want to perform local anesthesia or work with nitrous oxide, you will a separate permit.
You first have to pay a $25 fee for the dental hygiene anesthesia permit.
To receive it, you need to enroll in a 30 hours class that is approved by the New York State Education Department.
Expected Salary
Location and extra permits will influence the salary of a dental hygienist in the State of New York.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $90,629 |
| Hempstead | $81,925 |
| Brookhaven | $80,945 |
| Islip | $81,095 |
| Oyster Bay | $85,431 |
| Buffalo | $71,629 |
| Babylon | $81,095 |
| Rochester | $73,836 |
| Huntington | $85,431 |
| Yonkers | $86,335 |
Regional Salary in New York
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 630 | $77,160 | $37.1 | $86,320 | $64,340 |
| Binghamton, NY | 200 | $69,720 | $33.52 | $82,490 | $51,160 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | 920 | $67,660 | $32.53 | $78,110 | $51,390 |
| Elmira, NY | 60 | $69,290 | $33.31 | $78,330 | $60,690 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 60 | $73,710 | $35.44 | $80,010 | $63,090 |
| Ithaca, NY | 80 | $80,800 | $38.85 | $95,160 | $65,630 |
| Kingston, NY | 80 | $79,900 | $38.41 | $92,980 | $63,020 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 13,270 | $92,450 | $44.45 | $103,420 | $75,850 |
| Rochester, NY | 990 | $74,280 | $35.71 | $80,230 | $64,170 |
| Syracuse, NY | 500 | $74,940 | $36.03 | $89,990 | $63,860 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 170 | $77,440 | $37.23 | $92,930 | $62,750 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 80 | $72,440 | $34.83 | $79,860 | $58,160 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Renewing your Dental Hygienist License
In New York, dental hygiene licenses should be renewed every once at 3 years.
For this, you will have to take 24 extra education hours first.
Once in 4 years, you will need to attend an infection control that is approved by the Board.
Some of the topics that you will cover in the extra classes include:
- Various dental sciences
- Behavioral science
- Pharmacology
- Infection control
- Public health issues
- Drug interactions
- Legal or regulatory issues
- Risk management
- Patient counseling
Read the full guide: How to Become a Dental Hygienist
Dental Hygiene by State