DENTAL HYGIENISTS License in Tennessee

Tennessee requires dental hygienist applicants to graduate from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program and pass the NBDHE plus a clinical examination. The Tennessee Board of Dentistry, under the Department of Health, oversees dental hygienist licensing. CE is required for biennial renewal, typically 20 hours per two-year period. Tennessee permits dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia with an additional permit and approved training, expanding the scope of services available to patients. The state has CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University, Roane State Community College, Concorde Career College, and several other institutions providing statewide access to education. Tennessee's diverse geography means dental hygienists are needed in the Nashville and Memphis metropolitan areas as well as in rural Appalachian and West Tennessee communities where oral health access remains limited. The state has addressed these access challenges by allowing dental hygienists to provide preventive services in public health settings, schools, and community health centers under general supervision. Tennessee's dental hygienist workforce is growing steadily to meet increasing population demand.