DENTAL HYGIENIST License in Utah

Utah requires dental hygienist applicants to graduate from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program and pass the NBDHE plus a clinical examination, typically the WREB. The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) oversees dental hygienist licensing through the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Licensing Board. CE is required for biennial renewal, typically 30 hours per two-year period. Utah permits dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia with additional training and state-approved certification courses. The state has CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs at Weber State University, Dixie Technical College (now Utah Tech University), and Salt Lake Community College, providing educational access across the state. Utah's rapidly growing population, particularly along the Wasatch Front corridor from Ogden through Salt Lake City to Provo, creates consistent and increasing demand for dental hygienists. Utah's young demographic profile, with the largest average household size in the nation, drives particularly strong demand for pediatric-focused dental hygiene services. Rural Utah, especially in the southern and eastern regions near national parks and tribal lands including the Navajo Nation, experiences dental professional shortages being addressed through expanded access initiatives.