How to Become a Licensed Dental Hygienist (RDH) in California, Licensure by Credential

Licensure by Credential (LBC)

A law effective January 1, 2003, allows RDHs who are licensed in a state other than California for 5 years or more to achieve "licensure by credential," rather than through examination.

Once the LBC application is deemed complete, a letter will be sent to the applicant containing information regarding the written RDH law and ethics examination administered by the computer-based testing center (PSI). Qualified applicants must pass the RDH law and ethics examination in order to achieve RDH licensure.

• LBC Application Form
• LBC Application Check-List
• LBC Application Information
• Certification of Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice Form
• Certification Form for Completion of ADA Radiation Safety Program
• Certification of Out-of-State Dental Hygiene Education in Soft Tissue Anesthesia, and Nitrous Oxide-Oxygen Analgesia (SLN)
• Fingerprinting Information
• Mandatory California Board-approved Continuing Education Providers (Twenty-five hours of continuing education is required. This includes the mandatory California Board-approved courses of 2 hours of Infection Control, 2 hours of California Dental Practice Act and CPR provided by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross.)
• Manpower Shortage Areas in California
• National Board Dental Hygiene Examination Scorecard Request
• Out-of-State Licensure Certification Form
• Request for Hard Fingerprint Cards
• Soft Tissue Curettage, Nitrous Oxide, Local Anesthetic Courses (STC, NO, LA)