How to Become a Licensed Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) in California by successful completion of the Western Regional Examination Board (WREB)

A law effective January 1, 2010, will allow seeking initial licensure in California as a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) to obtain licensure by completing the Application to Practice Dental Hygiene through WREB. The application and examination forms on this page contain all of the requirements that a WREB applicant for RDH examination and licensure must complete. Applicants must:

1. Be a graduate of a board approved and accredited Dental Hygiene program.
2. Successfully complete the WREB dental hygiene clinical examination.
3. Complete approved courses in the administration of local anesthesia, soft tissue curretage, and nitrous oxide.
4. Pass the National written examination.

Once the WREB 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.

• WREB Application Form
• Licensure by Clinical Exam Application Checklist
• Out-of-State Licensure Certification Form
• National Board Dental Hygiene Examination Scorecard Request
• Request for WREB Score
• Certification Form for Completion of ADA Radiation Safety Program
• Board-Approved STC, NO, LA Courses
• Fingerprinting Information
• Request for Hard Fingerprint Cards
• Law and Ethics Written Examinations - PSI Candidate Handbook