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Iowa Dental Hygiene — Requirements & Free Practice

US-IA · License preparation

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

dental college and dental hygiene program faculty permits

Permit to practice dental hygiene as a faculty member within an accredited program in lieu of a permanent license (Iowa Code §153.37; 481 IAC 572.9).

Licensing authority: Iowa Dental Board (Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) · Application information

Initial faculty permit (481 IAC 572.9)
Jurisprudence Examination
Clinical Competency
Clinical practice in another state, district, territory or country within three years, or a clinical examination or assessment within three years (481 IAC 572.9(2)(h)); the examination is not identified.
Employment
Certification by the dean or designated administrative officer that the applicant is employed as a faculty member of an accredited school and is not licensed to practice dental hygiene in Iowa (481 IAC 572.9(2)(a)).
Jurisprudence Alternatives
Besides the Board-approved jurisprudence examination, 481 IAC 572.15(2) also accepts jurisprudence examinations administered by accredited schools or programs located in Iowa and Board-approved continuing education courses with a posttest examination; minimum score 75 percent.
Qualifications
Graduation from an accredited school or other Board-approved program, NPDB self-query, background check, and good standing where licensed elsewhere (481 IAC 572.9(2)(c)-(f)).

Local Anesthesia Permit

Permit a licensed dental hygienist must hold to administer local anesthesia (481 IAC 572.10; 481—Chapter 576).

Licensing authority: Iowa Dental Board (Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) · Application information

Renewal of a local anesthesia permit (481 IAC 572.10(2))
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Renewal
Renewal by August 31 of each odd-numbered year with evidence of an active Iowa dental hygiene license and the renewal fee (481 IAC 572.10(2)).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-04-09.

Resident License

License for a dental hygienist serving only as a resident, intern or graduate student at an accredited institution (Iowa Code §153.22; 481 IAC 572.8).

Licensing authority: Dental Board · Application information

Extension of a resident license (481 IAC 572.8(3)(c))
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Extension
Extension application with a statement of need, fee and a program director statement of progress and new expected completion date (481 IAC 572.8(3)(c)).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-04-09.

Initial resident license (481 IAC 572.8)
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Clinical Competency
Clinical practice within three years, or a clinical examination or assessment within three years (481 IAC 572.8(2)(e)); the examination is not identified.
Education
Graduation from an accredited school of dental hygiene or other Board-approved school (481 IAC 572.8(2)(c)).
Enrollment
Confirmation of enrollment as a resident, intern or graduate student at an accredited institution and a supervising Iowa-licensed dentist statement (481 IAC 572.8(2)(a)-(b)).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-04-09.

Retired Volunteer License

License for a retired dental hygienist to provide volunteer dental hygiene services without remuneration (Iowa Code §153.23; 481 IAC 572.13).

Licensing authority: Dental Board · Application information

Retired volunteer license (481 IAC 572.13)
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Limits
No fees or compensation; valid 12 months; not convertible to a regular license (481 IAC 572.13(1), (5)-(6)).
Retirement
Retired from practice and either held an active dental hygiene license within the previous five years, or demonstrates sufficient knowledge and skill to practice safely (481 IAC 572.13(2); Iowa Code §153.23).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-04-09.

Temporary Permit

Short-term permit to practice dental hygiene at specific locations for an urgent need, an educational purpose or volunteer services (Iowa Code §153.19; 481 IAC 572.12).

Licensing authority: Dental Board · Application information

Temporary permit to fulfill an urgent need or serve an educational purpose (481 IAC 572.12(2))
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
License Elsewhere
Graduation from an accredited dental hygiene school; certification from a state where the applicant has been licensed and practicing for at least three years; evidence that at least one license was issued on the basis of clinical examination (481 IAC 572.12(2)(a)-(d)).
Purpose
Urgent need or educational purpose at specific locations, justified by a request from those seeking the services; up to six months; at most two such permits without prior Board approval (481 IAC 572.12(1)-(2)).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-04-09.

Temporary permit to provide volunteer services (481 IAC 572.12(3))
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
License Elsewhere
Certification of license from the licensing board of the primary jurisdiction and disclosure of pending discipline or criminal charges (481 IAC 572.12(3)(b)-(c)).
Purpose
Volunteer services only at free clinics or 501(c)(3) nonprofit dental clinics without compensation (481 IAC 572.12(1)(d), 572.12(3)).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-04-09.

Jurisprudence Examination

Provider
Iowa Dental Board; proctored at Iowa community college testing sites
Format
Open-book; the Jurisprudence for Dental Professionals booklet is the only resource material allowed into the testing room
Passing score
75 percent
Practice scope

Inferred from the examination name; the authority has not published an examination outline.

  • 481 IAC chapter 1 — Administration
  • 481 IAC chapter 7 — Military Service, Veteran Reciprocity, and Spouses of Active-Duty Service Members
  • 481 IAC chapter 8 — Licensing and Child Support Noncompliance, Student Loan Repayment Noncompliance, and Nonpayment of State Debt
  • 481 IAC chapter 10 — Rules of Procedure and Practice before the Administrative Hearings Division
  • 481 IAC chapter 16 — Administrative Electronic Document Management System
  • 481 IAC chapter 501 — Model Rules for Licensure by Verification or Work Experience
  • 481 IAC chapter 502 — Model Rules for Use of Criminal Convictions in Eligibility Determinations and Initial Licensing Decisions
  • 481 IAC chapter 503 — Model Rules for Complaints and Investigations
  • 481 IAC chapter 504 — Model Rules for Discipline
  • 481 IAC chapter 505 — Model Rules for Licensee Review Committee
  • 481 IAC chapter 506 — Model Rules for Contested Cases before Licensing Boards and Settlements
  • 481 IAC chapter 570 — Dental Board Administration
  • 481 IAC chapter 572 — Dental Licensure, Registration, Renewal, Reactivation and Reinstatement
  • 481 IAC chapter 573 — Dental Continuing Education
  • 481 IAC chapter 574 — General Requirements and Standards of Practice
  • 481 IAC chapter 575 — Dental Assistants, Dental Radiography Qualifications, and Dental Laboratory Technicians
  • 481 IAC chapter 576 — Dental Hygienists
  • 481 IAC chapter 577 — Expanded Functions
  • 481 IAC chapter 578 — Prescribing, Administering, and Dispensing Drugs
  • 481 IAC chapter 579 — Sedation and Nitrous Oxide
  • 481 IAC chapter 580 — Dental Board Complaints and Investigations
  • 481 IAC chapter 581 — Dental Board Discipline
  • Iowa Code chapter 147 — General Provisions, Health-Related Professions
  • Iowa Code chapter 153 — Dentistry
  • Iowa Code chapter 272C — Regulation of Licensed Professions and Occupations
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