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New York Dental Hygiene — Requirements & Free Practice

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Combined practice

Practice is unavailable for ADEX Dental Hygiene Computer Simulated Clinical Examination (CSCE OSCE). Available questions cover only examinations with mounted question banks.

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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.

License as a Dental Hygienist

Licence required to practise dental hygiene or use the title "dental hygienist" in New York (Education Law §§6607, 6609).

Licensing authority: New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (Board of Regents, advised by the State Board for Dentistry)

Licensure by examination

All of the following:

  • National Board Dental Hygiene Examination

  • At least one of the following alternatives:

    • All of the following:

      • ADEX Dental Hygiene Computer Simulated Clinical Examination (CSCE OSCE) (practice unavailable)
      • ADEX Dental Hygiene Simulated Patient Treatment Clinical Examination (SPTCE) (assessment without a question bank)
Adex Score Age
The Department will verify ADEX scores from 1994 to present (NYSED License Requirements page).
Age
At least 17 years of age (Education Law §6609(5)).
Character
Good moral character as determined by the department (Education Law §6609(7)).
Citizenship Or Immigration
United States citizen or alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, subject to the Board of Regents shortage-area waiver (Education Law §6609(6)).
Clinical Examination Insurance
Candidates for Part II must show proof of professional liability insurance coverage before the examination (8 NYCRR §61.7).
Education
High school diploma or equivalent and completion of a New York State registered licensure-qualifying or American Dental Association accredited dental hygiene program (Education Law §6609(2); 8 NYCRR §61.6).
Examination Timing
Part I may be taken after at least one academic year of a registered or accredited dental hygiene program; Part II may be taken during the last year of study before graduation (8 NYCRR §61.7).
Experience
Experience satisfactory to the board and in accordance with the commissioner's regulations (Education Law §6609(3)).
Mandated Training
Coursework or training in identification and reporting of child abuse and in infection control and barrier precautions (NYSED License Requirements page).
Other Acceptable Clinical Examination
8 NYCRR §61.7 accepts satisfactory performance on a clinical examination administered by any clinical testing agency acceptable to the department for Part II; the Department names only the CDCA-administered ADEX dental hygiene examination, and any other agency's examination is accepted only if the department finds that agency acceptable.
Passing Score
Passing score of 75.0 in each subject of each part as determined by the State Board for Dentistry (8 NYCRR §61.7, Passing score); NBDHE scores must be sent directly by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations.
Prior Clinical Failures
An applicant who failed any component of the clinical examination more than once before March 9, 2016 must complete 20 clock hours of instruction per failed comprehensive subject or 40 clock hours after two clinical-component failures at a CODA-accredited dental hygiene school before re-admission (NYSED License Requirements page).
Waiver
The Board of Regents may waive education, experience and examination requirements when satisfied they have been substantially met (Education Law §6506(5); 8 NYCRR §24.7(a)(1)).
Licensure of a military spouse by expedited review
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Eligibility
Spouse of an active duty member of the U.S. armed forces, national guard or reserves transferred by the military to New York (Education Law §6501(1)(a)).
Fee
Initial licensure application fee reduced by one-half (Education Law §6501(1)).
Licence Elsewhere
Holds a licence in good standing in another state whose licensure requirements are, in the department's opinion, substantially equivalent to New York's (Education Law §6501(1)(a)).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Triennial registration renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Proper application on the department's form and the registration fee (Education Law §6502(3)).
Continuing Education
At least 24 hours of acceptable formal continuing education per triennial period, including child abuse reporting and infection control training; exemptions and adjustments per Education Law §6609-A.
Misconduct Review
Department review of information relating to professional misconduct before registration (Education Law §6502(3-a)).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Resumption of registration after lapse
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Proper application and payment of the required registration fee (8 NYCRR §59.8(b)).
Continuing Education
A licensee returning to practice must notify the department and meet the mandatory continuing education requirements prescribed by the commissioner (Education Law §6609-A(1)).
Eligibility
Licensee who allowed registration to lapse and chooses to resume practice or enter practice in a nonexempt setting in New York (8 NYCRR §59.8(b)).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

ADEX Dental Hygiene Computer Simulated Clinical Examination (CSCE OSCE)

Provider
American Board of Dental Examiners; Prometric delivery
Format
Computer-based clinically based questions
Exam questions
Up to 120 items; pilot questions do not affect the final score
Passing score
Minimum scaled score 75; results reported as Pass/Fail
Examination outline
  • Medical/Dental Assessment (12%)
  • Intra and Extra Oral Assessment and Charting (27%)
    • Intra and Extra Oral Examination
    • Dental and Periodontal Charting and Assessment
    • Soft Tissue, Bone, and Tooth Abnormalities
  • Radiology/Imaging (15%)
  • Dental Hygiene Care Planning (13%)
  • Patient Care (19%)
    • Periodontal Procedures
    • Infection Control
    • Medical Emergency Management
  • Dental Specialties and Pharmacology (14%)
    • Dental Specialties
    • Applied Pharmacology
Examination sources

ADEX Dental Hygiene Simulated Patient Treatment Clinical Examination (SPTCE)

This assessment does not have a question bank.

Provider
American Board of Dental Examiners
Format
Simulated patient treatment on maxillary and mandibular typodonts
Passing score
75 or greater; results reported as Pass/Fail for this part
Examination sources

National Board Dental Hygiene Examination

Examination outline
  • Discipline-Based Component — Scientific Basis for Dental Hygiene Practice (61 items)
    • Anatomic Sciences
    • Anatomic Sciences — Anatomy
    • Anatomic Sciences — Anatomy — Head and neck anatomy
    • Anatomic Sciences — Anatomy — Dental anatomy
    • Anatomic Sciences — Anatomy — Dental anatomy — General anatomy
    • Anatomic Sciences — Anatomy — Dental anatomy — Root anatomy
    • Anatomic Sciences — Anatomy — Histology and Embryology
    • Anatomic Sciences — Physiology
    • Anatomic Sciences — Biochemistry and Nutrition
    • Anatomic Sciences — Microbiology and Immunology
    • Anatomic Sciences — Pathology
    • Anatomic Sciences — Pathology — General
    • Anatomic Sciences — Pathology — Oral
    • Anatomic Sciences — Pharmacology
  • Discipline-Based Component — Provision of Clinical Dental Hygiene Services (115 items)
    • Assessing Patient Characteristics
    • Assessing Patient Characteristics — Medical and dental history
    • Assessing Patient Characteristics — Head and neck examination
    • Assessing Patient Characteristics — Periodontal evaluation
    • Assessing Patient Characteristics — Oral evaluation
    • Assessing Patient Characteristics — General
    • Obtaining and Interpreting Radiographs
    • Obtaining and Interpreting Radiographs — Principles of radiophysics and radiobiology
    • Obtaining and Interpreting Radiographs — Principles of radiologic health
    • Obtaining and Interpreting Radiographs — Technique
    • Obtaining and Interpreting Radiographs — Recognition of normalities and abnormalities
    • Obtaining and Interpreting Radiographs — General
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Infection control (application)
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Recognition of emergency situations and provision of appropriate care
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Planning of individualized instruction
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Provision of instruction for prevention and management of oral diseases
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Provision of instruction for prevention and management of oral diseases — Dental caries
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Provision of instruction for prevention and management of oral diseases — Periodontal disease
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Provision of instruction for prevention and management of oral diseases — Oral conditions
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Anxiety and pain control
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Recognition and management of compromised patients
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Dental hygiene treatment strategies
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Dental hygiene treatment strategies — Diagnosis
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Dental hygiene treatment strategies — Treatment plan
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — Dental hygiene treatment strategies — Case presentation
    • Planning and Managing Dental Hygiene Care — Individualized patient education — General
    • Performing Periodontal Procedures
    • Performing Periodontal Procedures — Etiology and pathogenesis of periodontal diseases
    • Performing Periodontal Procedures — Prescribed therapy
    • Performing Periodontal Procedures — Prescribed therapy — Periodontal debridement
    • Performing Periodontal Procedures — Prescribed therapy — Surgical support services
    • Performing Periodontal Procedures — Prescribed therapy — Chemotherapeutic agents
    • Performing Periodontal Procedures — Prescribed therapy — General
    • Performing Periodontal Procedures — Reassessment and maintenance (e.g., implant care)
    • Using Preventive Agents
    • Using Preventive Agents — Fluorides - systemic and topical
    • Using Preventive Agents — Fluorides - systemic and topical — Mechanisms of action
    • Using Preventive Agents — Fluorides - systemic and topical — Toxicology
    • Using Preventive Agents — Fluorides - systemic and topical — Methods of administration
    • Using Preventive Agents — Fluorides - systemic and topical — Methods of administration — Water fluoridation
    • Using Preventive Agents — Fluorides - systemic and topical — Methods of administration — Self-administered
    • Using Preventive Agents — Pit and fissure sealants
    • Using Preventive Agents — Other preventive agents
    • Providing Supportive Treatment Services
    • Providing Supportive Treatment Services — Properties and manipulation of materials
    • Providing Supportive Treatment Services — Polishing natural and restored teeth
    • Providing Supportive Treatment Services — Making of impressions and preparation of study casts
    • Providing Supportive Treatment Services — Other supportive services (e.g., tooth desensitization)
    • Providing Supportive Treatment Services — General
    • Professional Responsibility
    • Professional Responsibility — Ethical principles, including informed consent
    • Professional Responsibility — Regulatory compliance
    • Professional Responsibility — Patient and professional communication
    • Professional Responsibility — General
  • Discipline-Based Component — Community Health/Research Principles (24 items)
    • Promoting Health and Preventing Disease Within Groups
    • Participating in Community Programs
    • Participating in Community Programs — Assessing populations and defining objectives
    • Participating in Community Programs — Designing, implementing, and evaluating programs
    • Analyzing Scientific Literature, Understanding Statistical Concepts, and Applying Research Results
  • Case-Based Component (150 items involving 12 to 15 dental hygiene patient cases)
    • Cases present information dealing with adult and child patients and may involve geriatric, adult-periodontal, pediatric, special needs, medically compromised, and other patient types; a medically compromised patient is one whose health status may require modification of standard treatment or special consideration.
    • Patient information is presented by means of patient histories, dental charts, radiographs, and clinical photographs.
    • Assessing patient characteristics
    • Obtaining and interpreting radiographs
    • Planning and managing dental hygiene care
    • Performing periodontal procedures
    • Using preventive agents
    • Providing supportive treatment service
    • Professional responsibility
Examination sources