Licensure by Examination

A hygienist who has been licensed and practicing for less than five (5) years, and desires to practice dental hygiene in the State of Arkansas, may apply to the Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners for a license to practice pursuant to the following requirements:

• Completion of a Board application with a photograph taken within the last six months, signed on the last page. A fee of $$5.
• Be a graduate of a school for the education and training of dental hygienists approved by the Board and accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. TRANSCRIPT: You must request and authorize the school to provide the Board with an official transcript with the school’s seal and awarding of a degree from the school of dental hygiene. The transcript must be sent directly from the school to the Board office.  
• Successful completion of the National Board Examination for Dental Hygiene, administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE).  
• Satisfactory completion of a clinical dental hygiene examination administered by one of the following: Southern Regional Testing Agency (SRTA), Western Regional Examining Board (WREB), the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA), the Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA) or the Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS). For licensure by examination, clinical examination scores are good for five (5) years from the date of successful passage. Note: A clinical patient-based component of the examination must be administered by the testing agency and successfully completed by the candidate in order to be accepted.
• Passage of the Arkansas Jurisprudence Examination: The jurisprudence examination is an open-book exam that covers the Dental Practice Act/Dental Corporation Act/Rules and Regulations of the Board.  The exam will be emailed to you upon receipt of your dental hygiene license application and fee.
• A copy of a certificate showing current Healthcare Provider level cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification must accompany the application. The Board does not accept online CPR.
• Effective July 1, 2011, every person applying for a license must authorize the Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners to conduct a complete criminal background check. Information on the background check will be mailed to the applicant when the Board office receives the dental hygiene license application.
• Official verification from every state where licensed (whether the license is current or not) must be sent directly from the state board(s) to the Board office.

The Board office will not discuss your application with anyone other than you. Feel free to contact the Board office with questions about your application at 501-682-2085 or via email at asbde@arkansas.gov.

“When will I receive my license?” That is a question that is commonly asked of the Board office, and we are unable to answer that question. Please be assured that once your application is complete, you will be issued a license via email with a wall certificate to follow in the mail. If your address has changed between the time that you submitted your application and the time that you receive your email issuing you a license, please notify the Board office of your address change.  The cost to remake your wall certificate is $25.

Licensure by Credentials

A dental hygienist who has been licensed and practicing continuously for the past five (5) years or more, and desires to practice dental hygiene in the State of Arkansas, may apply to the Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners for a license to practice dental hygiene pursuant to the following requirements:

• Completion of a Board application with a photograph taken within the last six months. A fee of $$18.
• Be a graduate of a school accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. TRANSCRIPT: You must request and authorize the school to provide the Board with an official transcript with the school’s seal from the school of dental hygiene which issued the certificate or degree. The transcript must be sent directly from the school to the Board office.
• Successful completion of the National Board Examination, administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE). 
• Proof of successfully passing a clinical examination for licensure. Results of the clinical exam must be sent directly to the Board from the state or regional testing agency that administered the exam.
• Passage of the Arkansas Jurisprudence Examination: The jurisprudence examination is an open-book exam that covers the Dental Practice Act/Dental Corporation Act/Rules and Regulations of the Board. The exam will be emailed to you upon receipt of your dental hygiene license application and fee.
• A copy of a certificate showing current Healthcare Provider level cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification must accompany the application. The Board does not accept online CPR.
• Effective July 1, 2011, every person applying for a license must authorize the Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners to conduct a complete criminal background check.  Information on the background check will be mailed to the applicant when the Board office receives the dental hygiene license application.
• Official verification from every state where licensed (whether the license is current or not) must be sent directly from the state board(s) to the Board office.
• Letters of recommendation: Letters from two licensed dentists – practicing in the same locale of the state where the applicant is or has been practicing, and attesting to the applicant’s moral character, standing and ability – must be sent directly from the dentists to the Board office.

After your application is completed, you must present yourself before the Board during one of its regularly scheduled meetings for a personal interview.  During the meeting, the Board will review your application and approve or deny your application for licensure.  You will receive confirmation (via mail or email) informing you of the date and time of your interview.

Please note the following:

To be eligible for licensure by credentials, you must be currently licensed in the state from which you are applying, and must have practiced continuously for a period of five (5) years immediately prior to applying.  Secondly, the Board office will not discuss your application with anyone other than you. Feel free to contact the Board office with questions about your application at 501-682-2085 or via email at asbde@arkansas.gov.