How to Become a Licensed Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) in California by successful completion of the Central Regional Dental Testing Services (CRDT's)
A law effective January 1, 2014 will allow recent graduates seeking initial licensure in California as a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) to obtain licensure by completing the Application for Licensure upon passage of the CRDT's for dental hygiene. The application and examination forms on this page contain all of the requirements that a CRDT's applicant for RDH examination and licensure must complete. Applicants must:
- Be a graduate of a board approved and accredited Dental Hygiene program.
- Successfully complete the CRDT's dental hygiene clinical examination.
- Complete approved courses in the administration of local anesthesia, soft tissue curretage, and nitrous oxide.
- Pass the National Dental Hygiene written examination.
Once CRDT’s application for California licensure is deemed complete, a letter will be sent to the applicant containing information regarding the written RDH law and ethics examination administered through the computer-based testing center (PSI). Qualified applicants must pass the RDH law and ethics examination in order to achieve RDH licensure.
- CRDT's Application Form
- Licensure by Clinical Exam Application Checklist
- Out-of-State Licensure Certification Form
- National Board Dental Hygiene Examination Scorecard Request
- Request a Scorecard from CRDT's https://www.crdts.org/duplicatescorerequest.aspx
- Certification Form for Completion of ADA Radiation Safety Program
- Board-Approved STC, NO, LA Courses
- Fingerprinting Information
- Law and Ethics Written Examinations - PSI Candidate Handbook
- Request for Hard Fingerprint Cards