DENTAL HYGIENIST License in Maryland

Maryland requires dental hygienist applicants to graduate from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program and pass the NBDHE plus a clinical examination. The Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners oversees licensing under the Department of Health. CE is required for biennial renewal, with specific mandatory requirements for courses in infection control and Maryland dental law and jurisprudence. Maryland law permits dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia with additional certification, expanding the scope of services they can provide. The state has CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Community College of Baltimore County, Allegany College of Maryland, and Community College of Baltimore County. Maryland's proximity to Washington DC creates a robust dental market, and many dental hygienists practice in both jurisdictions or commute across the border. The state has addressed oral health disparities through initiatives allowing dental hygienists to provide preventive services in schools and community settings under public health supervision arrangements. Maryland's Eastern Shore and western Appalachian counties experience dental professional shortages that create employment opportunities for dental hygienists outside the Baltimore-Washington corridor.