Dentistry - Dental Hygienist RV License in Montana

Montana requires dental hygienist applicants to graduate from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program and pass the NBDHE plus a clinical examination, typically the WREB consistent with western states. The Montana Board of Dentistry oversees dental hygienist licensing. CE is required for annual license renewal, typically 16 hours per year. Montana has implemented a Limited Access Permit (LAP) that allows dental hygienists to provide preventive services in limited access settings such as schools, nursing homes, Head Start programs, and tribal communities without the direct supervision of a dentist. This provision has been crucial for expanding oral health access in Montana's vast rural landscape, where travel distances to dental offices can be prohibitive. Montana State University Great Falls College offers a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program, though the limited number of graduates is insufficient to meet statewide demand. The state's large geographic area and sparse population create significant challenges in dental care delivery, making dental hygienists essential to the oral health infrastructure, especially on Native American reservations served by the Indian Health Service and tribal health departments.