Dental Hygienist License in Oregon

Oregon requires dental hygienist applicants to graduate from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program and pass the NBDHE plus a clinical examination, typically the WREB. The Oregon Board of Dentistry oversees dental hygienist licensing. CE is required for biennial renewal, with 24 hours per renewal period. Oregon has implemented several progressive dental hygiene practice provisions, including the Limited Access Permit (LAP) and Expanded Practice Permit (EPP). The EPP allows dental hygienists to provide preventive services in specified settings such as nursing homes, schools, correctional facilities, and community health programs without direct dentist supervision, representing one of the broadest expanded practice provisions in the country. Oregon has CODA-accredited programs at Oregon Institute of Technology, Portland Community College, Lane Community College, and Pacific University. Oregon's rural eastern and southern regions face dental professional shortages, while the Portland metropolitan area offers a competitive employment market with above-average salaries. The state pioneered many of the expanded practice and community-based dental hygiene models now adopted nationally, establishing Oregon as a leader in innovative oral health workforce policy.