Dental Hygienist

• License by Ex​amination – those who have passed an acceptable clinical examination within the past five years
• License by Reciprocity – those who have:
• been licensed in another state/jurisdiction
• actively practiced dental hygiene for at least three years (one of those years must be within the last three years)
• Pass a Jurisprudence Examination that relates to the statutes and regulations that govern dentistry with a minimum score of 75 percent or above.

Application for a Local Anesthesia Certification

A dental hygienist may administer local anesthesia when a supervising licensed dentist is physically present on the premises. 

Application​

A dental hygienist who holds a permit and has professional liability insurance can do the following:

• ​A dental hygienist who holds a public health authorization may perform all of the authorized functions within the scope of practice of a licensed dental hygienist, except for periodontal scaling, root planing, and the administration of local anesthesia and nitrous oxide.
• Preliminary charting and screening examinations
• Oral health education, including workshops and in-service training sessions on dental health
• All the duties that a dental assistant who is not licensed is authorized to perform
  ***For a complete listing, refer to Nebraska Revised Statute §38-1130***​

​Upon completion of education and testing, a licensed dental hygienist may also do the following

• ​Write prescriptions for mouth rinses and fluoride products
• Minor denture adjustments

Requirements:     

• Report services performed on a form provided by the Office of Oral Health
• Tell the patient that your services are preventative, not complete dental diagnosis and care
  

• Licenses and Public Health Authorizations are renewable March 1 of odd-numbered years.
• A license may be placed on inactive status at any time.