Licensure, Registration, and Renewal Requirements for Dental Hygienists
Licensure pathway
Missouri requires a dental hygienist license before practice. The standard pathway is graduation from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) dental hygiene program, passage of the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, a clinical/regional examination accepted by the Board (Missouri has used CRDTS), and the Missouri jurisprudence examination. Applicants submit the Board application, transcripts, exam scores, and fee; the Board reviews character and fitness and may request additional information. Licensure is not transferable and practice before issuance is unlicensed practice.
Renewal and continuing education
Hygienist licenses renew on the Board's biennial cycle. Renewal requires completing the continuing education required by Board rule, answering the renewal questions accurately, and paying the fee before expiration. CE must be from acceptable providers and documented; audits can require certificates. A lapsed license cannot be used; the licensee must follow the Board's restoration process, which may include fees, CE, or reexamination. Retired or inactive status does not permit practice.
Worked example
A hygienist's license expires December 31. She continues working in January while her renewal is pending. That is practice on an expired license, even if the fee was mailed. She should have renewed before expiration or stopped practicing until the Board restored the license. A pending renewal is not a license.
Traps that cost marks
Do not assume a grace period; the expiration date controls. Do not count non-Board-approved CE. Do not practice on an inactive or retired license. Do not omit disclosure of a criminal or disciplinary history on the application; inaccurate answers can support discipline independent of the underlying event.