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Studies & Degrees in Dental Hygiene

Dental hygiene is the health profession concerned with preventing disease of the teeth and gums. A dental hygienist examines patients for signs of oral disease such as gingivitis, provides preventive care and teaches patients how to look after their mouths. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), typical tasks are removing tartar, stains and plaque, applying sealants and fluorides, and taking dental x-rays. Hygienists work alongside dentists, and how much they may do on their own depends on the country and, in the United States, on the state.

Students combine classroom teaching with laboratory work and supervised clinical practice on patients. The BLS lists anatomy, medical ethics and periodontics, the study of gum disease, among the areas of study.

Qualifications and levels

  • United States. Dental hygienists typically need an associate's degree in dental hygiene, and some take a bachelor's degree. The American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) gives two to three years for an accredited associate programme and four years for a bachelor's degree; the BLS states that programmes typically take three years. Most programmes ask for prerequisites, often college-level courses. Master's degrees exist but are relatively uncommon. A bachelor's or master's degree is usually required for research, teaching or clinical practice in public or school health programmes.
  • Canada. The Dental Hygiene diploma at Camosun College in Victoria is a full-time, two-year programme accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada.
  • United Kingdom. The University of Bristol offers a three-year, full-time Bachelor in Dental Hygiene (BDH), with its first intake in September 2026. Graduates can register as a dental hygienist with the General Dental Council.
  • Spain. Dental hygiene is taught in vocational training (FP), not at university. The Técnico Superior en Higiene Bucodental is a grado superior of 2,000 hours in the Sanidad family, entered with the Bachiller certificate, an equivalent qualification or an entrance test, and it includes a training period in a workplace. The Universidad Europea de Madrid teaches it over two years at its vocational training centre in Villaviciosa de Odón. CCC Centro de Estudios in Madrid states that its course includes 500 hours of placement in dental clinics.

Licensing

Dental hygienists need a licence or registration to practise in many countries. Every US state requires hygienists to be licensed. In most states this means a degree from an accredited programme plus written and clinical examinations: the ADHA names the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and a regional or state clinical board examination, after which the graduate is a registered dental hygienist (RDH). In the United Kingdom hygienists register with the General Dental Council. A qualification from one country does not give the right to practise in another, so check the rules of the place where you plan to work before choosing a programme.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 42 active schools for dental hygiene. Twenty-eight are in the United States and seven in Spain. Canada and the United Kingdom have two each, and Italy, Ukraine and Russia one each.

In the United States the list includes universities such as The Ohio State University, the University of Michigan, the University of Washington, the University of Pittsburgh, Idaho State University and Ferris State University, and community colleges such as Laramie County Community College, College of Lake County, Broward College, Bergen Community College and Lansing Community College. In Canada it has Camosun College and the University of British Columbia (UBC), and in the United Kingdom the University of Bristol.

The Spanish vocational course is normally taught in Spanish; the Universidad Europea, for example, lists Spanish as its language of instruction. In and around Madrid the list has CCC Centro de Estudios, CEU FP Madrid, Campus Training and the Universidad Europea de Madrid; elsewhere it has Neptunos Formación in Seville and Formas Almeria in Almería. Both the Universidad Europea and CCC describe their Higiene Bucodental course as an official qualification.

Fees depend heavily on the country and on student status. Camosun College, which accepts international students, estimates tuition for the whole diploma at $19,396 for domestic students and $66,329 for international students (fees effective from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027). Bristol lists a fee of £10,050 for the first year for home students.

Careers

Most hygienists work in dental practices: in the United States, dentists' offices accounted for 94 percent of dental hygienist jobs in 2025, according to the BLS. In Spain, the ministry's vocational training portal TodoFP places graduates in oral health teams in primary care, health promotion units and private dental practices, working in a team coordinated by a dentist or doctor, as dental hygienists or as oral health educators.

In the United States there were 225,300 dental hygienist jobs in 2025. The BLS projects employment to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 15,000 openings each year.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a dental hygienist?

Two to three years for an associate degree in the United States and four for a bachelor's degree, according to the ADHA. The Camosun College diploma in Canada takes two years, the Bristol degree three years, and the Spanish grado superior has 2,000 hours, usually taught over two years.

Is dental hygiene a university degree in Spain?

No. In Spain it is a higher vocational training qualification, the Técnico Superior en Higiene Bucodental, entered with the Bachiller certificate or an equivalent.