How to Get Your Dental Hygienist License in Wyoming (2026)

How to Become a Registered Dental Hygienist in Wyoming

Wyoming is the least populous state in the United States, but its dental hygiene job market offers something increasingly rare: genuine frontier practice. With vast distances between communities, a significant Native American population served by Indian Health Service facilities on the Wind River Reservation, and a growing energy-sector workforce in areas like Gillette and Rock Springs, Wyoming RDHs often develop strong, diverse clinical skill sets, and tend to experience very low unemployment rates for their specialty.

Licensure is administered by the Wyoming Board of Dental Examiners.

Step 1: Complete an Accredited Dental Hygiene Program

You must hold a degree from a CODA (Commission on Dental Accreditation)-accredited dental hygiene program. Wyoming does not currently have a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program within the state, meaning virtually all Wyoming RDH candidates attend programs in neighboring states, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Nebraska, or South Dakota, and then apply for Wyoming licensure.

Commonly attended programs by Wyoming candidates include:

• Colorado State University-Pueblo, bachelor's BSDH program
• Community College of Denver
• Utah Valley University (Orem, UT)
• Montana State University (Great Falls campus)

Confirm CODA accreditation status on CODA's website before enrolling. Upon graduation, you will apply for Wyoming licensure by examination.

Step 2: Pass the NBDHE

The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE), administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, is required by the Wyoming Board of Dental Examiners. The exam is computer-based, divided into:

• Component A: Dental hygiene science and biomedical sciences
• Component B: Patient case studies and clinical reasoning

Minimum passing score: 75. Most candidates sit during their final semester or within the first year post-graduation. Study resources such as Dental Hygiene Mastery and Mosby's Dental Hygiene review are widely used.

Step 3: Pass a Clinical Examination

Wyoming accepts the following clinical examinations:

• WREB (Western Regional Examining Board)
• CRDTS (Central Regional Dental Testing Service)
• ADEX (American Board of Dental Examiners)

Wyoming's acceptance of three different regional exams gives candidates flexibility. WREB is the traditional choice for candidates coming from western-state programs (Colorado, Utah, Montana). All three exams are patient-based, evaluating periodontal assessment, scaling and root planing, radiographic technique, and infection control.

Given Wyoming's sparse population, all clinical exam testing will occur in neighboring states. Coordinate your exam scheduling with your dental hygiene program, most programs actively advise on the process.

Step 4: Apply for Your State License

After obtaining passing scores on both the NBDHE and a clinical exam, apply to the Wyoming Board of Dental Examiners. Key details for 2026:

• Regulatory body: Wyoming Board of Dental Examiners
• Application fee: Approximately $50-$75, among the lowest in the country (verify the current fee at dental.wyo.gov)
• Required documents: Completed application, official NBDHE score transcript, official clinical exam score report, official transcript from a CODA-accredited program, and criminal background disclosure

Wyoming also requires passage of a Wyoming Dental Laws and Rules examination as part of the licensure process. This is a brief jurisprudence exam covering the Wyoming Dental Practice Act, typically available online.

Continuing Education Requirements

Wyoming RDH licenses are renewed every two years. The current requirement is 20 CE hours per two-year renewal cycle. CE must come from ADA CERP or AGD PACE-approved providers, or other sources approved by the board. Online CE is accepted.

There are currently no Wyoming-specific mandatory topic requirements beyond those set at each renewal cycle, confirm current requirements with the Board of Dental Examiners before each renewal period, as CE topic mandates can change.

Wyoming Dental Hygienist Salary Ranges

Wyoming salaries for dental hygienists are influenced by the state's small population, energy sector economy, and rural geography:

• Cheyenne / Laramie County: $65,000-$78,000/year, state capital, largest concentration of practices
• Casper / Natrona County: $63,000-$76,000/year, oil and gas workforce creates steady demand
• Gillette / Campbell County (energy corridor): $64,000-$78,000/year, tight labor market with above-average wages driven by energy industry
• Jackson / Teton County: $68,000-$85,000/year, resort economy with higher cost of living and high-income patient base
• Indian Health Service / Wind River Reservation (Riverton, Lander area): $60,000-$74,000/year base federal pay scale, plus significant federal loan repayment through IHS Loan Repayment Program (up to $40,000 per two-year service commitment)
• Per-diem: $38-$55/hour in urban markets; rural per-diem work may include travel stipends

Top Employers for Dental Hygienists in Wyoming

• Indian Health Service, Wind River Service Unit (Fort Washakie), serves the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes on the Wind River Reservation; significant employer with federal benefits and IHS loan repayment opportunities
• Native American programs through Wyoming IHS and tribal health departments, tribal-operated dental health programs under self-determination contracts
• Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, major regional hospital with dental affiliates
• Community health centers in Laramie, Casper, and Riverton, FQHC employers with NHSC loan repayment eligibility
• University of Wyoming Student Health (Laramie), campus dental clinic
• Private dental practices in Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette, Rock Springs, and Jackson
• Dental Access Programs, Wyoming has several non-profit and safety-net dental programs targeting rural and low-income populations