Dental Hygiene Schools in North Carolina

North Carolina has 13 dental hygiene programs at 13 schools, based on IPEDS 2023–24 completions data checked against official program pages. Of these, one school offers a bachelor's degree.

It depends on the degree. ADEA reports the average associate program takes 2 years (84 credit hours) and the average bachelor's takes 4 years (120 credit hours). Most programs also require prerequisite courses first, so plan on about 3 years in total for an associate path.

In-state tuition and fees at North Carolina schools with a dental hygiene program run from $2,256 to $8,989 a year (median $2,554, IPEDS, 2023–24). That's whole-school tuition, not program cost. Dental hygiene programs add instruments, uniforms, and exam fees, so ask each program for its total cost.

Not for your first license. Entry-level programs include hands-on clinical training with patients, so you attend in person, though some schools teach part of the coursework online. Online degree-completion (RDH to bachelor's) programs are for hygienists who are already licensed.

Finish an accredited dental hygiene program, pass the NBDHE, the ADEX clinical exam, and the board's jurisprudence and infection control exams, then apply for your North Carolina license.