Dental Hygiene Programs in New Mexico
New Mexico has 4 CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs, located in Albuquerque, Farmington and Las Cruces.
Each program is listed below with its city, address, website, and current accreditation status, pulled directly from the Commission on Dental Accreditation's own program directory.
Graduating from a CODA-accredited program satisfies the education requirement for licensure in every U.S. jurisdiction, though how a program prepares you for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and New Mexico's own licensing process is worth understanding before you apply.
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At a glance
In New Mexico
Programs
4
With a program
Cities
3
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
4 of 4
Every CODA-Accredited Program in New Mexico
Source: CODA program directory, index dated 2026-09-09. Status terms (“Approval without Reporting Requirements,” “Approval with Reporting Requirements,” “Initial Accreditation,” “Discontinued,” etc.) are CODA’s own.
What CODA Accreditation Means for Your License
CODA accreditation is the credential jurisdictions look for when they evaluate a hygiene applicant's education.
Graduating from a CODA-accredited program satisfies the education requirement for licensure in every U.S. jurisdiction.
The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) fulfills or partially fulfills the written-exam requirement most jurisdictions set, though acceptance of it — like every licensing requirement — is at that jurisdiction's own discretion, including New Mexico's.
For the full path from enrollment to license, see our step-by-step guide to becoming a dental hygienist.
Choosing Among New Mexico's Programs
New Mexico's programs sit at institutions in Albuquerque, Farmington and Las Cruces, and each sets its own admission requirements, prerequisite coursework, and application cycle.
Contact a program directly for its current curriculum, application deadlines, and clinical-site details — the CODA accreditation status shown for each program above reflects the program's last accreditation visit, not its admissions process.
If you're also weighing degree level or how long a program takes, see associate vs. bachelor's in dental hygiene and how long dental hygiene school takes.
After You Graduate: Licensure and Work in New Mexico
A CODA-accredited program is the first step, not the last.
New Mexico's own board sets the exam, application and continuing-education requirements a graduate must meet to hold an active license, and those requirements can change.
See our New Mexico dental hygienist requirements and scope of practice page for what the state itself requires, and confirm anything you intend to rely on with the New Mexico dental board before enrolling or applying.
Once licensed, see our New Mexico dental hygienist salary guide and browse current dental hygienist jobs in New Mexico.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs are in New Mexico?
New Mexico has 4 CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs, located in Albuquerque, Farmington and Las Cruces.
Each is listed above with its current CODA accreditation status, address and website.
CODA's own directory is the definitive, up-to-date list — confirm a program's status directly with CODA before applying.
Does it matter which New Mexico program I attend?
Not for licensure eligibility — every program listed above holds CODA accreditation, and CODA accreditation is what jurisdictions require for the education portion of licensure nationwide, including New Mexico.
Beyond that baseline, programs differ in location, campus and admission requirements, so contact each one directly to compare them.
See associate vs. bachelor's in dental hygiene if you're also weighing degree level.
Do I have to attend a New Mexico program to work as a hygienist in New Mexico?
No. New Mexico licenses hygienists who graduated from any CODA-accredited program, not only ones located in New Mexico.
What matters for licensure eligibility is the program's CODA accreditation and passing the required exams — see our New Mexico requirements page for the state's own licensing rules.
What does an out-of-state or online-adjacent CODA program mean for New Mexico licensure?
CODA accreditation is a national standard, not a state one, so a program accredited by CODA anywhere in the country satisfies the education requirement New Mexico looks for.
Licensure itself — exams, applications and continuing education — is still set by the New Mexico dental board, so check our requirements page for those specifics before you enroll.
Is every program on this list accredited?
Every program above is shown with the CODA accreditation status CODA had published for it as of 2026-09-09, the date this directory was last pulled from CODA's own program search. "Approval without Reporting Requirements" is CODA's standard fully-accredited standing; other status terms on this page — such as "Approval with Reporting Requirements," "Initial Accreditation," or "Discontinued" — mean something different, and a status can change after that date.
Confirm a program's current status directly with CODA before applying.
More New Mexico & Dental Hygienist Resources
Sourced from the CODA program directory (index dated 2026-09-09). Verified September 2026. Program details change. Confirm accreditation status, admission requirements and costs with the program and with CODA before applying.