Dental Hygiene Programs in North Carolina
North Carolina has 15 CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs, spread across 15 cities from Asheville and Charlotte in the west to Jacksonville and Wilmington on the coast.
Each 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 North Carolina's own licensing process is worth understanding before you apply.
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At a glance
In North Carolina
Programs
15
With a program
Cities
15
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
11 of 15
Every CODA-Accredited Program in North Carolina
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 North Carolina's.
For the full path from enrollment to license, see our step-by-step guide to becoming a dental hygienist.
Reading the List: Accreditation Statuses
Most of North Carolina's programs hold "Approval (without reporting requirements)" — CODA's classification for a program that achieves or exceeds the basic requirements for accreditation.
A few carry "Approval (with reporting requirements)," meaning specific deficiencies exist that the program must document as corrected within a set timeframe; it is not a warning to avoid the program.
Others show "Initial Accreditation," the classification for a program not yet fully operational because it hasn't yet enrolled and graduated its first class.
The last and next accreditation visit years shown are CODA's own site-visit schedule, not a measure of the program itself — contact the program directly, and check CODA's directory, for admissions and cost.
Choosing Among North Carolina's Programs
North Carolina's programs sit at community colleges and university dental schools around the state, 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 in North Carolina
A CODA-accredited program is the first step, not the last.
North Carolina'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 North Carolina dental hygienist requirements and scope of practice page for what the state itself requires.
For what hygienists in North Carolina earn once licensed, see our North Carolina dental hygienist salary guide, and browse current openings on our North Carolina dental hygienist jobs page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs are in North Carolina?
North Carolina has 15 CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs, located in 15 cities including Asheville, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Goldsboro, Hickory, Jacksonville, Jamestown, Raleigh, Sanford, Spindale, Troy, Weldon, Wilmington and Winston-Salem.
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 an out-of-state program count toward North Carolina licensure?
Yes.
CODA accreditation is a national classification, not a state one — a program in another state that holds CODA accreditation satisfies the same education requirement as a North Carolina program.
What varies by jurisdiction is the licensing process itself, so confirm North Carolina's specific requirements before you apply anywhere.
What does "Initial Accreditation" mean for a program I'm considering?
Initial Accreditation is CODA's classification for a program that is not yet fully operational — meaning it hasn't yet enrolled and graduated at least one class of students.
It's a real accreditation status, not a lesser one, but it does mean the program has a shorter track record than an established one.
Ask the program directly about its current standing and timeline.
How do I check a program's current accreditation status?
The statuses and visit years shown above come from CODA's own program directory.
Because accreditation status can change between publication and when you apply, confirm current status directly with CODA or the program before enrolling — see the disclaimer below.
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 North Carolina & 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.