Dental Hygiene Programs in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has 1 CODA-accredited dental hygiene program, based in Lincoln.
It's 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 Rhode Island's own licensing process is worth understanding before you apply.
Verify before you apply
At a glance
In Rhode Island
Programs
1
With a program
Cities
1
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
1 of 1
Every CODA-Accredited Program in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island's.
For the full path from enrollment to license, see our step-by-step guide to becoming a dental hygienist.
Considering Rhode Island's Program
Rhode Island's lone program sits at a public community college, and it sets its own admission requirements, prerequisite coursework, and application cycle.
Contact the program directly for its current curriculum, application deadlines, and clinical-site details — the CODA accreditation status shown above reflects the program's last accreditation visit, not its admissions process.
If you're 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 Rhode Island
A CODA-accredited program is the first step, not the last.
Rhode Island'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 Rhode Island dental hygienist requirements and scope of practice page for what the state itself requires, confirm anything you intend to rely on with the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry before enrolling or applying, and see our Rhode Island dental hygienist salary guide and open Rhode Island dental hygienist jobs once you're licensed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs are in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has 1 CODA-accredited dental hygiene program, located in Lincoln.
It's listed above with its current CODA accreditation status, address and website.
CODA's own directory is the definitive, up-to-date list — confirm the program's status directly with CODA before applying.
Do I have to attend the Rhode Island program to work as a hygienist in Rhode Island?
No. Rhode Island licenses hygienists who graduated from any CODA-accredited program, not only one located in Rhode Island.
What matters for licensure eligibility is the program's CODA accreditation and passing the required exams — see our Rhode Island requirements page for the state's own licensing rules.
What does an out-of-state CODA-accredited program mean for Rhode Island licensure?
It counts the same as an in-state one.
CODA accreditation is a national credential, not a state-by-state one, so a program's location doesn't affect whether it satisfies the education requirement.
Licensure itself is still handled by the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry, which sets its own exam and application requirements.
What does "Approval without Reporting Requirements" mean for a program?
It's CODA's classification for a program that achieves or exceeds the basic requirements for accreditation, with no outstanding deficiencies to report.
It reflects the program's status as of its last accreditation visit — check the program directly, or CODA's own directory, for the most current standing before you apply.
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 Rhode Island & 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.