Last updated on February 23rd, 2023 at 08:19 am
If you are looking for an exciting place to study and work as a dental hygienist, North Carolina has a lot to offer. This is a state that has it all, from the soaring mountains of the Appalachians to the beautiful beaches fronting the Atlantic ocean.
We have researched the demand, salary, and licensing requirements for dental hygienists in North Carolina. But first, you are probably wondering what it’s like to live there! Here are some quick facts about North Carolina!
North Carolina is known by a couple of nicknames: The Tar Heel State, and Old North State. It is the 9th most populous state in the US. Major cities include Charlotte, Raleigh (the state capital), Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem and Fayetteville.
What is there to do in North Carolina? NC boasts a number of exciting indoor and outdoor activities. Popular scenic destinations include the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, which offers stunning vistas, especially when the leaves are turning in the fall, and Dry Falls In the Highlands. Another famous landmark is the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, an extraordinary European-style mansion. Take a tour of Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, or take a turn through the Wheels Through Time Transportation Museum in Maggie Valley. Visit the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton or take in some sun and sand at Jockey’s Ridge State Park at Nags Head.
For culture, visit the Durham Performing Arts Center and take in a show, or take a tour of the North Carolina Museum of Art. If you are into sports, you can watch the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, or Carolina Hurricanes. NASCAR is also a big deal in NC, along with professional golf.
North Carolina Dental Hygiene Programs
Excited about learning and working in North Carolina, and ready to take the next step? It is time to look for a school! We have done the hard work and compiled a list for you complete with contact information for all of the accredited programs in the state. Take a look, and good luck!
| Institute | Address | Website | Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville-Buncombe Tech Community College | 340 Victoria Rd. Asheville, NC 28801 | www.abtech.edu | AAS |
| Cape Fear Community College | 411 North Front Street Wilmington, NC 28401 | cfcc.edu | AAS |
| Catawba Valley Community College | 2550 Highway 70 SE Hickory, NC 28602 | www.cvcc.edu | AAS |
| Central Carolina Community College | 1105 Kelly Drive Sanford, NC 27330 | www.cccc.edu | AAS |
| Central Piedmont Community College | P.O. Box 35009 Charlotte, NC 28235 | www.cpcc.edu | AAS |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | 444 Western Blvd. Jacksonville, NC 28546 | www.coastalcarolina.edu | AAS |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | 2201 Hull Rd. - P.O. Box 35236 Fayetteville, NC 28303 | www.faytechcc.edu | AAS |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | 2100 Silas Creek Parkway Winston-Salem, NC 27103 | www.forsythtech.edu | AAS |
| Guilford Technical Community College | P.O. Box 309 Jamestown, NC 27282 | www.gtcc.edu | AAS |
| Halifax Community College | P. O. Drawer 809 Weldon, NC 27890 | www.halifaxcc.edu | AAS |
| The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Koury Oral Health Sciences, Suite 1611 318 S. Columbia Street, Campus Box 7450 Chapel Hill, NC 27599 | www.dentistry.unc.edu | BS-DH |
| Wake Technical Community College | 2901 Holston Lane Raleigh, NC 27610 | www.waketech.edu | AAS |
License Requirements
If you wish to become a dental hygienist in the state of North Carolina, you will have to meet the following requirements.
- You will need to graduate from an accredited dental program in the state.
- You will have to take and pass the National board Dental Hygiene Examination.
- You will also have to pass a regional exam offered through the Council of Interstate Testing Agencies, Inc. (CITA).
- North Carolina dental hygienists need CPR certification.
- A temporary license is available with two years of practice.
- You will have to submit to a background check. If you have committed a serious misdemeanor or felony in the past, the board may refuse to license you.
Dental Hygienist Salary in North Carolina
What can you expect to make per hour and per year if you work in North Carolina as a dental hygienist, and what is the demand like? According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nationwide, the dental hygiene profession is growing at a rate of 20%, which is much faster than average. That means that there are a lot of opportunities cropping up nationwide, and in a populous state like North Carolina, you will find plenty of demand for your skills.
The 2012 median annual pay for dentists nationwide reported by the BLS was $70,210 per year, which amounts to $33.75 per hour. In 2018, the median annual wage in North Carolina for dental hygienists was $70,720. The median hourly wage was $34.00. While this is slightly lower than the median number nationwide, it is comparable, and pretty typical as well. There are a few states where you can earn significantly more, but a number where you would also earn substantially less. So in terms of pay, North Carolina is a good choice.
| Area Name | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville | 410 | $29.05 | $60,430 |
| Burlington | 90 | $32.90 | $68,430 |
| Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia | 2170 | $34.71 | $72,200 |
| Durham, Chapel Hill | 320 | $33.89 | $70,490 |
| Fayetteville | 210 | $30.99 | $64,450 |
| Goldsboro | 50 | $36.05 | $74,990 |
| Greensboro, High Point | 530 | $33.21 | $69,070 |
| Greenville | - | $28.19 | $58,640 |
| Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton | 110 | $31.28 | $65,070 |
| Jacksonville | 60 | $30.23 | $62,890 |
| Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 200 | $31.66 | $65,850 |
| New Bern | 80 | $35.19 | $73,200 |
| Northeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 80 | $29.82 | $62,020 |
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 400 | $28.82 | $59,950 |
| Raleigh | 1050 | $34.08 | $70,880 |
| Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 320 | $33.39 | $69,450 |
| Wilmington | 300 | $32.21 | $66,990 |
| Winston, Salem | 400 | $34.54 | $71,840 |
Neighboring States
While North Carolina has many dental hygiene programs, you might prefer one in a neighboring state. North Carolina borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia and South Carolina to the south.