Hawaii Dental Hygienist CE

How many CE hours do Hawaii dental hygienists need?

Hawaii dental hygienist CE totals 20 hours every 2 years, and your license is due December 31 of every odd-numbered year. Your next renewal is December 31, 2027 ( Hawaii Administrative Rules 16-79-141 and 16-79-144 ; Hawaii Board of Dental Examiners ). More than half of the 20 hours must be clinical, meaning directly related to oral health care and treatment of patients. Start with the Hawaii dental hygienist CE package . Looking for a different license? See Hawaii dentist CE .

Which CE topics are required for Hawaii dental hygienists?

Every renewal you need an ethics course of at least 2 hours, such as our Ethics for the Dental Professional course ( HAR 16-79-141 ). You must also hold current BLS certification for healthcare providers with a hands-on skills component. Up to 4 hours of BLS coursework can count toward the 20 hours. A hygienist who wants to administer local anesthesia needs a one-time certification from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program or a Board-approved program, and the rule sets no fixed clock-hour figure ( HAR 16-79-76 ). Our Pharmacology of Local Anesthetics and Sedation for the Dental Office course is a related 4-hour refresher and does not replace that certification. Hawaii does not authorize dental hygienists to administer nitrous oxide, and controlled substance CE and DEA MATE training do not apply to hygienists.

Does Hawaii accept AGD PACE credit?

Yes. Hawaii's rule lists AGD approved providers, the American Dental Association's approved providers and the American Dental Hygienists' Association among the sponsors whose CE counts ( HAR 16-79-141 ). AchieveCE is an AGD PACE approved provider (ID# 386503).

Does the Hawaii Board of Dental Examiners audit hygienist CE?

Yes. You self-certify CE completion on your renewal application, filed by mail or through the MyPVL portal , and the Board can audit any licensee and require the original attendance documentation. Keep that documentation for 4 years after you complete each course. Renewing without meeting the requirement is treated as a false attestation and can lead to discipline ( HAR 16-79-145 and 16-79-146 ). Your AchieveCE certificate is available the moment you finish a course, and AchieveCE reports your completions to AGD PACE within 24 business hours. Our support team is on live chat, email, and phone, 7 days a week.

Do Hawaii dental hygienists need live CE?

Yes, under the rule. No more than 8 of the 20 hours can come from computer, correspondence or recorded media courses, so at least 12 hours must be earned another way ( HAR 16-79-141 ). The rule does not say whether live webinars count as live, so confirm that with the Board. The Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association reported that for 2025 renewals the Board accepted fully online CE, except the in-person BLS skills portion ( HDHA ). Check with the Board whether that still applies to your 2027 renewal. Our online package covers up to 8 hours under the rule, and you can add live CE through our live webinars and the Dentistry Advanced membership .

Do newly licensed Hawaii dental hygienists need CE for their first renewal?

Yes, but the amount depends on when you were licensed. A hygienist licensed in the first year of the 2-year period owes 10 hours at that first renewal, half the standard total, including the full 2-hour ethics course. A hygienist licensed in the second year owes no CE for that first renewal ( HAR 16-79-144 ).

Other Hawaii dental licenses: Hawaii dentist CE . Try Free dental CE before you buy, and browse every state and license in our CE course finder .

Last verified: October 25, 2026

Sources

• Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 16-79, Continuing Education, Biennial Renewal and Local Anesthesia Certification

• Haw. Rev. Stat. Chapter 447, Dental Hygienists

• Hawaii Board of Dental Examiners

• Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, Continuing Education

• MyPVL, Hawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing Portal