Navigating Dental Education in New Jersey: A Comprehensive Guide

The path to a career in dentistry or dental hygiene in New Jersey involves specific educational requirements and program options. This article provides a detailed overview of dental colleges in New Jersey, the requirements for admission, and the steps to becoming a licensed dental professional in the state.

Dental Assistant Programs

For those interested in entering the field quickly, dental assistant programs offer a direct route to employment. Brookdale Community College, for example, offers a program that provides entry-level skills for a dental environment.

Brookdale Community College's Dental Assistant Program

This program includes instruction in charting, terminology, procedures, materials in all dental specialties, and front office management, totaling 72 hours of study. The curriculum comprises 25 didactic hours, 20 lab hours, and a clinical practicum in a dental office performing intraoral radiographic procedures using paralleling and bisecting angle techniques with digital x-ray equipment. Students can arrange their clinical experience with a licensed dentist, dental hygienist, or x-ray technologist, or Brookdale can provide potential sites. Upon completion, students can take the Dental Assisting National Board’s (DANB) Radiation Health and Safety Examination and must attest to their good moral character in writing, as required by New Jersey. Delta Dental offers $1,000 scholarships to students enrolled in the Spring and/or Summer 2026 Dental Assistant class. Registration is available by phone; there is no online registration.

Dental Hygiene Programs

Dental hygiene programs in New Jersey prepare students for careers as registered dental hygienists, performing tasks ranging from clinician to health educator.

Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) Dental Hygiene Program

RCBC offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene (AAS.DHY). This full-time, daytime program focuses on evidence-based dental hygiene care. The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Attendance at an information session is mandatory for admission. The curriculum is structured as a five-semester, cohort-based program, admitting one cohort per year in the Fall semester, with a maximum of 27 students.

RCBC Admissions Criteria

Admission to the RCBC Dental Hygiene Program is based on total points earned on the Dental Hygiene Admissions Rubric, which evaluates cumulative GPA and performance in required non-dental courses. Completed non-dental coursework is heavily weighted in the rubric.

RCBC Program Details

The program emphasizes the maintenance of health and requires students to think critically and analyze a patient’s individual needs. The practice of dental hygiene involves exposure to bloodborne and infectious diseases, and the program follows all local, state, and federal regulations for protection. All students are required to take the DHY 120 Dental Radiology course, regardless of previous experience. Transfer credits are evaluated by the Office of the Registrar. Laptops are required for in-class assignments.

RCBC Faculty

Amy Shah, RDH MDH, serves as the Director of Dental Hygiene. Faith Zimnes, RDH, M.S., is a full-time Associate Professor. Taylor Holden, RDH, B.S., is the Dental Hygiene Lab Coordinator. The program also includes adjunct faculty members such as Lois I. Aaronson, BS, RDH, and Cheryllynn Steinheiser, RDH.

RCBC Health and Compliance Requirements

Conditionally accepted students must provide documentation of a physical examination, comprehensive eye examination, tuberculosis testing, influenza vaccine, tetanus vaccination, MMR, varicella, and Hepatitis B vaccination series. They must also submit proof of medical insurance, American Heart Association (AHA) BLS with AED CPR certification, and a clear criminal history background check.

Eastern International College - Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BSDH)

To complete the admissions process for the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BSDH), applicants must complete and submit the official admissions application. Any fraudulent response in the application form will result in automatic disqualification, acceptance will be revoked, and dismissal from the Program. Along with the application, present a copy of the applicant’s high school diploma/transcript, or have the applicant’s high school send a copy of their diploma or official transcript directly to Eastern International College. Recipients of a State Equivalency Diploma (GED) must submit a copy of the transcript of their test results with the application. Applicants whose secondary education was in a country outside the United States must obtain a written official evaluation of transcripts showing equivalency from their native country, using an approved evaluating company, such as World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts) are accepted. Take the entire HESI test in a single session. The HESI Test is used to assess students’ competencies and readiness for entry into the Dental Hygiene program. Submit a personal statement in response to an essay question drafted by the Chair of the Dental Hygiene program. Submit documentation to show legal status if not a citizen of the United States. All applicants selected for admission based on their entire application package will have a personal interview with the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee.

Read also: Aspiring Dentists Guide

Middlesex College Dental Hygiene Program

Middlesex College offers a dental hygiene program that combines classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience to prepare students for a career as a registered dental hygienist.

Middlesex College Admission Requirements

Applicants must have a minimum 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale and a grade of “C” or higher in both Laboratory Biology and Laboratory Chemistry (High School or College). Foreign high school transcripts must be translated by a certified translation service, and official transcripts from all institutions attended are required. Applicants must have completed all developmental coursework or be exempted from the exams listed below. All students must take the College Placement Exam unless they have received an exemption(s). Middlesex College will offer the TEAS VII exam with limited dates and seats available from November through January.

Middlesex College Health and Compliance Requirements

Students must meet all clinical agency medical and vaccine requirements, and satisfactory results are required for the background check and drug test. Proof of current health insurance is also required. All accepted students will be required to submit their up-to-date vaccination records by August 1st prior to the Fall in which they will begin the program.

Dental Schools

New Jersey offers programs for aspiring dentists, including traditional predoctoral programs and advanced standing programs for international dental graduates.

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine offers a traditional predoctoral program for International Dental Graduates (IDGs) and an Advanced Standing Program for IDGs.

Rutgers Admissions Statistics

The mean age of first-time, first-year enrollees is 24. Rutgers considers applicants who graduated, or plan to graduate, from a non-CODA accredited dental school. Applicants are eligible to enroll if they are US Citizens, US Permanent Residents, Canadian Citizens, or Non-US Citizens/Residents (applicant must obtain their own sponsorship).

Rutgers Academic and Financial Information

Rutgers requires mandatory Casper participation and uses the ADEA AADSAS. There is a $125 supplemental application fee for in-state and out-state applicants, and $250 for international applicants. Interviews are conducted in-person, one-on-one with a faculty member. Estimated first-year tuition for in-state students is $60,992, out-of-state tuition is $98,822, with additional fees of $20,956 and estimated living expenses of $38,874.

Rutgers Academic Offerings

Rutgers provides pre-dental opportunities such as college-level pipeline programs (Gateway to Dentistry and Summer Health Professions Education Program), enrichment programs at the high school and B.S. level, an Early Assurance Program with Penn State University, and an Admission Linkage Program with Northwestern University School of Professional Studies. Research opportunities include clinical studies on oral health and dental disease, discoveries related to cancer treatment, predatory bacteria, HIV, chronic pain, and opioid addiction. Rutgers also offers a Summer Student Research Program and publishes The Rutgers Journal of Dental Medicine, a student-run journal of dental research.

Rutgers International Student Program (D.D.S. or D.M.D.)

First-year tuition is $67,069, and second-year tuition is $67,069 (waived for graduates of CODA approved dental schools). The first-year stipend is $61,749, and the second-year stipend is $66,734.

Montclair State University and Rutgers School of Dental Medicine

Montclair State University partners with Rutgers School of Dental Medicine to offer an accelerated, 7-year program for highly qualified students. Transfer students are not eligible for this program. Qualified students in their fourth semester at Montclair State may apply for admission to the undergraduate phase of the Program. After preliminary evaluation, selected applicants will be invited for interviews with the Montclair program committee. Highly qualified applicants will be recommended to the RSDM Executive Committee for a second interview. Following the interviews, the applicants will be notified of admission decisions in writing. Candidates recommended for admission must complete their general education requirements and major coursework required by Montclair State University by the end of year 3.

General Requirements and Information for Dentists in New Jersey

Licensing Requirements

To begin the application process in New Jersey, new dental school graduates should download and review the license application and instructions. Applicants should start the process near graduation. National Board scores should be reported to the Board. New Jersey recognizes the clinical examination of the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) if it has been administered by the North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners (NERB) or any other state or regional board since September 2005. Applicants must have graduated from a dental program recognized by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association. Sealed transcripts evidencing completion of dental training must be forwarded to the Board. All health care applicants are required to submit to fingerprinting and a Criminal History Background Check (CHBC). An application fee of $125 must accompany the application. The registration period for dentists runs from November 1 to October 31 of odd-numbered years. Initial registration fees are required upon approval.

Residency Training

New Jersey issues permits to individuals entering residency training programs. The minimum standard for a permit includes graduation from a CODA approved program, successful completion of National Boards Parts 1 and 2, and completion of the Criminal History Background Check. The residency training permit limits practice to the health care institution where the program is conducted.

Licensing from Another State

Applicants holding a license in another state must provide evidence that the licenses are in good standing. An application fee of $250 is required. If the NERB or ADEX clinical examination was completed within the last five years, applicants are qualified for licensure by examination. If it has been more than five years, a complete employment history is required. Licensure by credentials requires demonstrating a valid license to practice in another state for at least five years and completion of a comparable examination.

Branch Office License

A branch office license is required for every office in which a dentist practices, with a fee of $90.00 for each biennial registration period.

Graduates from Foreign Dental Programs

Board regulations require that applicants graduate from a dental school recognized by CODA. Graduates of other programs must complete two years of additional training in a CODA approved program and receive a D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree.

Continuing Education

Dentists must complete 40 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years, with permissible types of CE specified in Board regulations at N.J.A.C 13:30-5.1. Registered Dental Hygienists need 20 CE hours, and Registered Dental Assistants need 10 CE hours with each biennial registration cycle.

Specialty Permits

Dentists advertising in a dental specialty must apply for a specialty permit, requiring certification or eligibility for certification by a specialty board recognized by the American Dental Association. The permit must be displayed at the place of practice, and the specialty permit number must be displayed in any advertisement.

X-Ray Licenses and Dental Laboratories

X-Ray licenses are issued by the Technologist Certification Section at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Dental laboratories are not regulated by the State of New Jersey, and it is illegal to have dental work performed at a laboratory, as it is considered the unlicensed practice of dentistry.

Additional Notes

Undocumented Individuals

New Jersey State law allows all individuals, regardless of citizenship status, to obtain a professional or occupational license if all requirements are met. Individuals with undocumented status are eligible for licensure, and a social security number is not required.

Program-Specific Criteria

Applicants to healthcare programs must follow program-specific criteria. Each applicant will be interviewed and given a tour of the College by their assigned admissions representative. Information gathered during this meeting will be presented to the Campus Director for review.

tags: #dental #colleges #in #new #jersey #requirements