GOLDSBORO, N.C. – Wayne Community College’s Dental Hygiene class of 2024 has achieved a 100% pass rate on their exams required for licensure. The pass rate is counted by the students’ first attempts at taking the exams.

Dental Hygiene graduates must successfully complete several exams in order to become licensed dental hygienists, including a clinical board exam, a national board exam, the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), and a law exam for the state they will practice dental hygiene in.

The Commission on Dental Competency Assessments, the Western Regional Examining Board, and the Council of Interstate Testing Agencies, Inc. (CDCA-WREB-CITA) administer the clinical American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) exam as a single testing agency.

For the clinical exam, students had to effectively demonstrate hands-on techniques involving calculus removal and periodontal probing on a mannequin.

“This is the first time in many years we have achieved a 100% pass rate on the clinical board exam,” said WCC Dental Department Chair Susan Smith. “In the state, the licensure board rates the school based on first attempts on this clinical exam.”

The National Board Dental Hygiene Exam, administered by the American Dental Association, requires students to pass a 500-question test including 350 multiple choice questions and a 150-question component on 12–15 case patients.

The OSCE measures diagnosis, treatment planning, and related clinical judgment skills.

After the tests are completed, the candidates must apply for state licensure to practice dental hygiene. This includes fingerprinting, background checks, and a law exam, which tests the students’ understanding of dental law and allowable functions. They become licensed by the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners.

Smith commended the Dental Hygiene students and faculty for this accomplishment, noting their hard work and diligence to pursue excellence. “We have worked hard for this 100% pass rate, and everyone had to do their part,” she said.

WCC’s Dental Hygiene program teaches students practical skills through their courses as well as labs and clinical experience on campus and in the community. Learn more about the program here.