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Key Facts: CA Dental Hygiene Law & Ethics Exam
75%
Passing Standard
16 CCR § 1121(c)
60 items
Exam Length
50 scored + 10 pretest
90 min
Time Limit
PSI candidate bulletin
25 / 35
CE Units per 2 Years
RDH & RDHEF / RDHAP
$32.07
PSI Exam Fee
Per registration
The California RDH Laws and Ethics Examination is built on a three-part official outline: consent, confidentiality and patient privacy (35%); standards for professional dental hygiene practice (35%); and obligation to the patient and professional role (30%). It covers informed consent and minors, HIPAA and CMIA, telehealth, mandated reporting of child, dependent adult, and older adult abuse, RDH/RDHAP/RDHEF scope and supervision, license renewal and continuing education (25 units for RDH and RDHEF, 35 for RDHAP), documentation and record disposal, fee disclosure and advertising, competence and referral, patient safety, conflicts of interest, and colleague conduct.
Sample CA Dental Hygiene Law & Ethics Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the CA Dental Hygiene Law & Ethics exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 120+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which board regulates dental hygiene practice in California?
2How many licensure categories exist for dental hygienists in California?
3What does RDHAP stand for in California dental hygiene?
4How many CE hours must California dental hygienists complete per renewal period?
5What mandatory CE topics are required for California dental hygienists?
6How is the California dental hygiene law and ethics exam administered?
7How many questions and how much time are given for the California RDH law and ethics exam?
8How are results of the California RDH law and ethics exam reported to candidates?
9What is the application fee for the California dental hygiene law and ethics exam?
10How long is a passing score valid on the California dental hygiene law and ethics exam?
About the CA Dental Hygiene Law & Ethics Exam
The RDH Laws and Ethics Written Examination is a computer-based test administered for the Dental Hygiene Board of California by PSI Services LLC. It contains 60 multiple-choice items — 50 scored and 10 pretest — with a 90-minute time limit, and 16 CCR § 1121(c) sets the passing standard at a minimum score of 75%. A license-class-specific version is required of every RDH, RDHAP, and RDHEF applicant.
Exam sponsor: Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
60 questions
Time Limit
90 minutes
Passing Score
75% minimum (16 CCR § 1121(c)) — 38 of 50 scored
Reported exam pass rate: Not publicly reported. Exam sponsor website
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Consent, Confidentiality, and Patient Privacy
Informed consent and rights regarding treatment decisions (20%); patient privacy and protected health information, including HIPAA and telehealth (9%); limits to confidentiality and mandated reporting (6%)
Standards for Professional Dental Hygiene Practice
Scope of practice, professional conduct, and license requirements including renewal, restoration, discipline, and continuing education (20%); professional practices covering documentation, record storage and disposal, billing and fee disclosure, and advertising (15%)
Obligation to the Patient and Professional Role
Obligation to the patient — competence, cultural sensitivity, nondiscrimination, nonmaleficence, standard of care, excessive treatment, safety and crisis management, referral (20%); obligations within the professional role — conflicts of interest, objectivity, impairment, collaboration, colleague conduct (10%)
Preparing for the CA Dental Hygiene Law & Ethics Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 75% minimum (16 CCR § 1121(c)) — 38 of 50 scored
- Exam length: 60 questions
- Time limit: 90 minutes
- Exam / certification fees: $200 DHBC application fee + $32.07 PSI examination fee Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 120 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
CA Dental Hygiene Law & Ethics: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three dental hygiene licensure categories in California?
California licenses three categories: Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP), who may practice with direct access in homebound residences, schools, residential facilities, certified dental health professional shortage areas, and dental offices under BPC § 1926, and Registered Dental Hygienist in Extended Functions (RDHEF), whose seven extended functions are listed in 16 CCR § 1089(c).
How is the California RDH Laws and Ethics examination structured?
The examination contains 60 multiple-choice items — 50 scored and 10 unscored pretest items — with a 90-minute time limit, administered by PSI Services LLC. 16 CCR § 1121(c) sets the passing standard at a minimum score of 75%, which is 38 of the 50 scored items. Results are provided at the PSI test center and sent to the DHBC.
What is an RDHAP and how does it differ from an RDH?
An RDHAP may provide dental hygiene services with direct access, without a dentist present, in residences of the homebound, schools, residential facilities and related medical settings, certified dental health professional shortage areas, and dental offices. Under BPC § 1922(a) an applicant must hold a current California RDH license, have practised 2,000 hours in the preceding 36 months, hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent, and complete 150 hours of additional board-prescribed education.
What are the California dental hygiene continuing education requirements?
Under 16 CCR § 1017(c), a registered dental hygienist and a registered dental hygienist in extended functions must each complete 25 units per two-year renewal period, and a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice must complete 35. Within that total, 16 CCR § 1017(a) requires 2 units of California-specific Infection Control, 2 units of the California Dental Practice Act, and a Basic Life Support course worth up to 4 units. Correspondence and home study are capped at 50% of required units — 12.5 for an RDH or RDHEF and 17.5 for an RDHAP.
Which board regulates dental hygienists in California?
The Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC), located at 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1350, Sacramento, CA 95815, regulates dental hygienists. The Dental Hygiene Committee of California became the Dental Hygiene Board of California under SB 1482 (Stats. 2018, Ch. 858) effective January 1, 2019, and the Board's 2023 Sunset Review Report describes it as the only self-regulating dental hygiene oversight government agency with a consumer protection mission in the United States.