How many continuing education hours must a hygienist complete by the end of 2018 if they received their license that year?

• A. 24 hours.
• B. 12 hours.
• C. 36 hours.
• D. 48 hours.

Answer: (A)

Continuing education requirements in this context are tied to when you receive your license. In Louisiana, dental hygienists must complete a total of 24 hours of CE within each license cycle, and for those just licensed, the rule is to finish those 24 hours by the end of the year in which licensure occurs. So if you’re granted your license in 2018, you’d need to have completed 24 CE hours by December 31, 2018. After that initial period, the standard cycle applies and ongoing renewals also require CE, typically totaling 24 hours within each renewal cycle. The other hour totals don’t align with the initial-year requirement.