Dental hygiene programs in Pennsylvania

3 dental hygiene programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

3 schools offer these dental hygiene programs, and Pennsylvania has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Dental hygienists check patients for signs of gum and mouth disease and give preventive care such as cleanings. Most have an associate degree in dental hygiene, some a bachelor's, and every state requires a license, in most states a degree from an accredited program and passed written and clinical exams.¹ In every state, the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination counts fully or partly toward the written exam needed for a license.²

In Pennsylvania, all 3 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent.

All 3 are the same kind of program: dental hygiene (associate degree).

See the 3 programs

How much do dental hygiene programs cost in Pennsylvania?

$14,651 to $53,521

is what the 3 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later: Left out; Pennsylvania's rates sit far below every other state's
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Pennsylvania may also offer dental hygiene programs. How these figures are made

Are there free dental hygiene programs in Pennsylvania?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.³⁴⁵For a degree, the job center first looks at grants such as a federal Pell Grant; WIOA pays toward what they don't cover.⁵
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁶ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁵
Or pay yourself. These programs cost $14,651 to $53,521.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 3 dental hygiene programs in Pennsylvania approved for WIOA funding

3 programs

Dental hygiene (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Hygiene Associate in Applied Science
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Northampton Community College, BethlehemDental hygiene (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$53,400
Price if you pay yourself$14,651
Program website, Dental Hygiene Associate in Applied Science at Northampton Community College
More details about Dental Hygiene Associate in Applied Science at Northampton Community College
Finished
72%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$13,356
Length
75 weeks, 13 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$13,792
Students counted
105
Earned a year, estimated
$53,400
Price if you pay yourself
$14,651
Program website, Dental Hygiene Associate in Applied Science at Northampton Community College
Dental hygiene (associate degree)OnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Hygiene - DH
Pennsylvania College Of Technology
Based in Williamsport, PA
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Pennsylvania College Of Technology, based in Williamsport, PADental hygiene (associate degree) · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$53,521
Program website, Dental Hygiene - DH at Pennsylvania College Of Technology
More details about Dental Hygiene - DH at Pennsylvania College Of Technology
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
60 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$7,600
Students counted
20
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$53,521
Program website, Dental Hygiene - DH at Pennsylvania College Of Technology
Dental hygiene (associate degree)OnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Hygiene AS Degree
Harrisburg Area Community College
Based in Harrisburg, PA
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Harrisburg Area Community College, based in Harrisburg, PADental hygiene (associate degree) · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$23,073
Program website, Dental Hygiene AS Degree at Harrisburg Area Community College
More details about Dental Hygiene AS Degree at Harrisburg Area Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
80 weeks, 21 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$8,775
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$23,073
Program website, Dental Hygiene AS Degree at Harrisburg Area Community College

How to pay for dental hygiene programs in Pennsylvania

WIOA funding can pay for dental hygiene programs in Pennsylvania

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for dental hygiene programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁷⁸

GI Bill for dental hygiene programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁹

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Other training in Pennsylvania

How dental hygiene programs compare with the rest of allied health: Allied health programs in Pennsylvania

Where the Pennsylvania dental hygiene program numbers come from

Which Pennsylvania dental hygiene programs are on this list?

These are the dental hygiene programs Pennsylvania approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).¹⁰ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Pennsylvania offers.

How the prices and results of Pennsylvania dental hygiene programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the Pennsylvania figures?

We leave out the share working 6 months later for Pennsylvania: its rates sit far below every other state's, and the counts suggest jobs were traced only for students whose training was publicly paid.

Sources for the facts about dental hygiene programs in Pennsylvania

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