State Dental CE Requirements

CMEList April 29, 2020

Dentists are required to complete a specific amount of continuing education (CE) hours in order to maintain their license to practice. Each state varies on their rules and regulations. We’ve compiled a simple guide for dentists to find an easy way to know their specific state dentistry board’s dental CE requirements.

State Dentistry Board CE Requirements

State Dentistry Board

CE Requirements

Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama

1 CE hour of infectious disease and 1 CE hour of prescribing controlled substances every 2 years

Alaska Dental Society

32 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

Those with valid DEA registration are required 2 hrs of pain management and opioid misuse/abuse.

Arizona Dental Association

72 CE hours every 3 years for renewal

Minimum of 3 CE hours in chemical dependency, infectious disease control, and ethics and dental jurisprudence.

Arkansas State Dental Association

50 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 1 CE hour on infection control

California Dental Association

50 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours on infection control and 2 CE hours on the California Dental Practice Act. 

Colorado Dental Association

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

At least 16 of these CE hours must be science-based. 

Connecticut State Dental Association

25 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

There are 10 mandatory CE topics required:

  • Prescribing controlled substances and pain management
  • Record keeping and risk management
  • Infection control
  • Access to care
  • HIPAA compliance 
  • Medical emergencies in dental office (CPR)
  • Sexual assault and domestic abuse
  • Cultural competence
  • Mental health conditions
  • Diagnostic technology

Delaware State Dental Society

50 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours for infection control is required.

DC Board of Dentistry 

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours in infection control, ethics, and cultural competency.

Florida Board of Dentistry 

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours in prescribing controlled substances safely and effectively

Georgia Dental Association

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 1 CE hour in opioid abuse and/or prescription writing and use of opioids in dental practice.

Hawaii Dental Association

32 CE hours every 2 years for renewal 

A minimum of 6 CE hours in ethics training is required. 

Idaho State Dental Association

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A mandatory 1 CE hour on Idaho Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP)

Illinois Dental Society

48 hours every 3 years for renewal

Indiana Dental Association

20 hours every 2 years for renewal

A mandatory of 2 hours on Indiana Ethics, professional responsibility, and jurisprudence.

Iowa Dental Board

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 1 CE hour of infection control and 1 hour of Iowa jurisprudence.

Kansas Dental Board 

60 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

Kentucky Board of Dentistry

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A mandatory 3 CE hours of House Bill 1 which includes electronic prescription monitoring, pain management, or addiction disorders.

Louisiana State Board of Dentistry

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 3 CE hours of opioid management. 

Maine Dental Association

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 3 CE hours opioid prescribing for dentists who prescribe opioids and 6 CE hours sedation training for dentists who hold sedation permit

Maryland State Dental Association

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A mandatory 2 CE hours of infection control. 

At every other renewal cycle, it is required to have 2 CE hours of MidAtlantic P.A.N.D.A and 2 CE hours on prescribing and disposing of prescription drugs. 

Massachusetts Dental Society

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

Safe and effective opioid prescribing/pain management is required.

Michigan Dental Society 

60 CE hours every 3 years for renewal

A minimum of 3 CE hours on pain and symptom management 

Minnesota Dental Association

50 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

It is mandatory to complete a minimum of two of the categories of core subjects:

  • Record keeping
  • Ethics
  • Patient communication
  • Management of medical emergency
  • Treatment and diagnosis

Mississippi Dental Association

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

Missouri Dental Association

50 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

Montana Dental Association

60 CE hours every 3 years for renewal

Nebraska Dental Association

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

For dentists who hold anesthesia/sedation permits require 6 CE hours of general anesthesia/deep sedation/moderate sedation. 

Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

It is required to have 2 CE hours on bioterrorism and 4 CE hours on infection control.

New Hampshire Dental Society 

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours on infection control and 3 CE hours on pain management or addiction disorders.

New Jersey Dental Association

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

New Mexico Dental Association

60 CE hours every 3 years for renewal

Maximum of 30 CE hours can be obtained online. Rollover credits are permitted if hours exceed over 60. 

Dentists are required 1 CE hour of infection control and 3 CE hours of pain management for dentists who prescribe controlled substances. 

New York State Dental Association

60 CE hours every 3 years for renewal

18 of the 60 CE hours are permitted to be at home studies. 

Ethics and jurisprudence, tobacco cessation, and oral cancer, as well as child abuse, are once in lifetime courses that are mandatory.

Infection control is mandatory every four years. 

Dentists with a license to prescribe controlled substances must complete 3 CE hours of pain management.

North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiner

15 CE hours once a year for renewal

Courses should primarily be focused on patient care. All dentists who are licensed after January 2019 are required to take a 6 hour course in professionalism and ethics. 

North Dakota Board of Dental Examiners

32 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

16 of the 32 CE hours are permitted to be at home study or online courses. 

A minimum of 2 CE hours in infection control and 2 CE hours of jurisprudence and ethics. 

4 CE hours of sedation and anesthesia to dentists who hold permits for general anesthesia and sedation. 

Ohio State Dental Board 

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours for prescribing opioids and all courses are permitted to be at home or online studies. 

Oklahoma Board of Dentistry 

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

2 CE hours of opioid and 2 CE hours of ethics is mandatory. 

CE hours can not be rolled over. 

Pennsylvania Dental Association

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

At least 50% of credits must be through lectures or programs. 

A minimum of 2 CE hours of child abuse and recognition is required for renewal. 

Dentists with a license to prescribe controlled substances must complete 2 CE hours of pain management.

Rhode Island Dental Association

40 CE hours every two years for renewal

A minimum of 1 CE hour in CDC infection control guidelines is required. 

South Carolina Dental Association

28 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours must be sterilization and infection control.

Dentists with a license to prescribe controlled substances require 2 CE hours in prescribing and monitoring controlled substances.

At least 50% of CE hours can be attained online or at home studies. 

South Dakota State Board of Dentistry

100 CE hours every 5 years for renewal

A maximum of 30 CE hours is limited to at-home studies. 

Dentists who hold a general anesthesia/sedation license must complete at least 25 hours of CE in anesthesia-related topics. 

Tennessee Dental Association

40 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours in prescribing controlled substances and at least 4 CE hours of sedation/anesthesia for dentists with permits.

Texas State Board of Dental Examiners

24 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

Dentists with a license to prescribe controlled substances must complete 2 CE hours in abuse/misuse of controlled substances, prescribing practices, and pharmacology.

4 CE hours of safe and effective pain management is required. 

At least 16 hours of CE must be focused on enhancing knowledge and skill to provide clinical care to patients. 

Utah Dental Association

30 CE hours every two years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours in prescribing controlled substances for dentists who hold permits.

Vermont State Dental Society 

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

Virginia Dental Association

15 CE hours once a year for renewal

A dentist who administers anesthesia/sedation is required to have 4 CE hours of the topic every 2 years. 

Dentists who prescribe controlled substances are required to have 2 CE hours in pain management every two years. 

Credits that exceed 15 CE hours can be rolled over into the new year. 

Washington State Dental Association

63 CE hours every 3 years for renewal

1 CE hour of dental jurisprudence and one hour (up to 3 hours) for BLS are required. 

No more than 21 hours can be on the topic of practice management and billing. 

West Virginia Dental Association

35 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A minimum of 2 CE hours in infection control and occupational hazards. 

At least 3 CE hours of prescribing and administering controlled substances. 

Wisconsin Dental Association

30 CE hours every 2 years for renewal

A required 2 CE hours on prescribing controlled substances responsibly. 

No less than 25 hours of instruction in clinical dentistry. 

Wyoming Dental Association

16 CE hours every 2 years for renewal 

A minimum of 3 CE hours for prescribing controlled substances. Credits can not be rolled over into the next renewal period. 

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