California Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
California dentists must complete 50 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Dental Board of California.
A California dentist license is issued for a two year term and expires on the last day of the licensee's birth month. The birth year sets which years the license expires in: licensees born in an even-numbered year renew in even-numbered years, and those born in an odd-numbered year renew in odd-numbered years. All continuing education must fall inside the two year period that ends on that expiration date.
Summary
California dentists must complete 50 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Dental Board of California. A California dentist license is issued for a two year term and expires on the last day of the licensee's birth month. The birth year sets which years the license expires in: licensees born in an even-numbered year renew in even-numbered years, and those born in an odd-numbered year renew in odd-numbered years. All continuing education must fall inside the two year period that ends on that expiration date. California also mandates specific subjects. Board-approved Infection Control course: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Board-approved course on the California Dental Practice Act: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Responsibilities and Requirements of Prescribing Schedule II Opioid Drugs: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Basic Life Support (BLS): 4 contact hours every renewal cycle. No more than 25 contact hours may be self-study or online and the first renewal is exempt.
California Dentist renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Tied to the licensee's birth monthFirst renewal is not prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 50 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 25 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
The Dental Board of California requires 50 units for a Dentist License every two years, and the board states that one CE unit is typically one hour of instruction. The four mandatory courses are counted inside the 50. No more than 50 percent of the total required units may be taken as non-live or correspondence courses, which is 25 units at the 50 unit level; interactive courses using live video conferencing, live webinar, live lectures or live workshop demonstrations count as live. No more than 8 units per day may be applied to the total. Courses must be taken within the most recent two year renewal period. Continuing education is not required the first time a licensee renews. A licensee who holds more than one license or permit completes the larger of the totals rather than adding them, so a dentist who also holds an oral conscious sedation certificate completes 50 units, not 57. Separate permits carry their own totals and are not part of the dentist figure: elective facial cosmetic surgery 24, general anesthesia 24, moderate sedation 15, oral conscious sedation 7, oral and maxillofacial surgery 50, pediatric minimal sedation 7, special faculty permit 25. A retired dentist in uncompensated practice only needs no less than 30 units including the mandatory courses (16 CCR 1017(u)). With the exception of BLS and the mandatory courses, courses must come from a CE Registered Provider licensed by the board or a provider approved by ADA CERP or AGD PACE; the board approves providers, not individual courses. A licensee who has not practiced in California for more than a year because of disability may be waived from CE for that renewal period under 16 CCR 1017(m).
Required CE topics for California dentists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board-approved Infection Control courseMust be taken through a Registered Provider the board has approved to offer an Infection Control course. The board warns that OSHA and bloodborne pathogens courses are not the same thing. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 16 CCR 1016; 16 CCR 1017 |
| Board-approved course on the California Dental Practice ActMust be taken through a Registered Provider approved to offer a California Dental Practice Act course. A HIPAA course does not satisfy it. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 16 CCR 1016; 16 CCR 1017 |
| Responsibilities and Requirements of Prescribing Schedule II Opioid DrugsMust be taken through a Registered Provider approved to offer this specific course. The board's list of approved mandatory course providers labels this course Dentist only, and the Dental Hygiene Board of California does not impose it on hygienists. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 16 CCR 1016; 16 CCR 1017 |
| Basic Life Support (BLS)A maximum of four units of BLS may be applied toward the 50 unit total, so the figure recorded is a cap rather than a floor. The course must come from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association, or be approved by the American Safety and Health Institute, ADA CERP or AGD PACE; this is the only mandatory course that may be taken from a CERP or PACE provider instead of a board-approved provider. Courses that are online only are not accepted: the course must include a live in person skills practice session, a skills test and a written examination. | 4 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 16 CCR 1016; 16 CCR 1017 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 6 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Except for BLS and the mandatory courses, continuing education must be taken from a CE Registered Provider licensed by the Dental Board of California or from a provider approved by ADA CERP or AGD PACE. The board approves Registered Providers to offer specific mandatory courses rather than approving individual courses, and a mandatory course certificate is not accepted unless the provider is approved to teach that particular course. Out of state courses from a provider approved by none of the three must be submitted for approval on the board's out of state course application before the renewal cycle ends. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a California DDS/DMD need to renew?
- California dentists must complete 50 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Dental Board of California. The Dental Board of California requires 50 units for a Dentist License every two years, and the board states that one CE unit is typically one hour of instruction. The four mandatory courses are counted inside the 50. No more than 50 percent of the total required units may be taken as non-live or correspondence courses, which is 25 units at the 50 unit level; interactive courses using live video conferencing, live webinar, live lectures or live workshop demonstrations count as live. No more than 8 units per day may be applied to the total. Courses must be taken within the most recent two year renewal period. Continuing education is not required the first time a licensee renews. A licensee who holds more than one license or permit completes the larger of the totals rather than adding them, so a dentist who also holds an oral conscious sedation certificate completes 50 units, not 57. Separate permits carry their own totals and are not part of the dentist figure: elective facial cosmetic surgery 24, general anesthesia 24, moderate sedation 15, oral conscious sedation 7, oral and maxillofacial surgery 50, pediatric minimal sedation 7, special faculty permit 25. A retired dentist in uncompensated practice only needs no less than 30 units including the mandatory courses (16 CCR 1017(u)). With the exception of BLS and the mandatory courses, courses must come from a CE Registered Provider licensed by the board or a provider approved by ADA CERP or AGD PACE; the board approves providers, not individual courses. A licensee who has not practiced in California for more than a year because of disability may be waived from CE for that renewal period under 16 CCR 1017(m).
- How often does a California DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in California renew every two years. A California dentist license is issued for a two year term and expires on the last day of the licensee's birth month. The birth year sets which years the license expires in: licensees born in an even-numbered year renew in even-numbered years, and those born in an odd-numbered year renew in odd-numbered years. All continuing education must fall inside the two year period that ends on that expiration date.
- What specific CE topics are required for California dentists?
- Board-approved Infection Control course: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Board-approved course on the California Dental Practice Act: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Responsibilities and Requirements of Prescribing Schedule II Opioid Drugs: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Basic Life Support (BLS): 4 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: Board-approved Infection Control course (16 CCR 1016; 16 CCR 1017), Board-approved course on the California Dental Practice Act (16 CCR 1016; 16 CCR 1017), responsibilities and Requirements of Prescribing Schedule II Opioid Drugs (16 CCR 1016; 16 CCR 1017), and Basic Life Support (BLS) (16 CCR 1016; 16 CCR 1017).
- Do California dentists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 6 years. Except for BLS and the mandatory courses, continuing education must be taken from a CE Registered Provider licensed by the Dental Board of California or from a provider approved by ADA CERP or AGD PACE. The board approves Registered Providers to offer specific mandatory courses rather than approving individual courses, and a mandatory course certificate is not accepted unless the provider is approved to teach that particular course. Out of state courses from a provider approved by none of the three must be submitted for approval on the board's out of state course application before the renewal cycle ends.
- Is the first California DDS/DMD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. California does not require continuing education for a DDS/DMD's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal of a License or Permit, Dental Board of CaliforniaState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- License Renewal, Dental Board of CaliforniaState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Dentist License and Permit Holders, Dental Board of CaliforniaState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
California splits the two credentials between two boards. Dentists are regulated by the Dental Board of California, which is the source cited throughout this record; dental hygienists are regulated by the separate Dental Hygiene Board of California and are covered in the ca-dental_hygienist record from that board's own pages. All values here were read on dbc.ca.gov, the dentist board's own site, which cites 16 CCR sections 1015, 1016 and 1017 and Business and Professions Code section 1715. The regulation text itself was not opened; the official California Code of Regulations is served through a commercial host, and the board's own page states the requirements and their citations directly. The 25 unit correspondence figure is the board's own 50 percent limit applied to its own 50 unit total. The board does not state whether excess units carry forward, so carryover fields are null. Retention is stated as three renewal periods, which at a two year cycle is six years. topic key cpr_bls is not on the canonical list; it is used because no canonical key covers Basic Life Support.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Dental Board of California before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.