Delaware Dental Hygienist license renewal and CE requirements
Delaware dental hygienists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene.
Each Delaware dental hygiene license is renewed biennially and expires on May 31 of even-numbered years, on the same schedule as dentists. The full licensure period runs June 1 through May 31 of the next even-numbered year. Renewal is done online through DELPROS with the fee and an electronic attestation that the continuing education was completed. A licensee who misses the date may reactivate during the one year after expiration by paying a late fee and showing proof of the required continuing education.
Summary
Delaware dental hygienists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene. Each Delaware dental hygiene license is renewed biennially and expires on May 31 of even-numbered years, on the same schedule as dentists. The full licensure period runs June 1 through May 31 of the next even-numbered year. Renewal is done online through DELPROS with the fee and an electronic attestation that the continuing education was completed. A licensee who misses the date may reactivate during the one year after expiration by paying a late fee and showing proof of the required continuing education. Delaware also mandates specific subjects. Infection control: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): required every renewal cycle. No more than 15 contact hours may be self-study or online.
Delaware Dental Hygienist 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 | Same date for every licensee, 05/31 each cycleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 24 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 15 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Teaching as a faculty member in a recognized school of dentistry, dental hygiene or dental assisting, not more than 5 hours credit per year; Presenting a CPE course, hours of preparation and presentation on a one time per course basis, maximum 5 credits for the two year period; Table clinics, one hour of credit per hour of presentation, maximum 2 hours; Scientific article published in a component or state society journal, 12 hours; Scientific article published in a national journal, or a published scientific textbook or chapter, 12 hours; Giving public education instruction in a school, up to 1 hour per year; Volunteer pro bono dental hygiene services through a non-profit entity or event, one hour of credit per hour of patient service, maximum 5 hours |
24 DE Admin. Code 1100 section 6.9 requires all persons licensed to practice dental hygiene in Delaware to acquire 24 hours of continuing professional education every 2 years. That figure was read from the hygienist section, which sits alongside the separate 50 hour dentist requirement in section 6.3, and none of the hygienist limits below are the dentist limits scaled down. CPR is required in addition to the CPE, so the CPR course is not counted inside the 24 hours. Self-study is capped in two layers under section 6.9.4: not more than 5 of the 24 hours may be self-study without testing (reading dental or dental hygiene journals or textbooks, viewing or listening to audio-visual materials), and in addition not more than 10 hours may be self-study with a test and certificate of completion (journals, textbooks, video and audio presentations, mail-in courses, and dental or dental hygiene courses presented on the internet that are not live), for a combined maximum of 15 self-study hours. Live webinars count as regular scientific CPE rather than self-study. Practice management, personal self-improvement and computer courses are limited to 2.5 hours a year for a total of 5 hours in the two year period, half the dentist allowance. Where CPE credits are not specified, one hour of credit is given for each hour of scientific session attended. First renewal is scaled by how long the license has been held as of May 31 of the renewal year: less than one year requires zero hours, one to two years requires one half of the requirement, and two years or more requires the full requirement, so exempt_first_renewal is left null.
Required CE topics for Delaware dental hygienists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infection controlTwo of the 24 credit hours must be obtained in courses covering infection control. Delaware sets the same two hours for both credentials even though the totals differ, so this hour figure is not a scaled version of the dentist figure but the identical number stated in the hygienist section. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 24 DE Admin. Code 1100, section 6.9 |
| Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)In addition to the CPE, licensees must show they have completed a current CPR course every 2 years. The course must encompass hands on clinical participation and online courses will not be accepted; American Red Cross and American Heart Association courses are given as acceptable examples. Because the rule says in addition to the CPE, these hours do not count toward the 24 and no hour value is recorded. Licensees selected for audit must upload their current CPR certification card. | Not stated | Every renewal | All licensees | 24 DE Admin. Code 1100, section 6.9 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | CPE credits are granted for scientific programs or courses, including live webinars, sponsored or approved by the American Dental Hygienists Association and its constituents and components, the American Dental Association and its constituents and components, the American Dental Assisting Association and its constituents and components, the American Academy of Dental Hygiene, recognized national, regional, state and local dental and dental hygiene specialty societies, recognized dental and dental hygiene study clubs, accredited dental and dental hygiene schools, approved hospital programs, and other organizations the board approves. Final approval of acceptable dental hygiene CPE credits is made by the board in consultation with the Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Delaware RDH need to renew?
- Delaware dental hygienists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene. 24 DE Admin. Code 1100 section 6.9 requires all persons licensed to practice dental hygiene in Delaware to acquire 24 hours of continuing professional education every 2 years. That figure was read from the hygienist section, which sits alongside the separate 50 hour dentist requirement in section 6.3, and none of the hygienist limits below are the dentist limits scaled down. CPR is required in addition to the CPE, so the CPR course is not counted inside the 24 hours. Self-study is capped in two layers under section 6.9.4: not more than 5 of the 24 hours may be self-study without testing (reading dental or dental hygiene journals or textbooks, viewing or listening to audio-visual materials), and in addition not more than 10 hours may be self-study with a test and certificate of completion (journals, textbooks, video and audio presentations, mail-in courses, and dental or dental hygiene courses presented on the internet that are not live), for a combined maximum of 15 self-study hours. Live webinars count as regular scientific CPE rather than self-study. Practice management, personal self-improvement and computer courses are limited to 2.5 hours a year for a total of 5 hours in the two year period, half the dentist allowance. Where CPE credits are not specified, one hour of credit is given for each hour of scientific session attended. First renewal is scaled by how long the license has been held as of May 31 of the renewal year: less than one year requires zero hours, one to two years requires one half of the requirement, and two years or more requires the full requirement, so exempt_first_renewal is left null.
- How often does a Delaware RDH license need to be renewed?
- Dental Hygienist licenses in Delaware renew every two years. Each Delaware dental hygiene license is renewed biennially and expires on May 31 of even-numbered years, on the same schedule as dentists. The full licensure period runs June 1 through May 31 of the next even-numbered year. Renewal is done online through DELPROS with the fee and an electronic attestation that the continuing education was completed. A licensee who misses the date may reactivate during the one year after expiration by paying a late fee and showing proof of the required continuing education.
- What specific CE topics are required for Delaware dental hygienists?
- Infection control: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): required every renewal cycle. Citations: infection control (24 DE Admin. Code 1100, section 6.9) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (24 DE Admin. Code 1100, section 6.9).
- Do Delaware dental hygienists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. CPE credits are granted for scientific programs or courses, including live webinars, sponsored or approved by the American Dental Hygienists Association and its constituents and components, the American Dental Association and its constituents and components, the American Dental Assisting Association and its constituents and components, the American Academy of Dental Hygiene, recognized national, regional, state and local dental and dental hygiene specialty societies, recognized dental and dental hygiene study clubs, accredited dental and dental hygiene schools, approved hospital programs, and other organizations the board approves. Final approval of acceptable dental hygiene CPE credits is made by the board in consultation with the Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- 24 DE Admin. Code 1100, Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene (sections 6.9 to 6.12, Continuing Professional Education, Dental Hygienists)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Education and Audit Information, Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental HygieneState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- License Renewal, Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental HygieneState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Delaware licenses both credentials through one Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene, but the regulation writes two separate continuing education codes: sections 6.3 to 6.8 for dentists at 50 hours and sections 6.9 to 6.12 for dental hygienists at 24 hours, with their own provider lists, self-study caps, teaching and publication allowances and audit provision. Every figure here came from the hygienist sections. The rule also names a Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee that the board consults before final approval of hygiene CPE credits, so the regulator is the board but hygiene course approval runs through that committee. Both regulations.delaware.gov and dpr.delaware.gov reject plain automated requests, dpr with a Request Rejected page, so both were read in a browser. The regulation does not state a certificate retention period or address carryover, so those fields are null.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.