Delaware Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
Delaware dentists must complete 50 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene.
Each Delaware dental license is renewed biennially. Dentist, Dentist Academic and Dental Hygiene licenses expire on May 31 of even-numbered years, and 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. The board's failure to send a renewal notice does not excuse a late renewal. A Dentist-Community Health license runs on its own two year period keyed to the issue date instead.
Summary
Delaware dentists must complete 50 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene. Each Delaware dental license is renewed biennially. Dentist, Dentist Academic and Dental Hygiene licenses expire on May 31 of even-numbered years, and 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. The board's failure to send a renewal notice does not excuse a late renewal. A Dentist-Community Health license runs on its own two year period keyed to the issue date instead. Delaware also mandates specific subjects. Infection control: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): required every renewal cycle. No more than 30 contact hours may be self-study or online.
Delaware 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 | Same date for every licensee, 05/31 each cycleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 50 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 30 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, dental assisting or a dentally related field, not more than 10 hours credit per year; Presenting a CPE course, hours of preparation and presentation on a one time per course basis, maximum 10 hours 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, 25 hours; Public health dentally related presentation, one hour per hour of participation, maximum 2 hours for the two year period; Volunteer pro bono dental services through a non-profit entity or event, one hour of credit per hour of patient service, maximum 10 hours |
24 DE Admin. Code 1100 section 6.3 requires all persons licensed to practice dentistry in Delaware to acquire 50 hours of continuing professional education every 2 years. CPR is required in addition to the CPE, so the CPR course is not counted inside the 50 hours. Self-study is capped in two layers under section 6.5: not more than 10 of the 50 hours may be self-study without testing (reading dental textbooks or tape journals, viewing or listening to dental audio-visual materials), and in addition not more than 20 hours may be self-study with a test and certificate of completion (dental journals, textbooks, video and audio presentations, mail-in courses, and dental courses presented on the internet that are not live), for a combined maximum of 30 self-study hours. Live webinars count as regular scientific CPE rather than self-study. Practice management or personal self-improvement courses are limited to 10 hours for the two year period. Anesthesia permit holders must take part of their required CPE on an anesthesia topic by the end of the six year re-evaluation period: at least 12 hours for an Unrestricted Permit and at least 6 hours for a Restricted I Permit. Those anesthesia hours come out of the required CPE rather than adding to it. 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 dentists
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 50 credit hours must be obtained in courses covering infection control. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 24 DE Admin. Code 1100, section 6.3 |
| 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. Acceptable examples include American Red Cross and American Heart Association courses and courses offered or approved by the organizations listed in sections 6.4.1 through 6.4.4. Because the rule says in addition to the CPE, these hours do not count toward the 50 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 6.3 |
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 Association and its constituents and components including CERP, the American Dental Hygienists' Association and its constituents and components, the American Dental Assisting Association and its constituents and components, the Academy of General Dentistry and its constituents and components including PACE, recognized national, regional, state and local dental and dental hygiene specialty organizations, recognized dental and dental hygiene study clubs, accredited dental and dental hygiene CPE programs offered by dental and dental hygiene schools, approved hospital programs, and other organizations the board approves. Individual course approval can also be requested through a DELPROS service request. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Delaware DDS/DMD need to renew?
- Delaware dentists must complete 50 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 6.3 requires all persons licensed to practice dentistry in Delaware to acquire 50 hours of continuing professional education every 2 years. CPR is required in addition to the CPE, so the CPR course is not counted inside the 50 hours. Self-study is capped in two layers under section 6.5: not more than 10 of the 50 hours may be self-study without testing (reading dental textbooks or tape journals, viewing or listening to dental audio-visual materials), and in addition not more than 20 hours may be self-study with a test and certificate of completion (dental journals, textbooks, video and audio presentations, mail-in courses, and dental courses presented on the internet that are not live), for a combined maximum of 30 self-study hours. Live webinars count as regular scientific CPE rather than self-study. Practice management or personal self-improvement courses are limited to 10 hours for the two year period. Anesthesia permit holders must take part of their required CPE on an anesthesia topic by the end of the six year re-evaluation period: at least 12 hours for an Unrestricted Permit and at least 6 hours for a Restricted I Permit. Those anesthesia hours come out of the required CPE rather than adding to it. 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 DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in Delaware renew every two years. Each Delaware dental license is renewed biennially. Dentist, Dentist Academic and Dental Hygiene licenses expire on May 31 of even-numbered years, and 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. The board's failure to send a renewal notice does not excuse a late renewal. A Dentist-Community Health license runs on its own two year period keyed to the issue date instead.
- What specific CE topics are required for Delaware dentists?
- Infection control: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): required every renewal cycle. Citations: infection control (24 DE Admin. Code 1100, section 6.3) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (24 DE Admin. Code 1100, section 6.3).
- Do Delaware dentists 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 Association and its constituents and components including CERP, the American Dental Hygienists' Association and its constituents and components, the American Dental Assisting Association and its constituents and components, the Academy of General Dentistry and its constituents and components including PACE, recognized national, regional, state and local dental and dental hygiene specialty organizations, recognized dental and dental hygiene study clubs, accredited dental and dental hygiene CPE programs offered by dental and dental hygiene schools, approved hospital programs, and other organizations the board approves. Individual course approval can also be requested through a DELPROS service request.
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 (section 6.0, Continuing Professional Education and Renewal)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 runs one Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene for both credentials, but its regulation splits continuing education into two parallel blocks: section 6.3 through 6.8 for dentists and section 6.9 through 6.12 for dental hygienists, and the rule adds that final approval of dental hygiene CPE credits is made by the board in consultation with a Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee. Everything in this record was read from the dentist block. 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 where they render normally. The regulation does not state how long a licensee must keep certificates, only that audited licensees must produce them, so retention_years is null, and it does not 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.