Georgia Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
Georgia dentists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Georgia Board of Dentistry.
Georgia dental licenses expire at the close of December 31 in every odd-numbered year. A license that is not renewed may be renewed late from January 1 through June 30 of the following even-numbered year, and is administratively revoked on July 1 of that year.
Summary
Georgia dentists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Georgia Board of Dentistry. Georgia dental licenses expire at the close of December 31 in every odd-numbered year. A license that is not renewed may be renewed late from January 1 through June 30 of the following even-numbered year, and is administratively revoked on July 1 of that year. Georgia also mandates specific subjects. Infection control in the practice of dentistry, including dental unit water lines: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, or the use of opioids in dental practice: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistry: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. In-person CPR, Basic Life Support or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support course: 4 contact hours every renewal cycle. No more than 20 contact hours may be self-study or online and hours do not carry over between cycles.
Georgia 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, 12/31 each cycleFirst renewal is not prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 40 contact hours |
| Live or interactive minimum | 20 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 20 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | No |
| Other accepted activities | Assisting the Board with administering the clinical licensing examination, up to 15 hours per year; Assisting the Board with investigations of licensees, up to 8 hours per biennium and 2 hours per case reviewed; Teaching clinical dentistry or dental hygiene at an ADA approved educational facility, up to 10 hours per year; Uncompensated dental care at a charitable dental event as defined by O.C.G.A. 43-11-53, up to 10 hours per biennium; Georgia Board of Dentistry member service, up to 20 hours per biennium at one hour per five hours of service; Assisting the Board with onsite sedation evaluations, up to 8 hours per biennium and 4 hours per evaluation; Teaching an approved continuing education course, 2 credit hours per hour presented, up to 10 hours per biennium; Home study courses from a recognized organization |
Rule 150-3-.09(1) sets 40 hours per biennium for dentists. Rule 150-5-.05(1) separately sets 22 hours for dental hygienists; the two figures were read in separate rules and neither was derived from the other. At least 30 of the 40 hours must be clinical courses in the actual delivery of dental services to the patient or to the community (150-3-.09(3)(b)). At least 20 of the 40 hours must be acquired in person at an on-site course or seminar, so no more than 20 may come from online courses, electronic means or journal study (150-3-.09(4)(d)); the 20 hour self-study figure is that in-person floor applied to the 40 hour total. Credit hours are not retroactive or cumulative and only 12 credit hours are accepted per calendar day. Continuing education does not apply to dentists on inactive status. The requirement does apply in the first biennium of Georgia licensure, but a newly licensed dentist may instead submit proof of dental coursework taken in the previous two years at a CODA accredited institution. Dentists holding a sedation permit may earn up to 8 hours per biennium for assisting the Board with onsite sedation evaluations; sedation permit training itself is governed separately and is not part of the 40 hour license total.
Required CE topics for Georgia dentists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infection control in the practice of dentistry, including dental unit water linesEffective on and after January 1, 2024. Counts toward the 40 hour total. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09(3)(d) |
| Impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, or the use of opioids in dental practiceThe rule states the requirement for all dentists and does not limit it to prescribers or DEA registrants. Counts toward the 40 hour total. The parallel dental hygienist rule, 150-5-.05, contains no opioid requirement. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09(3)(e) |
| Legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistryEffective on and after January 1, 2022. Covers professional boundaries, unprofessional conduct relating to sexual intimacy, abuse, misconduct or exploitation, legislative and rule updates, professional conduct and ethics, proper billing practices, professional liability and risk management. Counts toward the 40 hour total. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09(3)(f) |
| In-person CPR, Basic Life Support or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support courseThe Board treats the in-person CPR course required by Georgia law as continuing education: four credit hours may be used to satisfy the requirement per renewal period. The four hours are the maximum credit allowed, not a separate hour mandate. The topic key basic_life_support is not one of the canonical keys. | 4 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09(3)(c) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Coursework, including home study, must be sponsored or approved by an organization listed in Rule 150-3-.09(2): the ADA and ADHA and their affiliates, the Academy of General Dentistry, the National Dental Association and its affiliates, CODA accredited dental and dental hygiene schools, in-person CPR providers such as the American Red Cross and American Heart Association, national and state specialty societies recognized under Georgia law, the Veterans Administration and Armed Forces dental departments, the Georgia Department of Public Health, the AMA and National Medical Association and their affiliates, and JCAHO accredited hospitals. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Georgia DDS/DMD need to renew?
- Georgia dentists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Georgia Board of Dentistry. Rule 150-3-.09(1) sets 40 hours per biennium for dentists. Rule 150-5-.05(1) separately sets 22 hours for dental hygienists; the two figures were read in separate rules and neither was derived from the other. At least 30 of the 40 hours must be clinical courses in the actual delivery of dental services to the patient or to the community (150-3-.09(3)(b)). At least 20 of the 40 hours must be acquired in person at an on-site course or seminar, so no more than 20 may come from online courses, electronic means or journal study (150-3-.09(4)(d)); the 20 hour self-study figure is that in-person floor applied to the 40 hour total. Credit hours are not retroactive or cumulative and only 12 credit hours are accepted per calendar day. Continuing education does not apply to dentists on inactive status. The requirement does apply in the first biennium of Georgia licensure, but a newly licensed dentist may instead submit proof of dental coursework taken in the previous two years at a CODA accredited institution. Dentists holding a sedation permit may earn up to 8 hours per biennium for assisting the Board with onsite sedation evaluations; sedation permit training itself is governed separately and is not part of the 40 hour license total.
- How often does a Georgia DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in Georgia renew every two years. Georgia dental licenses expire at the close of December 31 in every odd-numbered year. A license that is not renewed may be renewed late from January 1 through June 30 of the following even-numbered year, and is administratively revoked on July 1 of that year.
- What specific CE topics are required for Georgia dentists?
- Infection control in the practice of dentistry, including dental unit water lines: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, or the use of opioids in dental practice: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistry: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. In-person CPR, Basic Life Support or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support course: 4 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: infection control in the practice of dentistry, including dental unit water lines (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09(3)(d)), impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, or the use of opioids in dental practice (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09(3)(e)), legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistry (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09(3)(f)), and In-person CPR, Basic Life Support or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support course (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09(3)(c)).
- Do Georgia 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 3 years. Coursework, including home study, must be sponsored or approved by an organization listed in Rule 150-3-.09(2): the ADA and ADHA and their affiliates, the Academy of General Dentistry, the National Dental Association and its affiliates, CODA accredited dental and dental hygiene schools, in-person CPR providers such as the American Red Cross and American Heart Association, national and state specialty societies recognized under Georgia law, the Veterans Administration and Armed Forces dental departments, the Georgia Department of Public Health, the AMA and National Medical Association and their affiliates, and JCAHO accredited hospitals.
- Is the first Georgia DDS/DMD renewal exempt from CE?
- No. Georgia applies the continuing education requirement to the first renewal as well.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09, Continuing Education for DentistsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Dental FAQs, Georgia Board of DentistryState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-5-.05, Requirements for Continuing Education for Dental Hygienists (read to confirm the dentist and hygienist figures are set separately)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
One board, the Georgia Board of Dentistry, regulates both dentists and dental hygienists, but the two credentials sit in different chapters of the Board's rules and carry different totals. The dentist figure of 40 hours comes from Rule 150-3-.09 in Chapter 150-3 and the hygienist figure of 22 hours from Rule 150-5-.05 in Chapter 150-5; both rules were read in full on the Secretary of State's administrative code site and neither figure was scaled from the other. rules.sos.ga.gov blocks automated clients and was read in a browser. The December 31 odd-year expiration is stated in the Board's own Dental FAQs, which cite Rule 150-3-.05. The rules state no carryover (credit hours are not retroactive or cumulative) and no general first-renewal exemption. Dentists holding sedation permits have separate permit obligations under the Board's sedation rules that are not folded into the 40 hour total.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Georgia Board of Dentistry before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.