Indiana Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
Indiana dentists must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Indiana State Board of Dentistry, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency.
All Indiana dental licenses expire March 1 of even-numbered years. Renewal notices go out about 90 days before the expiration date, and the license can be renewed online or by paper form with the renewal fee. A dentist may instead ask to be placed on inactive status on the renewal form, which carries no renewal fee and no continuing education.
Summary
Indiana dentists must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Indiana State Board of Dentistry, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. All Indiana dental licenses expire March 1 of even-numbered years. Renewal notices go out about 90 days before the expiration date, and the license can be renewed online or by paper form with the renewal fee. A dentist may instead ask to be placed on inactive status on the renewal form, which carries no renewal fee and no continuing education. Indiana also mandates specific subjects. Ethics, professional responsibility, and Indiana statutes and administrative rules governing the licensure and practice of dentists and dental hygienists: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. No more than 10 contact hours may be self-study or online and the first renewal is exempt.
Indiana 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, 03/01 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 20 contact hours |
| Live or interactive minimum | 10 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 10 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | College courses under a regular curriculum, 1 credit hour per lecture hour; Non-college courses, 1 credit hour per lecture hour and 2 credit hours per participation hour; Giving a speech, lecture or other presentation on a suitable subject, 2 credit hours, credited only once per subject and capped at 4 credit hours per license period; Attending a study club meeting using ADA sponsored materials, 1 credit hour, capped at 4 credit hours per license period; Attending a study club meeting featuring a guest speaker, 1 credit hour per hour attended; Home study courses from an approved organization, credited at the college rate or 1 credit hour per hour of study material |
The board page states dentists need 20 hours per renewal period and that one half must be in live presentations or live workshops, which is the basis for the 10 hour live minimum and the matching 10 hour cap on pre-recorded self-study with no live interaction (IC 25-14-3-8(a)). Online webinars with presenter interaction count as live. No more than 5 credit hours per period may come from courses that relate specifically to practice management (IC 25-14-3-8(c)). Continuing education is not required of a dentist who has held an initial license for less than two years, a graduate student or resident in a program offered by an approved organization, or a person the board determines cannot practice because of a disability. Dentists holding a permit for general anesthesia, deep sedation, or light parenteral conscious sedation must complete 5 hours of anesthesia continuing education each license period to renew the permit (828 IAC 3-1-7.5); the board page states those 5 hours do count toward the license continuing education requirement, and courses in basic cardiac life support are not accepted for them. The board page states a BLS requirement at renewal for dental hygienists only and does not state one for dentists.
Required CE topics for Indiana dentists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics, professional responsibility, and Indiana statutes and administrative rules governing the licensure and practice of dentists and dental hygienistsTwo of the 20 hours must cover ethics, professional responsibility, and the Indiana statutes and rules on dental licensure and practice. The board page states there is no exception to this rule. These 2 hours are not treated as practice management courses. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 828 IAC 1-5-6 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Courses must be approved by an approved organization as defined at IC 25-14-3-2, which includes the ADA, the National Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the AMA, the Joint Commission, accredited colleges and teaching institutions, federal, state and local government agencies, study clubs approved by the board, affiliated entities of those organizations, hospital internships and residencies they approve, and any other organization or individual the board approves. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Indiana DDS/DMD need to renew?
- Indiana dentists must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Indiana State Board of Dentistry, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. The board page states dentists need 20 hours per renewal period and that one half must be in live presentations or live workshops, which is the basis for the 10 hour live minimum and the matching 10 hour cap on pre-recorded self-study with no live interaction (IC 25-14-3-8(a)). Online webinars with presenter interaction count as live. No more than 5 credit hours per period may come from courses that relate specifically to practice management (IC 25-14-3-8(c)). Continuing education is not required of a dentist who has held an initial license for less than two years, a graduate student or resident in a program offered by an approved organization, or a person the board determines cannot practice because of a disability. Dentists holding a permit for general anesthesia, deep sedation, or light parenteral conscious sedation must complete 5 hours of anesthesia continuing education each license period to renew the permit (828 IAC 3-1-7.5); the board page states those 5 hours do count toward the license continuing education requirement, and courses in basic cardiac life support are not accepted for them. The board page states a BLS requirement at renewal for dental hygienists only and does not state one for dentists.
- How often does a Indiana DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in Indiana renew every two years. All Indiana dental licenses expire March 1 of even-numbered years. Renewal notices go out about 90 days before the expiration date, and the license can be renewed online or by paper form with the renewal fee. A dentist may instead ask to be placed on inactive status on the renewal form, which carries no renewal fee and no continuing education.
- What specific CE topics are required for Indiana dentists?
- Ethics, professional responsibility, and Indiana statutes and administrative rules governing the licensure and practice of dentists and dental hygienists: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: ethics, professional responsibility, and Indiana statutes and administrative rules governing the licensure and practice of dentists and dental hygienists (828 IAC 1-5-6).
- Do Indiana 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. Courses must be approved by an approved organization as defined at IC 25-14-3-2, which includes the ADA, the National Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the AMA, the Joint Commission, accredited colleges and teaching institutions, federal, state and local government agencies, study clubs approved by the board, affiliated entities of those organizations, hospital internships and residencies they approve, and any other organization or individual the board approves.
- Is the first Indiana DDS/DMD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Indiana 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.
- Dentistry Licensing Information (Renewal Information, Continuing Education Requirements for Dentists), Indiana Professional Licensing AgencyState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Dentistry Home, Indiana Professional Licensing AgencyState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
All values read from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's Dentistry Licensing Information page, which reproduces the board's renewal, continuing education, retention, audit and credit-award rules with their IC and IAC citations. The dentist total of 20 hours and the dental hygienist total of 19 hours appear in two separate sections of that page and were read separately; neither was derived from the other. The Indiana General Assembly site (iga.in.gov) renders the Indiana Code and Indiana Administrative Code through a client-side application that serves no readable text to an automated client, so the underlying IC and 828 IAC sections were not read directly. The board states no carryover provision and no category one style split beyond the live half. Retention is three years from the end of the licensing period and the board randomly audits more than one percent and less than ten percent of licensees after each renewal period.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Indiana State Board of Dentistry, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.