Kentucky Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
Kentucky dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Dentistry.
All Kentucky dental licenses expire on December 31 of odd-numbered years and must be renewed to remain active. Renewal requires the renewal application, the fee, active CPR certification maintained with no more than a thirty day lapse, and the 30 hours of continuing education for the two year licensure period. Sedation permits renew on the same December 31 odd-year schedule.
Summary
Kentucky dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Dentistry. All Kentucky dental licenses expire on December 31 of odd-numbered years and must be renewed to remain active. Renewal requires the renewal application, the fee, active CPR certification maintained with no more than a thirty day lapse, and the 30 hours of continuing education for the two year licensure period. Sedation permits renew on the same December 31 odd-year schedule. Kentucky also mandates specific subjects. Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System (KASPER), pain management, or addiction disorders: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle. Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma (PAHT) or Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN): 0.5 contact hours every renewal cycle. Recognition and prevention of pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Active CPR certification meeting or exceeding the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and ECC: required every renewal cycle.
Kentucky 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 prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Live or interactive minimum | 10 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | No |
| Other accepted activities | Clinical dentistry performed on a charitable or volunteer basis; Business operations and best practices courses; Dental association or society business meetings |
201 KAR 8:533 Section 9 requires a Kentucky licensed dentist to complete 30 hours of continuing education during the two year licensure period. The dental hygienist requirement is set separately in 201 KAR 8:563 Section 5, also at 30 hours, and was read there rather than inferred from this record; the two credentials nonetheless renew in different years, dentists in odd years and hygienists in even years. At least 10 of the 30 hours must be taken in a live, interactive presentation format. No more than 10 of the 30 hours may come from the combination of charitable or volunteer clinical dentistry, business operations and best practices, and dental association or society business meetings; the board describes the same split as at least twenty hours on clinical skills and up to ten hours on the other three categories. The board states that CPR certification must be maintained and does not count toward the 30 hours. Proration replaces a first-renewal exemption: a licensee newly licensed or reinstated in the second year of the biennium, or who graduated in the first year, completes half the hours, and a licensee who graduated in the second year completes none. A charitable limited license holder completes no continuing education. A licensee with 20 years of Kentucky practice moving to relief or emergency work only may apply once for a limited practice waiver. Dentists holding a board issued sedation permit must also meet the permit continuing education in 201 KAR 8:550 Section 8, which the board describes as at least four hours of classroom sedation or anesthesia continuing education per two year permit term plus current ACLS or PALS; that is a permit requirement and is not part of the 30 hour license total. Passing the board's jurisprudence exam is a condition of initial licensure under 201 KAR 8:533 Section 1(5), not of renewal.
Required CE topics for Kentucky dentists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System (KASPER), pain management, or addiction disordersThe regulation writes this as part of the 30 hours for every Kentucky licensed dentist and does not limit it to prescribers. The board's continuing education page describes the same three hours as applying to all dentists authorized to administer and prescribe controlled substances in Kentucky. The narrower board wording is recorded here rather than in the applies_to field because the regulation is the governing text; a dentist who does not prescribe should confirm scope with the board. The hours count toward the 30 and are not additional. | 3 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 201 KAR 8:533 Section 9(3)(c) |
| Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma (PAHT) or Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN)A minimum of one-half hour, counted within the 30 hour total. The dental hygienist regulation, 201 KAR 8:563, contains no equivalent requirement. | 0.5 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 201 KAR 8:533 Section 9(3)(d) |
| Recognition and prevention of pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substancesA minimum of one hour, counted within the 30 hour total. The topic key pediatric_medication_safety is not one of the canonical keys; no canonical key fits. The dental hygienist regulation contains no equivalent requirement. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | 201 KAR 8:533 Section 9(3)(e) |
| Active CPR certification meeting or exceeding the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and ECCA condition of renewal, maintained with no more than a thirty day lapse unless the board approves a hardship waiver. The board states plainly that CPR certification does not count toward the 30 continuing education hours, so no hours are recorded. The topic key basic_life_support is not one of the canonical keys. | Not stated | Every renewal | All licensees | 201 KAR 8:533 Section 11(1)(c) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 5 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | The regulation does not restrict continuing education to approved sponsors; it lists acceptable content areas and requires a certificate of completion or attendance bearing the provider's signature or verification, the licensee's name, the course title, the date, the hours earned, and evidence of the method of delivery for live interactive courses. Certain core courses do require a board approved course identification number. CE Broker is the board's official continuing education tracking system and licensees receive a free basic account, though the board says registration is recommended rather than mandatory. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Kentucky DDS/DMD need to renew?
- Kentucky dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Dentistry. 201 KAR 8:533 Section 9 requires a Kentucky licensed dentist to complete 30 hours of continuing education during the two year licensure period. The dental hygienist requirement is set separately in 201 KAR 8:563 Section 5, also at 30 hours, and was read there rather than inferred from this record; the two credentials nonetheless renew in different years, dentists in odd years and hygienists in even years. At least 10 of the 30 hours must be taken in a live, interactive presentation format. No more than 10 of the 30 hours may come from the combination of charitable or volunteer clinical dentistry, business operations and best practices, and dental association or society business meetings; the board describes the same split as at least twenty hours on clinical skills and up to ten hours on the other three categories. The board states that CPR certification must be maintained and does not count toward the 30 hours. Proration replaces a first-renewal exemption: a licensee newly licensed or reinstated in the second year of the biennium, or who graduated in the first year, completes half the hours, and a licensee who graduated in the second year completes none. A charitable limited license holder completes no continuing education. A licensee with 20 years of Kentucky practice moving to relief or emergency work only may apply once for a limited practice waiver. Dentists holding a board issued sedation permit must also meet the permit continuing education in 201 KAR 8:550 Section 8, which the board describes as at least four hours of classroom sedation or anesthesia continuing education per two year permit term plus current ACLS or PALS; that is a permit requirement and is not part of the 30 hour license total. Passing the board's jurisprudence exam is a condition of initial licensure under 201 KAR 8:533 Section 1(5), not of renewal.
- How often does a Kentucky DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in Kentucky renew every two years. All Kentucky dental licenses expire on December 31 of odd-numbered years and must be renewed to remain active. Renewal requires the renewal application, the fee, active CPR certification maintained with no more than a thirty day lapse, and the 30 hours of continuing education for the two year licensure period. Sedation permits renew on the same December 31 odd-year schedule.
- What specific CE topics are required for Kentucky dentists?
- Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System (KASPER), pain management, or addiction disorders: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle. Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma (PAHT) or Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN): 0.5 contact hours every renewal cycle. Recognition and prevention of pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Active CPR certification meeting or exceeding the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and ECC: required every renewal cycle. Citations: Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System (KASPER), pain management, or addiction disorders (201 KAR 8:533 Section 9(3)(c)), Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma (PAHT) or Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) (201 KAR 8:533 Section 9(3)(d)), recognition and prevention of pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances (201 KAR 8:533 Section 9(3)(e)), and Active CPR certification meeting or exceeding the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and ECC (201 KAR 8:533 Section 11(1)(c)).
- Do Kentucky 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 5 years. The regulation does not restrict continuing education to approved sponsors; it lists acceptable content areas and requires a certificate of completion or attendance bearing the provider's signature or verification, the licensee's name, the course title, the date, the hours earned, and evidence of the method of delivery for live interactive courses. Certain core courses do require a board approved course identification number. CE Broker is the board's official continuing education tracking system and licensees receive a free basic account, though the board says registration is recommended rather than mandatory.
- Is the first Kentucky DDS/DMD renewal exempt from CE?
- No. Kentucky 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.
- 201 KAR 8:533, Licensure of dentists (Sections 9, 10 and 11 cover continuing education, waivers and renewal)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Education, Kentucky Board of DentistryState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- 201 KAR 8:563, Licensure of dental hygienists (read to confirm the hygienist requirement separately)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
One board covers both credentials, but each credential has its own regulation and its own renewal year. The dentist total, live interactive floor, category cap, mandated subjects, five year retention and audit provision were read in 201 KAR 8:533 on the Legislative Research Commission's site, and the board's own continuing education page repeats the 30 hour total, the ten live interactive hours and the December 31 odd-year deadline. The hygienist figure was read separately in 201 KAR 8:563. The board's page cites 201 KAR 8:533 as the current dentist regulation; an older regulation, 201 KAR 8:532, is still posted and states a similar 30 hour requirement but lacks the pediatric abusive head trauma and pediatric ingestion mandates, so 8:533 is the text relied on here. Two scope points to note. First, the regulation states the three hour KASPER, pain management or addiction disorders requirement for all dentists while the board's page frames it as applying to dentists authorized to administer and prescribe controlled substances; both readings are recorded in the topic notes. Second, the HIV and AIDS education condition that appeared in the older 8:532 renewal section, citing KRS 214.615(1), does not appear anywhere in 8:533, so it is not recorded. The regulation states no carryover provision and no self-study cap.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Kentucky Board of Dentistry before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.