Maryland Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
Maryland dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners.
A general license to practice dentistry expires on June 30 of the second year following the effective date of the license, so the term is two years. The continuing education period runs from July 1 to June 30 of the renewal year. A licensee may still renew within 30 days after expiration by paying the renewal fee and a late fee, and a dentist who has not renewed by July 31 of the renewal year may not practice until the license is reinstated. A limited license to practice dentistry expires one year from its effective date and is not renewable.
Summary
Maryland dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners. A general license to practice dentistry expires on June 30 of the second year following the effective date of the license, so the term is two years. The continuing education period runs from July 1 to June 30 of the renewal year. A licensee may still renew within 30 days after expiration by paying the renewal fee and a late fee, and a dentist who has not renewed by July 31 of the renewal year may not practice until the license is reinstated. A limited license to practice dentistry expires one year from its effective date and is not renewable. Maryland also mandates specific subjects. Board-approved course in infection control: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle. Board-approved course in abuse and neglect relating to Maryland law: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Board-approved course on proper prescribing and disposal of prescription drugs: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Implicit bias and structural racism training program: a one-time requirement (every applicant for renewal of a license or certificate issued by a Maryland health occupations board, at the applicant's first renewal after April 1, 2026). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification: required every renewal cycle. No more than 17 contact hours may be self-study or online.
Maryland 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, 06/30 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Live or interactive minimum | 13 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 17 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Volunteer pro bono dental services in public health settings, up to 8 continuing education hours; Preparing and presenting table clinics, within the 17 hour self-study allowance; Preparing lectures, within the 17 hour self-study allowance; Preparing articles for publication in dental journals, within the 17 hour self-study allowance; Attending a regularly scheduled open session Board meeting in its entirety, one credit per meeting and up to two credits per renewal period; Board approved courses in cultural competency, military culture or implicit bias, up to a combined 4 hours; Board approved courses in abuse and neglect, up to 2 hours |
COMAR 10.44.22.04.B requires a licensee seeking renewal to complete at least 30 full hours of Board approved continuing education. Maryland is one of the states where a single chapter sets the same total for both credentials: COMAR 10.44.22.02.B(6) defines licensee as a licensed dentist or a licensed dental hygienist, and 10.44.22.01 says the chapter governs continuing education for dentists and dental hygienists seeking renewal, so the 30 hours reaches both. The two credentials differ in their mandated subjects rather than in the total. All credits must be pre-approved by the Board. At least 13 of the 30 hours must be earned by attending in-person courses or live webinars that are presented in real time and allow interaction with the instructor; a maximum of 17 hours may be earned for self-study activities, and a pre-recorded webinar may count toward the 17 hours that do not require in-person attendance. The Board may not accept a submission of less than one hour. For the renewal period that began June 1, 2025 only, the continuing education period ran January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025.
Required CE topics for Maryland dentists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board-approved course in infection controlFor renewals in 2025 and thereafter the requirement is a 3 hour Board approved infection control course every renewal cycle. An earlier paragraph of the same regulation, 10.44.22.04.L, still states a 2 hour infection control course; the 3 hour figure is the one written for 2025 and later renewals and is the one recorded here. | 3 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | COMAR 10.44.22.04.M |
| Board-approved course in abuse and neglect relating to Maryland lawTwo hours, completed by each licensee every other renewal cycle, relating to Maryland law on the subject of abuse and neglect, and counting toward the 30 full hours. The regulation covers abuse and neglect generally rather than child abuse specifically; child_abuse_reporting is the nearest canonical key. | 2 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | COMAR 10.44.22.04.N and .O |
| Board-approved course on proper prescribing and disposal of prescription drugsTwo hours, required of a dentist seeking renewal and counting toward the 30 full hours. This requirement appears only in the dentist paragraphs; there is no equivalent for dental hygienists anywhere in COMAR 10.44.22. The requirement is stated twice in identical words as paragraphs P and Q, which appears to be a codification duplication, and neither paragraph states a frequency, so it is recorded as every cycle on the plain wording a dentist seeking renewal shall complete. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | COMAR 10.44.22.04.P and .Q |
| Implicit bias and structural racism training programEffective October 1, 2025 every health occupation renewal applicant must attest that they have completed an implicit bias and structural racism training program approved by the Cultural and Linguistic Health Care Professional Competency Program under Health-General Article 20-1306. The attestation requirement applies only to an applicant's first renewal after April 1, 2026. No hour count is set in the statute. Separately, COMAR 10.44.22.04.S lets a dental licensee count up to a combined 4 continuing education hours for Board approved courses on cultural competency, military culture or implicit bias. | Not stated | One time | Every applicant for renewal of a license or certificate issued by a Maryland health occupations board, at the applicant's first renewal after April 1, 2026 | Health Occupations Article 1-225, Annotated Code of Maryland (House Bill 783, Chapter 478 of 2025) |
| Cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificationA licensee must maintain CPR certification from the American Heart Association's Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers, the American Red Cross's Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Professional Rescuers, or a Board approved equivalent, and must produce current certification if audited. The regulation does not state that the certification course counts toward the 30 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 | COMAR 10.44.22.04.K |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 5 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | All continuing education credits must be pre-approved by the Board, and a licensee may not receive credit for a course that was not Board approved or that was completed before the course gained Board approval. Courses and programs must meet the criteria in COMAR 10.44.22.06, and a study club course must be Board approved before attendees can claim credit. The Board publishes an approved continuing education listing each year. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Maryland DDS/DMD need to renew?
- Maryland dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners. COMAR 10.44.22.04.B requires a licensee seeking renewal to complete at least 30 full hours of Board approved continuing education. Maryland is one of the states where a single chapter sets the same total for both credentials: COMAR 10.44.22.02.B(6) defines licensee as a licensed dentist or a licensed dental hygienist, and 10.44.22.01 says the chapter governs continuing education for dentists and dental hygienists seeking renewal, so the 30 hours reaches both. The two credentials differ in their mandated subjects rather than in the total. All credits must be pre-approved by the Board. At least 13 of the 30 hours must be earned by attending in-person courses or live webinars that are presented in real time and allow interaction with the instructor; a maximum of 17 hours may be earned for self-study activities, and a pre-recorded webinar may count toward the 17 hours that do not require in-person attendance. The Board may not accept a submission of less than one hour. For the renewal period that began June 1, 2025 only, the continuing education period ran January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025.
- How often does a Maryland DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in Maryland renew every two years. A general license to practice dentistry expires on June 30 of the second year following the effective date of the license, so the term is two years. The continuing education period runs from July 1 to June 30 of the renewal year. A licensee may still renew within 30 days after expiration by paying the renewal fee and a late fee, and a dentist who has not renewed by July 31 of the renewal year may not practice until the license is reinstated. A limited license to practice dentistry expires one year from its effective date and is not renewable.
- What specific CE topics are required for Maryland dentists?
- Board-approved course in infection control: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle. Board-approved course in abuse and neglect relating to Maryland law: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Board-approved course on proper prescribing and disposal of prescription drugs: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Implicit bias and structural racism training program: a one-time requirement (every applicant for renewal of a license or certificate issued by a Maryland health occupations board, at the applicant's first renewal after April 1, 2026). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification: required every renewal cycle. Citations: Board-approved course in infection control (COMAR 10.44.22.04.M), Board-approved course in abuse and neglect relating to Maryland law (COMAR 10.44.22.04.N and .O), Board-approved course on proper prescribing and disposal of prescription drugs (COMAR 10.44.22.04.P and .Q), implicit bias and structural racism training program (Health Occupations Article 1-225, Annotated Code of Maryland (House Bill 783, Chapter 478 of 2025)), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification (COMAR 10.44.22.04.K).
- Do Maryland 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. All continuing education credits must be pre-approved by the Board, and a licensee may not receive credit for a course that was not Board approved or that was completed before the course gained Board approval. Courses and programs must meet the criteria in COMAR 10.44.22.06, and a study club course must be Board approved before attendees can claim credit. The Board publishes an approved continuing education listing each year.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- COMAR 10.44.22.04, Continuing Education Requirements, Board of Dental ExaminersStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- COMAR 10.44.22.05, Time Frame for Completing Continuing EducationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- COMAR 10.44.22.03, RecordsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- COMAR 10.44.22.14, Audit of Continuing Education RecordsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- COMAR 10.44.10.01, Expiration Date of LicensesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- COMAR 10.44.10.02, Renewal of LicensesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Education, Maryland State Board of Dental ExaminersState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Implicit Bias and Structural Racism Training for Healthcare Professionals, Maryland Department of Health Office of Minority Health and Health DisparitiesState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Maryland Health Occupations Article 4-309, license expiration and renewal termStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
Maryland runs one board and one continuing education chapter for both credentials. COMAR 10.44.22.02.B(6) defines licensee to mean a licensed dentist or a licensed dental hygienist and 10.44.22.04.B sets 30 hours for a licensee, so the same total is cited for both records rather than one being scaled from the other; the difference between the credentials is the two hour prescribing and disposal course, which appears only in the dentist paragraphs. Everything except the implicit bias mandate was read on dsd.maryland.gov, the state's official Library of Maryland Regulations, and the June 30 expiration comes from COMAR 10.44.10.01. Health Occupations Article 4-309 confirms a license may not be renewed for a term longer than two years. The implicit bias and structural racism mandate comes from the Maryland Department of Health's own page quoting Health Occupations Article 1-225; it is a first-renewal-after-April-1-2026 attestation with no hour count, matching how it is recorded in Maryland records for other professions. Two codification oddities are noted in the topic entries: paragraphs L and M of 10.44.22.04 state 2 and 3 hours of infection control respectively, with M written for renewals in 2025 and after, and paragraphs P and Q repeat the prescribing and disposal requirement in identical words. The Board's own continuing education page carries only PDF resources, including the Continuing Education Quick Reference Guide and the 2027 Continuing Education Requirement FAQ, which were not fetched under the no-download rule. The regulations state no carryover provision and no first-renewal exemption.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.