New Hampshire Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
New Hampshire dentists must complete 40 CEUs, which is 40 contact hours, every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Board of Dental Examiners.
A New Hampshire dental license is valid for two years from the date it was issued, so the deadline follows the licensee's own issue date rather than a common statewide date. The Office of Professional Licensure and Certification emails a renewal notice about 90 days before expiration, and by statute must give notice at least two months ahead, but missing the notice does not excuse a late renewal. The completed renewal application, fee and supporting documents must be filed on or before the expiration date. A dentist whose license expires may not practice, and the expired license lapses one year after expiration, after which reinstatement rather than renewal is required. Renewal documents include a current Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers certificate and, for sedation permit holders, current ACLS or PALS certificates.
Summary
New Hampshire dentists must complete 40 CEUs, which is 40 contact hours, every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Board of Dental Examiners. A New Hampshire dental license is valid for two years from the date it was issued, so the deadline follows the licensee's own issue date rather than a common statewide date. The Office of Professional Licensure and Certification emails a renewal notice about 90 days before expiration, and by statute must give notice at least two months ahead, but missing the notice does not excuse a late renewal. The completed renewal application, fee and supporting documents must be filed on or before the expiration date. A dentist whose license expires may not practice, and the expired license lapses one year after expiration, after which reinstatement rather than renewal is required. Renewal documents include a current Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers certificate and, for sedation permit holders, current ACLS or PALS certificates. New Hampshire also mandates specific subjects. Infection control: 2 CEUs every renewal cycle. Medical Emergency Training: 2 CEUs every renewal cycle. BLS-HCP course with a hands-on component: 3 CEUs every renewal cycle. Pain management, addiction disorder, or both: 3 CEUs every renewal cycle (licensees required to register with the prescription drug monitoring program who hold a valid DEA number). No more than 30 CEUs may be self-study or online, hours do not carry over between cycles, and the first renewal is exempt.
New Hampshire 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 | Tied to the original issue date |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 40 CEUs |
| Category 1 minimum | 30 CEUs |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 30 CEUs |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Presenting an original paper, essay or formal lecture to a group of professionals, 20 minutes equals 1 CEU; Passing the written portion of the ADEX or a similar regional, state or manikin clinical examination, credit for 100 percent of the required CEUs; Courses taken when initially obtaining a specialty, up to 3 CEUs; Courses required to maintain certification in a nationally recognized professional specialty board; Attending regional or national meetings of the ADA, AGD, ADHA and their recognized specialty organizations, up to 10 percent of the required CEUs |
Den 406.03(b) requires dentists with an active New Hampshire license to complete a minimum of 40 CEUs per biennium, of which at least 30 must be in clinical dental care subjects. Dental hygienists owe a different total, 20 CEUs with at least 15 clinical, under Den 406.03(a). New Hampshire counts in CEUs but defines one CEU as one hour of attendance at lectures, seminars and meetings, so 40 CEUs equals 40 hours; Den 401.01(b) restates the dentist requirement as 40 hours. Audio-visual programs, online programs and live webinars are capped together at 75 percent of the required CEUs, which is 30 for a dentist and 15 for a hygienist. Attending regional or national association meetings is capped at 10 percent. Excess CEUs do not carry forward. Basic life support does count here: Den 406.06(c) gives 3 CEUs per biennium for a BLS-HCP course from a qualified instructor with a hands-on component, and states that BLS-HCP is a clinical care subject, so it also helps meet the 30 clinical CEU minimum. A current BLS-HCP certificate must be filed with the renewal application. Dentists holding a general anesthesia, deep sedation or moderate sedation permit must also file current ACLS or PALS certificates as appropriate for the permit. The board does not pre-approve courses. Dentists whose first license came after graduation from an accredited college or university are exempt from continuing education for their first biennial renewal. Waivers are available for severe illness, incapacity or other hardship on written petition.
Required CE topics for New Hampshire dentists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infection controlAt least 2 CEUs in infection control, in a course whose syllabus includes the Centers for Disease Control's Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines and Recommendations. Same absolute figure as the hygienist rule. | 2 CEUs | Every renewal | All licensees | N.H. Code Admin. R. Den 406.03(b)(3) |
| Medical Emergency TrainingAt least 2 CEUs in Medical Emergency Training. Same absolute figure as the hygienist rule. The canonical topic list in the brief has no medical emergencies key, so a short snake_case key is used. | 2 CEUs | Every renewal | All licensees | N.H. Code Admin. R. Den 406.03(b)(4) |
| BLS-HCP course with a hands-on componentSuccessful completion of a Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers course with a hands-on component is part of the biennial continuing education requirement, and Den 406.06(c) awards 3 CEUs per biennium for it and treats it as a clinical care subject. The course must be given by an instructor qualified through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, National Safety Council, American Safety and Health Institute, American College of Emergency Physicians or Military Training Network, or be sponsored or approved by one of the organizations in Den 406.06(a)(1). A current certificate must be filed with the renewal application. The requirement and the 3 CEU value are identical for dental hygienists. | 3 CEUs | Every renewal | All licensees | N.H. Code Admin. R. Den 406.03(b)(2); Den 406.06(c); Den 401.02(a)(4) |
| Pain management, addiction disorder, or bothThree CEUs in pain management, addiction disorder or a combination, or alternatively an online examination in those areas, evidenced as part of the biennial renewal. The rule is written for licensees who must register with the prescription drug monitoring program and hold a DEA number, which in practice means prescribing dentists. The board publishes a list of acceptable opioid courses on its education and training page. | 3 CEUs | Every renewal | Licensees required to register with the prescription drug monitoring program who hold a valid DEA number | N.H. Code Admin. R. Den 406.03(c); RSA 318-B:41, VI |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | The board does not pre-approve courses. Licensees pick courses directly related to the practice of dentistry, and Den 406.06(a) lets a dentist take up to 100 percent of the required CEUs from courses sponsored or approved by the American Dental Association and its component and constituent societies, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Dental Hygienists' Association and its societies, state or local dental or dental hygiene associations, dental, medical and dental hygiene schools, hospital sponsored courses and conferences, governmental health agencies and health institutions, and postgraduate dental or dental hygiene schools. Certificates or printouts from the AGD, the NH Dental Society, the ADA and their recognized specialty organizations, and the ADHA, NH Dental Hygienists' Association or their sponsoring organization are accepted. Documentation must show the licensee's name, full course name, date, location, duration in days and hours, provider name and mailing address, and number of CEUs. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a New Hampshire DDS/DMD need to renew?
- New Hampshire dentists must complete 40 CEUs, which is 40 contact hours, every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Board of Dental Examiners. Den 406.03(b) requires dentists with an active New Hampshire license to complete a minimum of 40 CEUs per biennium, of which at least 30 must be in clinical dental care subjects. Dental hygienists owe a different total, 20 CEUs with at least 15 clinical, under Den 406.03(a). New Hampshire counts in CEUs but defines one CEU as one hour of attendance at lectures, seminars and meetings, so 40 CEUs equals 40 hours; Den 401.01(b) restates the dentist requirement as 40 hours. Audio-visual programs, online programs and live webinars are capped together at 75 percent of the required CEUs, which is 30 for a dentist and 15 for a hygienist. Attending regional or national association meetings is capped at 10 percent. Excess CEUs do not carry forward. Basic life support does count here: Den 406.06(c) gives 3 CEUs per biennium for a BLS-HCP course from a qualified instructor with a hands-on component, and states that BLS-HCP is a clinical care subject, so it also helps meet the 30 clinical CEU minimum. A current BLS-HCP certificate must be filed with the renewal application. Dentists holding a general anesthesia, deep sedation or moderate sedation permit must also file current ACLS or PALS certificates as appropriate for the permit. The board does not pre-approve courses. Dentists whose first license came after graduation from an accredited college or university are exempt from continuing education for their first biennial renewal. Waivers are available for severe illness, incapacity or other hardship on written petition.
- How often does a New Hampshire DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in New Hampshire renew every two years. A New Hampshire dental license is valid for two years from the date it was issued, so the deadline follows the licensee's own issue date rather than a common statewide date. The Office of Professional Licensure and Certification emails a renewal notice about 90 days before expiration, and by statute must give notice at least two months ahead, but missing the notice does not excuse a late renewal. The completed renewal application, fee and supporting documents must be filed on or before the expiration date. A dentist whose license expires may not practice, and the expired license lapses one year after expiration, after which reinstatement rather than renewal is required. Renewal documents include a current Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers certificate and, for sedation permit holders, current ACLS or PALS certificates.
- What specific CE topics are required for New Hampshire dentists?
- Infection control: 2 CEUs every renewal cycle. Medical Emergency Training: 2 CEUs every renewal cycle. BLS-HCP course with a hands-on component: 3 CEUs every renewal cycle. Pain management, addiction disorder, or both: 3 CEUs every renewal cycle (licensees required to register with the prescription drug monitoring program who hold a valid DEA number). Citations: infection control (N.H. Code Admin. R. Den 406.03(b)(3)), Medical Emergency Training (N.H. Code Admin. R. Den 406.03(b)(4)), BLS-HCP course with a hands-on component (N.H. Code Admin. R. Den 406.03(b)(2); Den 406.06(c); Den 401.02(a)(4)), and pain management, addiction disorder, or both (N.H. Code Admin. R. Den 406.03(c); RSA 318-B:41, VI).
- Do New Hampshire 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. The board does not pre-approve courses. Licensees pick courses directly related to the practice of dentistry, and Den 406.06(a) lets a dentist take up to 100 percent of the required CEUs from courses sponsored or approved by the American Dental Association and its component and constituent societies, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Dental Hygienists' Association and its societies, state or local dental or dental hygiene associations, dental, medical and dental hygiene schools, hospital sponsored courses and conferences, governmental health agencies and health institutions, and postgraduate dental or dental hygiene schools. Certificates or printouts from the AGD, the NH Dental Society, the ADA and their recognized specialty organizations, and the ADHA, NH Dental Hygienists' Association or their sponsoring organization are accepted. Documentation must show the licensee's name, full course name, date, location, duration in days and hours, provider name and mailing address, and number of CEUs.
- Is the first New Hampshire DDS/DMD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. New Hampshire 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.
- New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules, Board of Dental Examiners, Den 100 to Den 500 (Den 401 license renewal, Den 406 continuing education)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- RSA 310:8, License Renewals and Reinstatements; Expiration and LapseStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Board of Dental Examiners, NH Office of Professional Licensure and CertificationState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Board of Dental Examiners Education and Training, NH Office of Professional Licensure and CertificationState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Renew Your License Online, NH Office of Professional Licensure and CertificationState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
New Hampshire runs one regulator, the Board of Dental Examiners, administered by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, for both credentials; there is a Dental Hygienists Committee under the board but the board holds the rulemaking and licensing authority and Den 406.03 sets both requirements in one section. The dentist total of 40 CEUs and the hygienist total of 20 were read in adjacent paragraphs of Den 406.03 on gencourt.state.nh.us, the official rules site, so neither was scaled from the other. The rules were substituted in full effective December 2, 2025, which moved continuing education from Den 403 to Den 406; the board's education and training page still tells readers to refer to Den 403, an outdated cross reference rather than a difference in substance. The renewal basis was taken from RSA 310:8, II, which says licenses issued by the office are valid for two years from the date of issuance and that this supersedes any conflicting term in a board's own statute. Third party CE summaries still describe New Hampshire dentists as renewing between February and April of even-numbered years and hygienists in odd-numbered years; that staggered scheme predates the 2023 OPLC consolidation and was not used. The self-study cap is recorded as 30, which is the 75 percent of the required CEUs that Den 406.06(d) allows for audio-visual, online and live webinar participation. Note that New Hampshire counts live webinars inside that cap rather than treating them as live attendance. The unit is recorded as ceu because the rule literally counts CEUs, with contact_hour_equivalent set to 40 because Den 406.02(d) defines one CEU as one hour of attendance. The mandatory topic keys basic_life_support, medical_emergencies are not on the canonical topic list in the brief, so short snake_case keys were used.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the New Hampshire Board of Dental Examiners before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.