Ohio Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
Ohio dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio State Dental Board.
An Ohio dental license is valid for two years and expires on the date that is 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 online renewal application opens 90 days before the expiration date. A dentist who misses the date keeps a valid license for three more months and can still renew in that window by paying the biennial fee plus a late fee; after that the board may begin disciplinary action.
Summary
Ohio dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio State Dental Board. An Ohio dental license is valid for two years and expires on the date that is 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 online renewal application opens 90 days before the expiration date. A dentist who misses the date keeps a valid license for three more months and can still renew in that window by paying the biennial fee plus a late fee; after that the board may begin disciplinary action. The first renewal is exempt.
Ohio 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 | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Papers, publications and scientific presentations, 3 hours maximum; Teaching and research appointments at an accredited institution, 3 hours maximum; Volunteer service as a clinician to indigent or underserved Ohio populations, up to one third of the requirement and 10 hours maximum for dentists; Poster sessions, original presentation or documented viewing, 2 hours maximum; Non-clinical dental practice related courses, 5 hours maximum; Correspondence courses, research, graduate study, teaching and service as a clinician |
Ohio Revised Code 4715.141(A) requires each licensed dentist to complete not less than 30 hours of continuing dental education biennially, and the board's own continuing education pages state the same figure of 30 hours for dentists. Dental hygienists owe a different total, 20 hours, under a separate statute, ORC 4715.25. Credit accrues at one half credit for each 25 to 30 contact minutes and one credit hour for each 50 to 60 contact minutes. Ohio Administrative Code 4715-8-01 places no maximum on either directly interactive presentations or supervised self-instruction, which covers graded online, webinar, audio, video and correspondence courses, so there is no self-study or online cap; the caps that exist are per category, such as 5 hours for non-clinical practice related courses. Ohio has no general CPR or basic life support requirement for dentists; basic life support and advanced cardiac life support are conditions of the separate general anesthesia, deep sedation and moderate sedation permits in OAC chapter 4715-5, which are separate credentials from the dental license. The board states that the former requirement of two hours of opioid prescribing education is no longer in effect. The board lists cultural competency courses but says there is no requirement to take them. Recent graduates who completed dental school within their first registration biennium are exempt and instead upload proof of completing the program.
Required CE topics for Ohio dentists
The Ohio State Dental Board pages and rules we read do not mandate specific subject areas for this license type. Hours may be in any approved subject.
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | Yes |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Courses must come from a board-approved sponsor. OAC 4715-8-02 recognizes the American Dental Association and its constituent and component societies, the National Dental Association and its affiliates, the American Dental Hygienists Association and the National Dental Hygienists Association and their affiliates, ADA-affiliated specialty organizations, the Academy of General Dentistry and its components, universities and colleges with accredited dentistry or dental hygiene programs, accredited colleges and universities, Joint Commission accredited healthcare organizations, other nationally recognized healthcare organizations, ADA CERP recognized providers, AGD PACE approved providers, and study clubs and similar groups that co-sponsor with one of those. Biennial sponsor approval ended after December 31, 2021. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Ohio DDS/DMD need to renew?
- Ohio dentists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio State Dental Board. Ohio Revised Code 4715.141(A) requires each licensed dentist to complete not less than 30 hours of continuing dental education biennially, and the board's own continuing education pages state the same figure of 30 hours for dentists. Dental hygienists owe a different total, 20 hours, under a separate statute, ORC 4715.25. Credit accrues at one half credit for each 25 to 30 contact minutes and one credit hour for each 50 to 60 contact minutes. Ohio Administrative Code 4715-8-01 places no maximum on either directly interactive presentations or supervised self-instruction, which covers graded online, webinar, audio, video and correspondence courses, so there is no self-study or online cap; the caps that exist are per category, such as 5 hours for non-clinical practice related courses. Ohio has no general CPR or basic life support requirement for dentists; basic life support and advanced cardiac life support are conditions of the separate general anesthesia, deep sedation and moderate sedation permits in OAC chapter 4715-5, which are separate credentials from the dental license. The board states that the former requirement of two hours of opioid prescribing education is no longer in effect. The board lists cultural competency courses but says there is no requirement to take them. Recent graduates who completed dental school within their first registration biennium are exempt and instead upload proof of completing the program.
- How often does a Ohio DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in Ohio renew every two years. An Ohio dental license is valid for two years and expires on the date that is 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 online renewal application opens 90 days before the expiration date. A dentist who misses the date keeps a valid license for three more months and can still renew in that window by paying the biennial fee plus a late fee; after that the board may begin disciplinary action.
- Does Ohio require specific CE topics for dentists?
- The Ohio State Dental Board does not list mandated subject areas for DDS/DMD renewal on the pages we verified; the 30 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Ohio dentists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Proof of completion must be submitted with the renewal, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 4 years. Courses must come from a board-approved sponsor. OAC 4715-8-02 recognizes the American Dental Association and its constituent and component societies, the National Dental Association and its affiliates, the American Dental Hygienists Association and the National Dental Hygienists Association and their affiliates, ADA-affiliated specialty organizations, the Academy of General Dentistry and its components, universities and colleges with accredited dentistry or dental hygiene programs, accredited colleges and universities, Joint Commission accredited healthcare organizations, other nationally recognized healthcare organizations, ADA CERP recognized providers, AGD PACE approved providers, and study clubs and similar groups that co-sponsor with one of those. Biennial sponsor approval ended after December 31, 2021.
- Is the first Ohio DDS/DMD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Ohio 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.
- Ohio Revised Code 4715.141, Continuing education (dentists)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Ohio Revised Code 4715.14, Registration, notice of change of address (dentists)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4715-8, Continuing EducationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Education Requirements, Ohio State Dental BoardState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- CE FAQs, Ohio State Dental BoardState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Dentist licensing and renewal, Ohio State Dental BoardState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Ohio runs a single regulator, the Ohio State Dental Board, for both credentials, but the hour requirements sit in two different statutes: ORC 4715.141 for dentists at 30 hours and ORC 4715.25 for dental hygienists at 20 hours. Both were read separately, and the board's CE FAQ page independently states 30 hours for dentists, 20 for dental hygienists and 2 for dental x-ray machine operators. Several commercial CE sites still publish 40 hours for Ohio dentists and 24 for hygienists; those figures match neither the current statutes as amended by House Bill 509 nor the board's current pages, so they were not used. The renewal basis changed with House Bill 509 effective January 1, 2025: a license now expires two years from its issue date instead of on a common date, and the board's dentist page repeats that wording. Retention is recorded as 4 years from OAC 4715-8-04(A)(2), which requires records of all CE to be kept at least four years; ORC 4715.141(C) sets a lower floor of three years for dentists, and keeping four satisfies both. Mandatory topics is empty because Ohio mandates no subject for the base dental license: the board states the two hour opioid prescribing requirement is no longer in effect, cultural competency is encouraged but not required, and CPR or basic life support attaches to sedation permits rather than to the license. The board does not state a carryover rule or a live or interactive minimum.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Ohio State Dental Board before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.