Texas Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
Texas dentists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners.
Dentist licenses renew every two years. Texas uses a staggered registration system: the initial registration period runs from 18 to 30 months and its length and expiration are set by the licensee's birth month, and every registration after that is biennial. Renewal must be completed no later than midnight on the day the license is due to expire. The Board mails a renewal postcard about 60 days before expiration.
Summary
Texas dentists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. Dentist licenses renew every two years. Texas uses a staggered registration system: the initial registration period runs from 18 to 30 months and its length and expiration are set by the licensee's birth month, and every registration after that is biennial. Renewal must be completed no later than midnight on the day the license is due to expire. The Board mails a renewal postcard about 60 days before expiration. Texas also mandates specific subjects. Human trafficking prevention course approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission: required every renewal cycle. TSBDE Jurisprudence Assessment: required on a periodic schedule set by the board. Safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled substances: 4 contact hours every renewal cycle (licensed dentists whose practice includes direct patient care). No more than 8 contact hours may be self-study or online, up to 24 excess contact hours carry over to the next cycle, and the first renewal is exempt.
Texas 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 licensee's birth monthFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 24 contact hours |
| Category 1 minimum | 16 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 8 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | Yes, up to 24 contact hours |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
A dentist must collect at least 24 hours of continuing education biennially under Occupations Code 257.005 and the Board's rules at Chapter 104. At least 16 of the 24 must be technical or scientific coursework related to clinical care; up to 8 hours may be risk management, record-keeping, HIPAA or ethics; and up to 8 hours may be self-study such as correspondence, video, audio and reading courses. Extra hours earned in a classroom or lecture format within the one year immediately preceding the renewal period may be carried forward, up to 24 hours. The Board states the requirement applies after the first biennial renewal and before each subsequent renewal, which is why exempt_first_renewal is set true; the Board does not use the word exempt. Basic life support CPR certification is required at renewal but may not be counted in the 24 hours, and neither may OSHA annual update coursework, practice finance coursework, or the jurisprudence assessment. Dental hygienists in Texas also owe 24 hours; that figure was read on the Board's separate hygienist continuing education page rather than assumed from this one, and the two credentials differ in their subject mandates rather than in their totals.
Required CE topics for Texas dentists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human trafficking prevention course approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services CommissionCounts as part of the 24 hour requirement. The Board does not state a specific hour value on its continuing education page and links to the HHSC list of approved courses. | Not stated | Every renewal | All licensees | 22 TAC Chapter 104 |
| TSBDE Jurisprudence AssessmentEach licensee completes the jurisprudence assessment every four years, and passing it is attested at renewal. Completion may not be counted in the 24 hour requirement. | Not stated | Periodic | All licensees | 22 TAC Chapter 104 |
| Safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled substancesThe Board states a licensed dentist whose practice includes direct patient care must complete at least four CE hours for each biennial renewal on this subject, and that these hours may count toward the technical and scientific portion of the 24. Separately, each dentist permitted by the DEA to prescribe controlled substances must complete two CE hours on approved procedures of prescribing and monitoring controlled substances. Neither requirement reaches dental hygienists, who do not prescribe. | 4 contact hours | Every renewal | licensed dentists whose practice includes direct patient care | 22 TAC Chapter 104 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | The Board publishes a list of approved continuing education course providers, and the human trafficking prevention course must be one approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Licensees attest at renewal that the minimum hours were obtained; approximately 5 percent of license renewals each month are selected for random audit, and a licensee who cannot show compliance is ineligible to renew. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Texas DDS/DMD need to renew?
- Texas dentists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. A dentist must collect at least 24 hours of continuing education biennially under Occupations Code 257.005 and the Board's rules at Chapter 104. At least 16 of the 24 must be technical or scientific coursework related to clinical care; up to 8 hours may be risk management, record-keeping, HIPAA or ethics; and up to 8 hours may be self-study such as correspondence, video, audio and reading courses. Extra hours earned in a classroom or lecture format within the one year immediately preceding the renewal period may be carried forward, up to 24 hours. The Board states the requirement applies after the first biennial renewal and before each subsequent renewal, which is why exempt_first_renewal is set true; the Board does not use the word exempt. Basic life support CPR certification is required at renewal but may not be counted in the 24 hours, and neither may OSHA annual update coursework, practice finance coursework, or the jurisprudence assessment. Dental hygienists in Texas also owe 24 hours; that figure was read on the Board's separate hygienist continuing education page rather than assumed from this one, and the two credentials differ in their subject mandates rather than in their totals.
- How often does a Texas DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in Texas renew every two years. Dentist licenses renew every two years. Texas uses a staggered registration system: the initial registration period runs from 18 to 30 months and its length and expiration are set by the licensee's birth month, and every registration after that is biennial. Renewal must be completed no later than midnight on the day the license is due to expire. The Board mails a renewal postcard about 60 days before expiration.
- What specific CE topics are required for Texas dentists?
- Human trafficking prevention course approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission: required every renewal cycle. TSBDE Jurisprudence Assessment: required on a periodic schedule set by the board. Safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled substances: 4 contact hours every renewal cycle (licensed dentists whose practice includes direct patient care). Citations: human trafficking prevention course approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (22 TAC Chapter 104), TSBDE Jurisprudence Assessment (22 TAC Chapter 104), and safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled substances (22 TAC Chapter 104).
- Do Texas dentists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. The Board publishes a list of approved continuing education course providers, and the human trafficking prevention course must be one approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Licensees attest at renewal that the minimum hours were obtained; approximately 5 percent of license renewals each month are selected for random audit, and a licensee who cannot show compliance is ineligible to renew.
- Is the first Texas DDS/DMD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Texas 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.
- Dentist Continuing Education, Texas State Board of Dental ExaminersState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Dentist License Renewal, Texas State Board of Dental ExaminersState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Texas State Board of Dental ExaminersState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- 22 Tex. Admin. Code 101.5, Staggered Dental Registrations (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
Texas regulates dentistry through the State Board of Dental Examiners, which covers both dentists and dental hygienists; there is no separate hygiene board. The 24 hour total, the 16 hour technical and scientific minimum, the 8 hour risk management and 8 hour self-study caps, the 24 hour carryover, the human trafficking course, the four year jurisprudence assessment, the four hour pain management requirement, the two hour DEA prescriber requirement, the exclusion of CPR and OSHA hours and the 5 percent monthly audit were all read on the Board's own dentist continuing education page. The biennial cycle and the midnight expiration deadline were read on the Board's dentist renewal page. The birth month basis for expiration comes from 22 TAC 101.5, read on the Cornell LII mirror, because the Texas Register site at texreg.sos.state.tx.us has moved and the Board restates its own rules rather than hosting the administrative code text. The Board does not state a retention period for CE records. The dentist and hygienist figures were read on separate Board pages.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.