Wisconsin Dentist license renewal and CE requirements
Wisconsin dentists must complete 30 credit hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board, Department of Safety and Professional Services.
The dentist credential renewal date is October 1 of each odd numbered year, so the license runs on a two year cycle. Continuing education must be completed during the two year period immediately preceding the renewal date; the Department describes that biennium as running from October 1 of an odd numbered year to September 30 of the next odd numbered year. CPR and AED certification must be current in order to practice dentistry.
Summary
Wisconsin dentists must complete 30 credit hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board, Department of Safety and Professional Services. The dentist credential renewal date is October 1 of each odd numbered year, so the license runs on a two year cycle. Continuing education must be completed during the two year period immediately preceding the renewal date; the Department describes that biennium as running from October 1 of an odd numbered year to September 30 of the next odd numbered year. CPR and AED certification must be current in order to practice dentistry. Wisconsin also mandates specific subjects. Prescribing of controlled substances for the treatment of dental pain: 2 credit hours every renewal cycle. The first renewal is exempt.
Wisconsin 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, 10/01 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 credit hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Teaching or preparing a continuing education program, one credit hour each, no more than 4 of the 30 hours per biennium; College level courses, where one college credit hour equals 6 continuing education credit hours |
During the two year period immediately preceding the renewal date a dentist completes 30 credit hours of continuing education related to the practice of dentistry or the practice of medicine, and not less than 25 of those 30 must be instruction in clinical dentistry or clinical medicine. That 25 hour clinical floor is recorded here in words rather than in category_1_minimum, which is reserved for AMA Category 1 credit. The figure is separate from the dental hygienist requirement of 12 credit hours, which DE 13.04 sets in its own section. Credit hours may be satisfied by independent study, correspondence, or internet programs or courses, with no cap stated. The requirement does not apply to an applicant for renewal of a license that expires on the first renewal date after the applicant is licensed. The Department's dentist continuing education page states that CPR and AED must be current to practice dentistry, but the rule does not list CPR as a counted subject for dentists the way DE 13.04 does for hygienists, so it is recorded here as a practice condition rather than a mandated subject.
Required CE topics for Wisconsin dentists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prescribing of controlled substances for the treatment of dental painTwo of the 30 credit hours, so it counts toward the total. There is no equivalent requirement in DE 13.04 for dental hygienists. | 2 credit hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Wis. Admin. Code DE 13.03 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 6 years |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | The licensee submits a certification statement with the renewal application and must maintain a written record of the continuing education hours completed for not less than 6 years after completion. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Wisconsin DDS/DMD need to renew?
- Wisconsin dentists must complete 30 credit hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board, Department of Safety and Professional Services. During the two year period immediately preceding the renewal date a dentist completes 30 credit hours of continuing education related to the practice of dentistry or the practice of medicine, and not less than 25 of those 30 must be instruction in clinical dentistry or clinical medicine. That 25 hour clinical floor is recorded here in words rather than in category_1_minimum, which is reserved for AMA Category 1 credit. The figure is separate from the dental hygienist requirement of 12 credit hours, which DE 13.04 sets in its own section. Credit hours may be satisfied by independent study, correspondence, or internet programs or courses, with no cap stated. The requirement does not apply to an applicant for renewal of a license that expires on the first renewal date after the applicant is licensed. The Department's dentist continuing education page states that CPR and AED must be current to practice dentistry, but the rule does not list CPR as a counted subject for dentists the way DE 13.04 does for hygienists, so it is recorded here as a practice condition rather than a mandated subject.
- How often does a Wisconsin DDS/DMD license need to be renewed?
- Dentist licenses in Wisconsin renew every two years. The dentist credential renewal date is October 1 of each odd numbered year, so the license runs on a two year cycle. Continuing education must be completed during the two year period immediately preceding the renewal date; the Department describes that biennium as running from October 1 of an odd numbered year to September 30 of the next odd numbered year. CPR and AED certification must be current in order to practice dentistry.
- What specific CE topics are required for Wisconsin dentists?
- Prescribing of controlled substances for the treatment of dental pain: 2 credit hours every renewal cycle. Citations: prescribing of controlled substances for the treatment of dental pain (Wis. Admin. Code DE 13.03).
- Do Wisconsin dentists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and records must be kept for 6 years. The licensee submits a certification statement with the renewal application and must maintain a written record of the continuing education hours completed for not less than 6 years after completion.
- Is the first Wisconsin DDS/DMD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Wisconsin 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.
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. DE 13, Continuing Education (Wisconsin Legislature)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Wis. Admin. Code DE 13.03, Continuing education, dentists (Wisconsin Legislature)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Wis. Stat. 440.08(2)(a), Renewal dates (Wisconsin Legislature)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Dentist Continuing Education, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional ServicesState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
One board, the Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board, covers both credentials, but chapter DE 13 gives each its own section: DE 13.03 for dentists at 30 credit hours with a 25 hour clinical floor and 2 hours on prescribing controlled substances for dental pain, and DE 13.04 for dental hygienists at 12 credit hours with an infection control minimum and a CPR cap. Both sections were read. The October 1 odd numbered year renewal date was read in Wis. Stat. 440.08(2)(a), which lists dentist and dental hygienist on the same date. The Department's dentist continuing education page confirms the 30 hour total, the 25 hour clinical minimum, the CPR and AED practice condition and the first biennium exemption. The rule states no carryover provision and no cap on independent study, correspondence or internet courses, so those fields are null. Sedation and anesthesia permits are separate credentials; a sedation permit requirement is mentioned in third party summaries but was not found in the DE 13.03 text that was read, so nothing about it is recorded here.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board, Department of Safety and Professional Services before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.