Continuing education
Dental CE requirements by state
CE hours, renewal cycles, and mandatory topics for dentists, hygienists, and assistants across all 51 jurisdictions. Use the free CE tracker to see how many hours you have left, or open your state below.
| State | Dentist | Hygienist | Assistant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 20 hours / 1 year (annual) | 12 hours / 1 year (annual) | No state CE requirement for dental assistants (CPR requir… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Alaska | 32 contact hours / 2 years (biennial) | 20 contact hours / 2 years (biennial) | No state CE requirement for dental assistants for renewal… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Arizona | 63 hours / 3 years (triennial) | 45 hours / 3 years (triennial) | No state CE requirement for standard dental assistants. E… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Arkansas | 50 hours (CEUs) / 2 years (biennial) | 40 hours (CEUs) / 2 years (biennial) | No general state CE requirement for dental assistants; ra… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| California | 50 units / 2 years (biennial) | 25 units / 2 years (biennial) [regulated by the Dental Hygiene Board of California] | RDA (Registered Dental Assistant): 25 units / 2 years. Fi… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Colorado | 30 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | No standalone CE-hours requirement for Dental Assistants;… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Connecticut | 25 contact hours / 2 years | 16 contact hours / 2 years | No general CE-hours requirement (CT does not license dent… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Delaware | 50 hours / 2 years | 24 hours / 2 years | Registered dental assistants (and limited registered dent… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| District of Columbia | 30 hours / 2 years | Reported as 15 hours / 2 years by DC Dental Society summary; some CE-vendor sources state 20 hours / 2 years — value not confirmed against the official DCMR, treat as unconfirmed | Dental assistants: ~10 hours / 2 years per DC Dental Soci… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Florida | 30 hours / 2 years (biennium) | 24 hours / 2 years (biennium) | No CE requirement — Florida does not license or register … | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Georgia | 40 hours / 2 years (biennium; licenses expire Dec 31 of odd years) | 22 hours / 2 years | No state CE requirement (dental assistants/EDDAs are not … | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Hawaii | 32 hours / 2 years (biennium; renewal by Dec 31 of odd years) | 20 hours / 2 years | No state CE requirement (Hawaii does not separately licen… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Idaho | 30 hours / 2 years (biennium) | 30 hours / 2 years (biennium) | No state CE requirement in the board rule (dental assista… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Illinois | 48 hours / 3 years (triennial licensing period) | 36 hours / 3 years (triennial licensing period) | No state CE requirement (Illinois dental assistants are n… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Indiana | 20 hours / 2 years (biennium; licenses expire March 1 of even-numbered years) | 19 hours / 2 years (biennium; expires March 1 of even-numbered years) | No state CE requirement (Indiana dental assistants are no… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Iowa | 30 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | 20 hours / 2 years (Registered Dental Assistants) | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Kansas | 60 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | No state CE requirement (Kansas Dental Board does not lic… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Kentucky | 30 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | No state CE requirement (Kentucky Board of Dentistry does… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Louisiana | 30 hours / 2 years | 20 hours / 2 years | No state CE requirement (Expanded Duty Dental Assistants … | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Maine | 40 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA): 50 hours / 5 y… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Maryland | 30 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | No general dental-assistant CE license. Maryland instead … | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Massachusetts | 40 CEUs / 2 years | 20 CEUs / 2 years | 12 CEUs / 2 years (licensed dental assistants). Individua… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Michigan | 60 hours / 3 years | 36 hours / 3 years | Registered Dental Assistants (RDA): 36 hours / 3 years, s… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Minnesota | 50 hours / 2 years | 25 hours / 2 years | Licensed Dental Assistants: 25 hours / 2 years (min 15 fu… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Mississippi | 40 hours / 2 years | 20 hours / 2 years | No CE requirement — Board Regulation 41 (Continuing Educa… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Missouri | 50 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | No CE requirement for basic dental assistants. Expanded F… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Montana | 60 hours / 3 years | 36 hours / 3 years | No state CE requirement for dental assistants (ARM 24.138… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Nebraska | 30 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | No state CE requirement for dental assistants (172 NAC ch… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Nevada | 40 hours / 2 years (20 hrs annually) | 30 hours / 2 years (15 hrs annually) | No CE for basic dental assistants. Expanded Function Dent… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| New Hampshire | 40 hours (CEUs) / 2 years | 20 hours (CEUs) / 2 years | No CE requirement in the state CE rule (Den 403.03) for d… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| New Jersey | 40 hours / 2 years (biennial) | 20 hours / 2 years (biennial) | 10 hours / 2 years (biennial) — Registered Dental Assista… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| New Mexico | 60 hours / 3 years (triennial) | 45 hours / 3 years (triennial) | 30 hours / 3 years (triennial) | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| New York | 60 contact hours / 3 years (triennial registration) | 24 contact hours / 3 years (triennial registration) | No state CE requirement — NY does not license/register 'd… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| North Carolina | 15 hours / year (annual; ~30 per 2 years) | 6 hours / year (annual; ~12 per 2 years) | No general CE requirement for basic dental assistants; DA… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| North Dakota | 32 hours / 2 years (biennial) | 16 hours / 2 years (biennial) | 16 hours / 2 years (biennial) — Registered/Qualified Dent… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Ohio | 30 hours / 2 years (biennial) | 20 hours / 2 years (biennial) | Dental X-ray Machine Operator (formerly Dental Assistant … | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Oklahoma | 40 hours / 2 years (reporting period, currently Jul 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2027) | 20 hours / 2 years (same reporting period) | Dental assistants: 2 hours / 2 years in infection control. | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Oregon | 40 hours / 2 years | 24 hours / 2 years (Expanded Practice Dental Hygienist / EPDH: 36 hours / 2 years) | No state CE hour requirement for dental assistants (certi… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Pennsylvania | 30 hours / 2 years (biennial) | 20 hours / 2 years (Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner also 20 hrs, of which 5 must be public-health related) | Expanded Function Dental Assistants (EFDAs): 10 hours / 2… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Rhode Island | 40 hours / 2 years | 20 hours / 2 years | No specific CE hour total for dental assistants, but all … | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| South Carolina | 28 hours / 2 years (14 hours/year) | 14 hours / 2 years (7 hours/year) | No registered 'dental assistant' CE requirement. SC regis… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| South Dakota | 100 hours / 5 years (minimum 50 hours must be 'academic'; anesthesia/sedation permit holders need an additional 25 hours in anesthesia topics per cycle) | 75 hours / 5 years (minimum 5 hours in dental radiography per 5-year period) | Registered Dental Assistants (RDAs): 60 hours / 5 years (… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Tennessee | 40 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | Registered Dental Assistants: 24 hours / 2 years (at leas… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Texas | 24 hours / 2 years | 24 hours / 2 years | Registered Dental Assistants (RDAs): 12 hours / 2 years, … | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Utah | 30 hours / 2 years | 30 hours / 2 years | N/A - Utah does not license or register dental assistants… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Vermont | 30 hours / 2 years | 18 hours / 2 years | No state CE requirement (dental assistants register but b… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Virginia | 15 hours / 1 year (annual) | 15 hours / 1 year (annual) | No CE hour count set by the board for Dental Assistant II… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Washington | 63 hours / 3 years | 15 hours / 1 year (annual) | Registered Dental Assistant: no CE requirement. (EFDA — E… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| West Virginia | 35 hours / 2 years | 20 hours / 2 years | No specific CE hour count published for dental assistants… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Wisconsin | 30 credit hours / 2 years | 12 credit hours / 2 years | Dental assistants are not licensed/regulated by the state… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
| Wyoming | 16 hours / 2 years (biennial) | 16 hours / 2 years (biennial) | No CE hour requirement stated for dental assistant permit… | Details →Renewal CE →CPR/BLS → |
Frequently asked questions
- How many CE hours do dentists need?
- It varies by state. Most states require dentists to complete somewhere between about 20 and 50 CE hours per renewal cycle (commonly two years), often including mandatory topics such as infection control, CPR/BLS, and the state dental practice act. Select your state above for the exact figure and confirm with the board.
- Do dental assistants need continuing education?
- It depends on the state and the assistant's credential. Some states require CE for registered dental assistants (RDAs), while others have no state CE requirement for assistants. Check your state's row for the specifics.
- How often do dental CE requirements renew?
- Most dental boards run a biennial (two-year) renewal cycle, though some use annual or triennial cycles. The renewal basis and any first-cycle exemptions are listed on each state's page.