# Indiana dental assistant CE requirements

> Role-specific continuing education summary for dental assistants renewing in Indiana.

URL: https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/indiana/dental-assistant

Last verified: 2026-07-08

Research confidence: high

Educational summary only, not compliance advice. CE hour counts, approved-provider rules, audit rules, and mandatory topics can change. Confirm current instructions with the Indiana dental board before filing a renewal.

## Direct answer

Dental assistants in Indiana: No state CE requirement (Indiana dental assistants are not separately licensed; radiology-permitted assistants and EFDA/CDA credentials carry their own certification-maintenance rules, but the state board sets no assistant CE hours). Renewal-cycle notes: Biennial, expiring March 1 of even-numbered years (current cycle: March 2, 2026 - March 1, 2028); no CE required for a dentist who has held an initial license less than 2 years. Live-vs-self-study: at least HALF of the required minimum hours must be from live presentations or live workshops (IC 25-14-3-8); home-study by an approved organization earns the same credit as college courses. Mandatory 2 hrs covering Ethics, Professional Responsibility, and Indiana statutes/administrative rules per period for BOTH dentists and hygienists (828 IAC 1-5-6). BLS: no more than 2 hrs of basic life support counts toward the dentist requirement; hygienists must hold current BLS. Opioid: DEA-registered dentists owe the federal MATE Act 8-hr one-time training. Infection control/OSHA and HIPAA are federal annual mandates, not separately itemized state CE hours. Licensure also requires passing the Indiana dental law exam (one-time, not recurring CE). Confirm current role-specific requirements with the Indiana dental board before renewing.

## Renewal cycle and mandatory topics

Biennial, expiring March 1 of even-numbered years (current cycle: March 2, 2026 - March 1, 2028); no CE required for a dentist who has held an initial license less than 2 years. Live-vs-self-study: at least HALF of the required minimum hours must be from live presentations or live workshops (IC 25-14-3-8); home-study by an approved organization earns the same credit as college courses. Mandatory 2 hrs covering Ethics, Professional Responsibility, and Indiana statutes/administrative rules per period for BOTH dentists and hygienists (828 IAC 1-5-6). BLS: no more than 2 hrs of basic life support counts toward the dentist requirement; hygienists must hold current BLS. Opioid: DEA-registered dentists owe the federal MATE Act 8-hr one-time training. Infection control/OSHA and HIPAA are federal annual mandates, not separately itemized state CE hours. Licensure also requires passing the Indiana dental law exam (one-time, not recurring CE).

## Official board source

- <https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/dentistry-home/>

## References

- <https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/dentistry-home/dentistry-licensing-information/>
- <https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/indiana-state-board-of-dentistry/continuing-education-information/>
- <https://indental.org/continuing-education-requirements/>
- <https://www.ada.org/~/media/Project/ADA%20Organization/ADA/ADA-org/Files/Education/Licensure%20by%20State/Indiana_Licensure>

## Related

- [Dental Assistant CE Requirements by State](https://dentovio.com/dental-assistant-ce-requirements/index.html.md)
- [Indiana dental CE requirements](https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/indiana/index.html.md)
- [Indiana online dental CE](https://dentovio.com/online-dental-ce/indiana/index.html.md)
- [Indiana dental license renewal CE requirements](https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/indiana/license-renewal/index.html.md)
- [All dental CE requirements by state](https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/index.html.md)
- [Dental CE hours tracker](https://dentovio.com/tools/ce-tracker)