Dentovio

Dental license renewal

North Carolina dental license renewal CE requirements

For dental license renewal in North Carolina, dentists need 15 hours / year (annual; ~30 per 2 years) and dental hygienists need 6 hours / year (annual; ~12 per 2 years). Dental assistants: No general CE requirement for basic dental assistants; DA II must maintain CPR and complete CE as needed to retain expanded functions. Annual renewal (license year ends March 31; CE measured per calendar year). Hygienists: 6 clock hrs/year; per rule 21 NCAC 16I .0102 ALL 6 hrs may be self-study if a post-course test and certificate are obtained, and courses must relate to clinical patient care from a Board-approved sponsor; current CPR certification required IN ADDITION to the 6 hrs (CPR hours do NOT count toward the 6). Hygienists administering local anesthetics: maintain CPR plus 2 hrs/year covering local-anesthetic technique, contraindications, complications, and dental office emergencies. Dentists: 15 hrs/year (secondary sources indicate at least ~8 must be live/interactive and cite a ~1 hr jurisprudence and opioid-prescribing component for DEA registrants). Dentist-specific self-study cap and mandatory-topic detail are set in dentist rule 21 NCAC 16B .0102, which could not be retrieved from a primary source in this pass (board/OAH PDFs returned TLS/connection errors) — hence medium confidence on dentist caps and mandatory topics; hour totals are high-confidence.

Dentist

15 hours / year (annual; ~30 per 2 years)

Dental hygienist

6 hours / year (annual; ~12 per 2 years)

Dental assistant

No general CE requirement for basic dental assistants; DA II must maintain CPR and complete CE as needed to retain expanded functions

Renewal cycle and deadline notes

Annual renewal (license year ends March 31; CE measured per calendar year). Hygienists: 6 clock hrs/year; per rule 21 NCAC 16I .0102 ALL 6 hrs may be self-study if a post-course test and certificate are obtained, and courses must relate to clinical patient care from a Board-approved sponsor; current CPR certification required IN ADDITION to the 6 hrs (CPR hours do NOT count toward the 6). Hygienists administering local anesthetics: maintain CPR plus 2 hrs/year covering local-anesthetic technique, contraindications, complications, and dental office emergencies. Dentists: 15 hrs/year (secondary sources indicate at least ~8 must be live/interactive and cite a ~1 hr jurisprudence and opioid-prescribing component for DEA registrants). Dentist-specific self-study cap and mandatory-topic detail are set in dentist rule 21 NCAC 16B .0102, which could not be retrieved from a primary source in this pass (board/OAH PDFs returned TLS/connection errors) — hence medium confidence on dentist caps and mandatory topics; hour totals are high-confidence.

Official renewal source

Use the state board source before filing a renewal or choosing CE courses. Dentovio is an educational summary, not the licensing authority.

Open North Carolina board source

References

Last verified 2026-07-08 (research confidence: medium). Educational summary only, not compliance advice. Confirm current requirements, approved providers, deadlines, and audit rules with the North Carolina board before renewing.