# Pennsylvania dental CE requirements

> Continuing education requirements in Pennsylvania: dentists 30 hours / 2 years (biennial), hygienists 20 hours / 2 years (Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner also 20 hrs, of which 5 must be public-health related), assistants Expanded Function Dental Assistants (EFDAs): 10 hours / 2 years (of which 3 hours must be in coronal polishing, with limited exemptions). Non-EFDA dental assistants are not separately licensed and have no state CE requirement..

URL: https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/pennsylvania

Last verified: 2026-07-08

Research confidence: high

Educational summary only, not compliance advice. CE rules change; confirm current requirements, approved providers, and deadlines with the Pennsylvania board before renewing.

## Role requirements

- Dentist: 30 hours / 2 years (biennial)
- Dental hygienist: 20 hours / 2 years (Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner also 20 hrs, of which 5 must be public-health related)
- Dental assistant: Expanded Function Dental Assistants (EFDAs): 10 hours / 2 years (of which 3 hours must be in coronal polishing, with limited exemptions). Non-EFDA dental assistants are not separately licensed and have no state CE requirement.

## Renewal cycle and mandatory topics

Biennial cycle renewing Apr 1 of every odd-numbered year (State Board of Dentistry). MANDATORY for dentists, hygienists, and EFDAs: 2 hours of approved child abuse recognition and reporting in the 2-year period preceding renewal (Act 31), and current CPR certification as a condition of renewal. Prescribers of opioids/controlled substances must complete 2 hours of approved education in pain management, identification of addiction, or safe prescribing (Act 124) — required of DEA-registered dentists. Hygienists with a local-anesthesia permit: 3 of the 20 hours in local anesthesia administration. LIVE-vs-SELF-STUDY caps: individual/self-study capped at half the total — dentists max 15 hrs, hygienists max 10 hrs, EFDAs max 5 hrs. NOTE: the PA 'Dental Renewal Guide' PDF returned conflicting figures (30 hrs hygienist / 18 hrs EFDA); the binding regulation 49 Pa. Code §33.402 governs and states 20 (hygienist) and 10 (EFDA).

## Official board source

- <https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/049/chapter33/subchapFtoc.html&d=reduce>

## References

- Source 1: <https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=%2Fsecure%2Fpacode%2Fdata%2F049%2Fchapter33%2Fs33.402.html&d=reduce>
- Source 2: <https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/pennsylvania/49-Pa-Code-SS-33-402>
- Source 3: <https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/dental/Dental-Renewal-Guide.pdf>

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