# Tennessee dental CE requirements

> Continuing education requirements in Tennessee: dentists 40 hours / 2 years, hygienists 30 hours / 2 years, assistants Registered Dental Assistants: 24 hours / 2 years (at least 2 hours chemical dependency education). Applies to registered dental assistants..

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

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 Tennessee board before renewing.

## Role requirements

- Dentist: 40 hours / 2 years
- Dental hygienist: 30 hours / 2 years
- Dental assistant: Registered Dental Assistants: 24 hours / 2 years (at least 2 hours chemical dependency education). Applies to registered dental assistants.

## Renewal cycle and mandatory topics

CE cycle = two calendar years, January 1 of an odd-numbered year through December 31 of the following even-numbered year, preceding the renewal year (Rule 0460-01-.05). Mandatory topics: at least 2 hours in chemical dependency education for dentists, hygienists, AND registered dental assistants (per rule 0460-01-.05; note the statutory topic is worded 'chemical dependency' — some CE vendors describe it as controlled-substance/opioid prescribing). Dentists holding sedation/anesthesia permits need an additional minimum 4 hours in anesthesia/sedation within the 40. CPR: current CPR/BLS certification required, must be in-person with a hands-on skills exam. Live-vs-self-study cap: for dental hygienists, no more than 50% of the CE requirement may be earned from online/web-based courses (a live interactive webinar counts as in-person, not online). No general jurisprudence CE for renewal (jurisprudence is an initial-licensure exam). New licensees exempt during initial cycle. Records retained 3 years.

## Official board source

- <https://www.tn.gov/health/licensure/den.html>

## References

- Source 1: <https://www.ada.org/en/education/licensure>
- Source 2: <https://www.tn.gov/health/licensure/den.html>

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