# California dental board

> Official board link and Dentovio's independent source-backed state references for California dental CE, license renewal, and foreign-trained dentist pathways.

URL: https://dentovio.com/dental-boards/california

Last verified: 2026-07-08

Dentovio is not the California dental board. This is an independent educational directory; confirm final licensure, renewal, discipline, fee, form, and application decisions with the official board.

## Direct answer

Dental Board of California is the official dental board source Dentovio links for California. Use the board link for final licensure decisions, and use Dentovio's independent page to jump to California CE requirements, renewal notes, and foreign-trained dentist pathway references. CE snapshot: Dentists: 50 units / 2 years (biennial); hygienists: 25 units / 2 years (biennial) [regulated by the Dental Hygiene Board of California].

## Official board links

- Official board: <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/>
- CE or renewal source used by Dentovio: <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/licensees/continuing_education.shtml>

## Dentovio state references

- [California dental CE requirements](https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/california/index.html.md)
- [California online dental CE](https://dentovio.com/online-dental-ce/california/index.html.md)
- [California dental license lookup](https://dentovio.com/dental-license-lookup/california/index.html.md)
- [California dental license renewal](https://dentovio.com/dental-license-renewal/california/index.html.md)
- [California dental license renewal CE requirements](https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/california/license-renewal/index.html.md)
- [California dentist CE requirements](https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/california/dentist/index.html.md)
- [Foreign-trained dentist license in California](https://dentovio.com/foreign-trained-dentist-license/california/index.html.md)
- [California foreign-trained dentist residency pathway](https://dentovio.com/foreign-trained-dentist-license/california/residency-pathway/index.html.md)

## CE snapshot

- Dentist: 50 units / 2 years (biennial)
- Dental hygienist: 25 units / 2 years (biennial) [regulated by the Dental Hygiene Board of California]
- Dental assistant: RDA (Registered Dental Assistant): 25 units / 2 years. First renewal is CE-exempt. RDAEF/Orthodontic/Dental Sedation assistant permits follow the same DBC assistant CE rules.

## Foreign-trained dentist pathway signal

Advanced-standing (international) CODA/Board-approved DDS/DMD required; residency does NOT bypass it. A graduate of a foreign dental school that is neither CODA-accredited nor Board-approved must complete a two-academic-year international/advanced-standing program at a Board-approved dental college and earn a DDS/DMD (or equivalent). Only after holding a Board- or CODA-approved degree can the applicant pursue Licensure by ADEX Examination or Licensure by Residency. Because Licensure by Residency itself requires graduation from a Board- or CODA-approved dental school, a raw non-CODA foreign grad cannot use a GPR/AEGD residency to skip the 2-year program.

## References

- <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/>
- <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/licensees/continuing_education.shtml>
- <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/licensees/dentist_continuing_education.shtml>
- <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/licensees/assistant_continuing_education.shtml>
- <https://www.dhbc.ca.gov/licensees/ce_course_requirement.shtml>
- <https://www.dhbc.ca.gov/licensees/cont_ed.shtml>
- <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/applicants/become_licensed_dds.shtml>
- <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/applicants/licensure_by_residency.shtml>
- <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/licensees/important_changes.shtml>
- <https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/licensure/licensure-for-the-international-dentists>

## Related

- [All dental boards by state](https://dentovio.com/dental-boards/index.html.md)
- [Online dental CE by state](https://dentovio.com/online-dental-ce/index.html.md)
- [Dental license lookup by state](https://dentovio.com/dental-license-lookup/index.html.md)
- [Dental license renewal by state](https://dentovio.com/dental-license-renewal/index.html.md)
- [Dental CE requirements by state](https://dentovio.com/ce-requirements/index.html.md)
- [Foreign-trained dentist licensure by state](https://dentovio.com/foreign-trained-dentist-licensure/index.html.md)