# Colorado dental license reciprocity and endorsement

> Source-backed out-of-state dentist licensure, endorsement, reciprocity, credentials, portability, and official-board signals for Colorado.

URL: https://dentovio.com/dental-license-reciprocity/colorado

Last verified: 2026-07-08

Dentovio is not a dental board. Confirm current endorsement eligibility, reciprocity language, credentialing rules, portability rules, forms, fees, exam or score-age exceptions, and foreign-trained exceptions directly with Colorado Dental Board (DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations).

## Direct answer

For dental license reciprocity or licensure by endorsement in Colorado, Dentovio's sourced state record highlights this out-of-state license signal: Colorado Dental Board Rule (3 CCR 709-1) requires a doctorate (DDS/DMD) from a CODA-approved (or, by reciprocity, CDAC-accredited) dental school. The only narrow exception is licensure by endorsement under the Occupational Credential Portability Program (12-20-202(3), C. Related pathway and exam context: Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (iNBDE, which replaced NBDE Parts I/II) plus a Board-accepted clinical competency exam (ADEX/CDCA-WREB-CITA family; WREB retired Dec 31, 2022). Regulation leaves specific clinical exam to Board discretion. Confirm the current endorsement, credentials, portability, application, exam, score-age, and foreign-trained exceptions directly with Colorado Dental Board (DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations).

## Reciprocity, endorsement, or credentials signal

Colorado Dental Board Rule (3 CCR 709-1) requires a doctorate (DDS/DMD) from a CODA-approved (or, by reciprocity, CDAC-accredited) dental school. The only narrow exception is licensure by endorsement under the Occupational Credential Portability Program (12-20-202(3), C.

## Related pathway context

Advanced-standing CODA DDS/DMD only. Colorado Dental Board Rule (3 CCR 709-1) requires a doctorate (DDS/DMD) from a CODA-approved (or, by reciprocity, CDAC-accredited) dental school. A foreign/non-CODA graduate must earn a US CODA DDS/DMD, generally via a 2–3 year advanced-standing program. A CODA GPR/AEGD residency alone does NOT substitute for the degree. The only narrow exception is licensure by endorsement under the Occupational Credential Portability Program (12-20-202(3), C.R.S.) for someone already licensed and in good standing in another US state/territory.

## Related exam context

Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (iNBDE, which replaced NBDE Parts I/II) plus a Board-accepted clinical competency exam (ADEX/CDCA-WREB-CITA family; WREB retired Dec 31, 2022). Regulation leaves specific clinical exam to Board discretion.

## Notes

Rule text: foreign grad must 'obtain a doctorate of dental surgery or a doctorate of dental medicine from a dental school approved by CODA' (or CDAC by reciprocity). No residency-only pathway. Colorado recently defended the CODA requirement against legislative attempts to modify it. Board URL is DORA's dental page (dpo.colorado.gov/Dental); verify current clinical-exam acceptance directly with the Board.

## Official sources

- <https://dpo.colorado.gov/Dental>
- <https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/3-CCR-709-1.6>
- <https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=12447&fileName=3+CCR+709-1>
- <https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/licensure/licensure-for-the-international-dentists>

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