Washington dental licensing board

Washington Dental CE Requirements

Washington dentists need 63 hours of continuing education every 3 years. 1 state-mandated topic may apply, depending on the license and practice.

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At a glance

Washington dental license renewal

Licenses coveredDentist (DDS/DMD) [1]
CE required for renewalYes [1]
Hours per CE period63 hours [1]
CE periodEvery 3 years [1]
Renewal and reportingLicensed dentists must attest to the completion of 63 hours of continuing education every three years on their annual license renewal date. [1]
State-mandated topicsSuicide prevention training (one-time) [2]

This summary covers the licenses listed above. The topics below are selected verified requirements; consult the board’s full rules for all subjects and conditions.

State-mandated topics

Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Washington dental licensing board ↗ before you renew.

Your next step

Look up. Verify. Renew.

Full Washington license guide

Before you continue

  • Anesthesia permits have a three-year renewal cycle; this is separate from the dentist license. [source]
01 / Public record

Look up a license

Match the name or license number. Check status, expiration, and any restrictions shown.

Washington dental credential search Covers: Select the dentist or dental hygienist credential in the public HELMS search.
02 / Official confirmation

Verify a credential

A public search may be enough for a status check. Another board or employer may require a verification sent directly by the issuer.

Check verification instructions Confirm the recipient’s required format and any fee.
03 / Keep it current

Renew your license

Confirm your due date, complete the required education, and submit to the licensing authority.

Renew your license Covers: Washington dental licensing board.

Renewal at a glance

CredentialDentist, dental hygienist
Renewal cycleConfirm the cycle and expiration date for your specific license with the board.
Verified feesA current fee has not been confirmed in this guide. Check the board’s fee schedule before paying.
Renewal applicationRenew your license

Fees can differ for active, inactive, late, and reinstatement applications. Your official license record controls your deadline.

Source review dates · 4 sources

Dates show when we retrieved the source pages. They do not certify a person’s license, guarantee a portal is online, or establish that every renewal rule was reviewed.

  1. State Board Contact Retrieved Oct 13, 2026
  2. Provider Credential or Facility Search | Washington State Department of Health Retrieved Oct 13, 2026
  3. Dentist | Washington State Department of Health Retrieved Oct 13, 2026
  4. Dentist - Licensing Fees | Washington State Department of Health Retrieved Oct 28, 2026

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The Washington dental licensing board pages we checked do not name an accreditor we track, so we do not mark individual courses as accepted here. Check a course's approval against the board's rule before relying on it.

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These are exam-preparation resources, separate from continuing education credit. Exam registration fees and eligibility are set by the exam sponsor.

Questions

Washington dental CE, answered

How many CE hours do Washington dentists need?

Washington dentists need 63 hours of continuing education every 3 years. 1 state-mandated topic may apply, depending on the license and practice. Licensed dentists must attest to the completion of 63 hours of continuing education every three years on their annual license renewal date.

Does Washington require specific CE topics for dentists?

Suicide prevention training (one-time) (3 hours): Dentists must complete a one-time, 3-hour suicide prevention continuing education training, which counts toward the 63-hour requirement.

Do free online CE courses count in Washington?

The board pages we checked do not say which providers are accepted. Confirm with the Washington dental licensing board.

Sources & verification

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. We fetched each page on the date shown and confirmed the exact wording below appears on it.

  1. WAC 246-817-440: ↗app.leg.wa.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 28, 2026
    Quoted wording (5)
    “protect the health and safety of all patients.(1) A licensed dentist shall complete a minimum of 63 hours of continuing education every three years.(a) The three-year continuing education reporting period for a dentist licensed in Washington before 2019 begins January 1, 2019, and verification of completion”
    “protect the health and safety of all patients.(1) A licensed dentist shall complete a minimum of 63 hours of continuing education every three years.(a) The three-year continuing education reporting period for a dentist licensed in Washington before 2019 begins January 1, 2019, and verification of completion”
    “protect the health and safety of all patients.(1) A licensed dentist shall complete a minimum of 63 hours of continuing education every three years.(a) The three-year continuing education reporting period for a dentist licensed in Washington before 2019 begins January 1, 2019, and verification of completion”
    “protect the health and safety of all patients.(1) A licensed dentist shall complete a minimum of 63 hours of continuing education every three years.(a) The three-year continuing education reporting period for a dentist licensed in Washington before 2019 begins January 1, 2019, and verification of completion”
    “2019 or later begins upon date of licensure.(b) A licensed dentist shall attest to the completion of 63 hours of continuing education every three years as a part of their license renewal requirement.(c) The dental quality assurance commission (commission) may randomly audit up to 25 percent of licensed dentists every three years for compliance after the license”
  2. Dentist - Continuing Education | Washington State Department of Health ↗doh.wa.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 28, 2026
    Quoted wording (1)
    “Prevention - Continuing Education Requirement Dentists must complete a one-time, three-hour, suicide prevention continuing education training in accordance with RCW 43.70.442. The three hours of training may count toward the existing required continuing education hours. Visit the suicide prevention training”

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