A dentist with the appropriate training who wishes to be recognized as a specialist may apply for a Kentucky dental specialty license. The Board of Dentistry issues specialty licenses for all fields of
specialty approved by the American Dental Association's National Commission on
Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards. The Commission currently recognizes the following twelve dental specialties:
- Dental Anesthesiology
- Dental Public Health
- Endodontics
- Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology
- Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
- Oral Medicine
- Orofacial Pain
- Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
Unless engaged in charitable work, individuals licensed as specialists can only practice outside of their specialty upon documented referral by a general dentist to perform procedures within their scope of training. For more information on specialty licensure, see
KRS 313.035 and
201 KAR 8:533.
Specialty License Eligibility
To be eligible for licensure as a specialist, a dentist must successfully complete a two-year specialty program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Applicants should also meet one of the following criteria:
- Already hold an active Kentucky license to practice general dentistry;
- Apply for a Kentucky general dental license and a specialty license concurrently; or
- Apply for a specialty license only as an internationally trained dentist.
A note about internationally trained dentists. Graduates of non-CODA-accredited dental schools who complete a two-year CODA-accredited specialty program are not eligible for an unrestricted general dentist license. Only a specialty license will be awarded.
Specialty License Application
Dentists can apply for specialty licensure online through the Board's Application Portal or by submitting hard copies of application documents to the Board office. In addition to the application itself, dentists must provide documentation of the qualifying specialty training, preferably a letter of program completion from the educational institution's program head. Please use the following options to begin the application process:
Specialty License Renewal
Specialists do not need to complete any additional continuing education or other requirements beyond what is already mandated for all Kentucky-licensed dentists. The renewal requirements for specialty licenses are no different than for general dental licenses, and both must be renewed by the end of every odd-numbered year. Specialists should use the online renewal portal to renew.
Steps to renew a specialty license:
1. After renewing your dental license, select the Specialty Licenses, Permits & Registrations link on the left-hand navigation panel.
2. Click the Renewal button to the right of your screen for the specialty license you wish to renew.
3. Complete each renewal step and proceed in the same manner as you did for your license renewal.
4. Repeat this process for any other licenses or permits listed that you wish to renew.