Dentist License Renewal
All general, specialty, and limited dental licenses, as well as sedation permits, issued by the Kentucky Board of Dentistry expire on Dec. 31 of every odd numbered year (hygienists renew in even numbered years). Therefore, dentists who wish to continue practicing in 2026 and beyond should renew their license by Dec. 31, 2025. Failure to renew on time will result in reinstatement penalties and potential disciplinary action for practicing without a license.
The license renewal portal for 2026-27 will open on Oct. 15, 2025 and run through the end of the year.
What Should I Know About License Renewal?
Continuing Education
Dentists must earn 30 hours of continuing education during every two-year cycle to properly renew their license. At least ten of those hours must be taken in a live interactive format, and at least twenty hours must focus on clinical skills and knowledge. CPR certification should also be maintained and does not count toward the 30 hours. Further, all dentists authorized to prescribe controlled substances in Kentucky must obtain three hours of CE in KASPER, pain management, or addiction disorders prior to renewing their license. These may be included in the 30 required hours above and are not additional hours. See the
Continuing Education page for more information.
License Retirement
Dentists who no longer wish to hold an active Kentucky license should formally retire their license by submitting a Retirement of License Form. This not only allows the Board to accurately record your status, it is also easier to get reinstated if you ever decide to practice in Kentucky again.
Retirement of License Form
Active Duty Military
State law exempts active duty military personnel from paying license renewal fees. However, federal rules require professional licenses held by members of the military to be unrestricted (i.e. fully equivalent to licenses held by non-military). Therefore, check with your branch of service to determine its policy regarding fee waivers. To renew your license without a fee, please submit the following form in lieu of the online renewal portal. Those who want to voluntarily pay the fee can still use the online portal.
If you are deployed overseas during the renewal period, you may renew your license as usual or wait until you are reassigned to the United States. Kentucky law gives you 90 days after your return to request the renewal of your license.
Other Renewal Types
Specialty Licenses
The renewal requirements for specialty licenses are no different than for general dentist licenses. Therefore, specialists should renew in the same manner as general dentists, using the online renewal portal.
Sedation Permits
Sedation permits held by dentists will be renewed along with dentist licenses via the license renewal portal. In addition to the general continuing education requirements, sedation permit holders must have at least four hours of clinical sedation training every two years. Certification in ACLS (for adult sedation) and/or PALS (for pediatric sedation) must also be maintained for sedation permits. See the
Continuing Education page for details.
Sedation Facility Certificates
Operators of facilities where moderate sedation or deep sedation/general anesthesia is performed must renew their facility certificates on the same cycle as dentist license renewal. See the
Sedation and Anesthesia page for details.
License Reinstatement
Dentists who have previously held a license in good standing in Kentucky may request reinstatement
without repeating the entire license application process. Please use the Application Portal to apply for reinstatement online. To apply by mail, use the following printable application form.