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License Renewal


 

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. 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. ​​Click on the portal button below and select Licensee Portal to get started.

Please note that the Board is using a new content m​anagement system this year, and licensees will need to set up an account. However, once an account is established, licensees will have access to a number of online services.

Steps to renew your dental license:

1.      Open the KBD Portal Page and log in to the Licensee Portal, using your email address and password.​ If you have not previously logged in, click on Reset Password to have a temporary one emailed to you. Please use the email address we have on file for you.

2.      Once logged in, select the License Renewal link on the left-hand navigation panel.

3.      On the License Renewal screen, click on the Start Renewal button​.

4.      Complete each renewal step and select Save & Continue to move forward until you reach the Payments page.

5.      On the Payments page, select the method of payment and click on the Process Payment button that appears.

6.      A confirmation will then be displayed indicating submission of your renewal. An email confirmation will also be automatically sent.

Steps to renew a specialty license and/or sedation permit:

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 or sedation permit 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.

After submitting your renewal:

To download a copy of your renewal license, select the Certificate link on the left-hand navigation panel and click on the Download button that appears.

To print a copy of your renewal receipt, select the Invoices & Receipts link on the left-hand navigation panel and click on the Review button for your invoice.

You can also return to the portal at any time to perform these tasks and several others, including updating your information, requesting formal documents, and more. ​


​​What Should I Know About License Renewal?

Continuing Education

Dentists must earn 30 hours of continuing education during every two-year license cycle. 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, which can be done online through the licensee portal or by downloading the retirement form below. 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 o​f 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, check the Active Military box when renewing online or submit the following form directly to the Board office. Those who want to voluntarily pay the fee can also use the online portal.​

If you are deployed overseas during th​​e renewal period, you may renew your license as u​sual or wait until you are reassigned to the United States. Kentucky law gives you 90 days after your return to request t​he renewal of your license.


 

Other Renewal Types 

See the top of this page for instructions on how to renew the following items.

Specialty Licenses

The renewal requirements for specialty license​s 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 al​ong 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 ad​ult 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.