The Kentucky Board of Dentistry recognizes only fields of specialty duly recognized and approved by the American Dental Association.
Initial Specialty Application
Dentists can apply for licensure online through the Board's Application Portal or by submitting application documents to the Board office. Please use one of the following options to begin the application process:
To be eligible to apply for licensure as a specialist, you must meet the following requirements with no exceptions:
- Hold an active Kentucky license to practice general dentistry,
or apply for a general dental license concurrently with your application for licensure as a specialist
- Successfully completed a CODA-accredited graduate or postgraduate specialty program after your graduation from a dental school.
Specialty License Renewal
The renewal requirements for specialty licenses are no different than for general dentist licenses and must be renewed by the end of every odd-numbered year. Therefore, specialists should use the online renewal portal to renew both licenses.
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.