States with Fewest Continuing Education Hours for Dentist (2026)

The state with the lowest requirement is North Carolina at 15 hours. The highest is South Dakota at 100 hours. The national average is 39 hours.

Lowest

15 hours

North Carolina

Average

39 hours

across 51 states

Median

40 hours

37 states at or below

Range

85 hours

spread across states

#	State	CE Hours / Cycle	Renewal Fee	Renewal Cycle
#1	North Carolina	15 hours	$250	Annual
#1	Virginia	15 hours	$167	Annual
#3	Wyoming	16 hours	$200	2 years
#4	Alabama	20 hours	$250	Annual
#4	Indiana	20 hours	$140	2 years
#6	Texas	24 hours	$458.50/2yr	2 years
#7	Connecticut	25 hours	$575	2 years
#8	South Carolina	28 hours	$280	2 years
#9	Colorado	30 hours	$225	2 years
#9	District of Columbia	30 hours	$155	2 years
#9	Florida	30 hours	$300	2 years (biennial, expires February 28 of even-numbered years)
#9	Idaho	30 hours	$0	2 years
#9	Iowa	30 hours	$315	2 years
#9	Kentucky	30 hours	$295	2 years
#9	Louisiana	30 hours	$590	2 years
#9	Maryland	30 hours	$450	2 years
#9	Nebraska	30 hours	$200	2 years
#9	Pennsylvania	30 hours	$366	2 years
#9	Utah	30 hours	$73	2 years
#9	Vermont	30 hours	$655	2 years
#9	Wisconsin	30 hours	$123	2 years
#22	Alaska	32 hours	$350	2 years
#22	North Dakota	32 hours	$475	2 years
#24	West Virginia	35 hours	$167	Annual
#25	Hawaii	38 hours	$301	2 years
#26	Georgia	40 hours	$260	2 years
#26	Maine	40 hours	$550	2 years
#26	Massachusetts	40 hours	$360	2 years
#26	Mississippi	40 hours	$200	2 years
#26	Nevada	40 hours	$600	2 years
#26	New Hampshire	40 hours	$170	2 years
#26	New Jersey	40 hours	$375	2 years
#26	Ohio	40 hours	$450	2 years
#26	Oklahoma	40 hours	$200	Annual
#26	Oregon	40 hours	$490	2 years
#26	Rhode Island	40 hours	$300	2 years
#26	Tennessee	40 hours	$198	2 years
#38	Illinois	48 hours	$300	3 years
#39	Arkansas	50 hours	$300	2 years
#39	California	50 hours	$650/2yr	2 years
#39	Delaware	50 hours	$300	2 years
#39	Minnesota	50 hours	$341	2 years
#39	Missouri	50 hours	$250	2 years
#44	Kansas	60 hours	$325	2 years
#44	Michigan	60 hours	$296	3 years
#44	Montana	60 hours	$336	3 years
#44	New Mexico	60 hours	$580	3 years
#44	New York	60 hours	$645/3yr	3 years
#49	Arizona	63 hours	$650	3 years
#49	Washington	63 hours	$435	2 years
#51	South Dakota	100 hours	$200	Annual

CE hours are per renewal cycle as reported by state licensing boards. States showing 0 hours may not require continuing education or may have alternative requirements. Click any state for full details.

Key Takeaways

•37 states come in at or below the median of 40 hours
•The range spans from 15 hours to 100 hours — a 85 hours spread
•States in the South tend to have lower values (avg 32 hours), while Midwest states average 46 hours

Frequently Asked Questions

Which state requires the fewest continuing education hours for dentists?

North Carolina requires the fewest CE hours at 15 hours per renewal cycle. The national average is 39 hours.

How much do dentist licensing requirements vary between states?

There is significant variation across the 51 states with data. Values range from 15 hours to 100 hours, with a median of 40 hours.

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