CECEChart

Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry

Pennsylvania dentist CE requirements

The published continuing-education requirements for a Pennsylvania dental license, laid out clearly so you can see the whole picture before your renewal.

What the board requires

  • 30 hrsTotal per biennial cycle.
  • 2 hrsChild abuse recognition and reporting, counted within the total.
  • 2 hrsPain management / opioid prescribing (Act 124 / ABC-MAP) (if dentists who hold a dea registration or use another entity's dea number to prescribe/dispense controlled substances (exempt if neither applies)), counted within the total.
  • Min 15 hrsAt least 50% (15 hrs) must be live lecture or clinical presentation (floor).
  • Up to 15 hrsMaximum 50% (15 hrs) via individual study, serving as instructor, or authoring (ceiling).
  • RequiredCurrent infant, child and adult CPR certification (hands-on; separate from and additive to the 30 CE hours, cannot be counted toward CE) (does not count toward CE hours).
One honest caveat. We have not yet confirmed every number against the primary board source, so we are not running an automatic Pennsylvania calculator. We would rather leave it out than guess. Confirm the exact requirements with Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry.
Track my FAGD or MAGD progress

See also: all state CE requirements · FAGD/MAGD calculator · FAGD requirements · MAGD requirements · CE by subject · CE course directory

Common questions

How many CE hours do Pennsylvania dentists need?

30 hours per biennial renewal cycle. That is what CEChart has on file from the source cited on this page, not a figure confirmed against Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry, so check it with the board before you rely on it.

Which specific topics does Pennsylvania require?

2 hours child abuse recognition and reporting; 2 hours pain management / opioid prescribing (Act 124 / ABC-MAP) (dentists who hold a DEA registration or use another entity's DEA number to prescribe/dispense controlled substances (exempt if neither applies)). These count inside the total, not on top of it. Not confirmed against Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry yet.

Are there limits on how Pennsylvania dentists can earn CE hours?

Yes: at least 50% (15 hrs) must be live lecture or clinical presentation (floor) (at least 15 hours); maximum 50% (15 hrs) via individual study, serving as instructor, or authoring (ceiling) (up to 15 hours). Not confirmed against Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry yet.

Does Pennsylvania require anything besides CE hours?

Yes: current infant, child and adult CPR certification (hands-on; separate from and additive to the 30 CE hours, cannot be counted toward CE). That is a credential you hold, not CE hours you count. Not confirmed against Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry yet.

Can CEChart track my Pennsylvania CE automatically?

Not yet. We show the Pennsylvania requirements and their sources, but we do not run an automatic Pennsylvania calculator until every number is confirmed against Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry.

Source: Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=%2Fsecure%2Fpacode%2Fdata%2F049%2Fchapter33%2FsubchapFtoc.html). These are the published requirements as we read them, not legal or board advice, and CEChart does not certify compliance. Confirm your requirements with Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry before you rely on them.

Want Pennsylvania tracking when it is ready?

Leave your email and we will tell you the moment we confirm this state's rule.