Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE)
Texas dentist CE requirements
The published continuing-education requirements for a Texas dental license, laid out clearly so you can see the whole picture before your renewal.
What the board requires
- 24 hrsTotal per biennial cycle.
- 16 hrsTechnical or scientific coursework related to clinical care (minimum floor within the 24), counted within the total.
- 4 hrsSafe and effective pain management related to prescription of opioids and other controlled substances (if dentists whose practice includes direct patient care), counted within the total.
- 1 hrsHuman trafficking prevention course (HHSC-approved) - required each renewal; rule states a course, not an hour count, counted within the total.
- 0 hrsDental jurisprudence assessment (open-book exam, not clock hours; additive on top of the 24; recurs every 4 years), in addition to the total.
- Up to 8 hrsSelf-study maximum (Texas 'self-study' umbrella - includes online and correspondence delivery).
- RequiredDISPUTED between extractors - current hands-on CPR/BLS certification attested at renewal (A found it required for all dentists; B found Chapter 104 mandates it only for sedation/anesthesia permit holders, not general renewal). CPR/BLS training hours do NOT count toward the 24. (does not count toward CE hours).
Common questions
How many CE hours do Texas dentists need?
24 hours per biennial renewal cycle. That is what CEChart has on file from the source cited on this page, not a figure confirmed against Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE), so check it with the board before you rely on it.
Which specific topics does Texas require?
16 hours technical or scientific coursework related to clinical care (minimum floor within the 24); 4 hours safe and effective pain management related to prescription of opioids and other controlled substances (dentists whose practice includes direct patient care); 1 hour human trafficking prevention course (HHSC-approved) - required each renewal; rule states a course, not an hour count. These count inside the total, not on top of it. Not confirmed against Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) yet.
Does Texas require any CE on top of the 24 hours?
Yes: dental jurisprudence assessment (open-book exam, not clock hours; additive on top of the 24; recurs every 4 years), required with no hour count set. Those hours are separate from the 24. Not confirmed against Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) yet.
Are there limits on how Texas dentists can earn CE hours?
Yes: self-study maximum (Texas 'self-study' umbrella - includes online and correspondence delivery) (up to 8 hours). Not confirmed against Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) yet.
Does Texas require anything besides CE hours?
Yes: DISPUTED between extractors - current hands-on CPR/BLS certification attested at renewal (A found it required for all dentists; B found Chapter 104 mandates it only for sedation/anesthesia permit holders, not general renewal). CPR/BLS training hours do NOT count toward the 24. That is a credential you hold, not CE hours you count. Not confirmed against Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) yet.
Can Texas CE hours carry over to the next cycle?
Up to 24 hours may carry into the next cycle. CEChart does not model carryover, so no progress figure here includes it. Not confirmed against Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) yet.
Can CEChart track my Texas CE automatically?
Not yet. We show the Texas requirements and their sources, but we do not run an automatic Texas calculator until every number is confirmed against Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE).
Source: Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) (https://tsbde.texas.gov/licensing/dentists/dentist-continuing-education/). These are the published requirements as we read them, not legal or board advice, and CEChart does not certify compliance. Confirm your requirements with Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) before you rely on them.
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