Colorado Dental Board · DDS/DMD

30 hours. Every two years. Tied to your license anniversary.

Below is exactly what Colorado Dental Board requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from CDB~6 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed May 5, 2026

Mandatory topics

For Dentists, 30 hours is the total CME requirement. Colorado also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 30-hour total.

Opioid / controlled substances[1]
1 hr
Biennial
Every Dentist and Academic Dentist, regardless of date of licensure, must complete at least 1 hour of training each license period to demonstrate competency on: best practices for opioid prescribing; potential harm of inappropriately limiting prescriptions to chronic pain patients; best practices for prescribing benzodiazepines; recognition of substance use disorders; referral of patients with substance use disorders for treatment; and use of the electronic prescription drug monitoring program. Counts within the 30-hour biennial total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Every Dentist and Academic Dentist, regardless of the date of licensure, is required to complete at least 1 hour of training each license period to demonstrate competency on: Best practices for opioid prescribing...”
CO Dental Board CE Page — Opioid/Substance Use Prevention TrainingSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Cpr[1]
2 hrs
Ongoing
Maintaining current Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers is REQUIRED for all dental licenses. Licensees receive a maximum of 2 hours of CE credit for successful completion of a BLS course. BLS courses must follow current ILCOR/CoSTR/AHA standards: initial training ≥3 hours including skills practice and skills testing; renewal training ≥2 hours including skills practice and testing. BLS hours cannot be applied toward an anesthesia permit's renewal requirements (those are separate).
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Maintaining current Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers is required for all dental licenses. Licensees will receive a maximum of 2 hours of CE credit for successful completion.”
CO Dental Board CE Page — Basic Life SupportSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Colorado cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Conditional requirements

These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.

ConditionalSedation[1]
17 hrs
Quinquennial

Dentists renewing an anesthesia or sedation permit

View sourceVerbatim from source
“A Dentist renewing an anesthesia or sedation permit may apply CE credits specific to renewing their permit for anesthesia or sedation administration (17 hours every 5 years) to the 30 hours required to renew a license every 2 years. Anesthesia-related hours may only be applied to the license period in which they were completed.”
CO Dental Board CE Page — Anesthesia and Sedation PermitSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Colorado Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
ADA CERP
ADA CERP-recognized providers automatically accepted by the Colorado Dental Board.Sourcehttps://dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/CE[1]
AGD PACE
AGD PACE-approved providers automatically accepted by the Colorado Dental Board.Sourcehttps://dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/CE[1]
AMA PRA Category 1
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit automatically accepted by the Colorado Dental Board.Sourcehttps://dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/CE[1]
CODA-accredited
CODA-accredited institutions automatically accepted. Dental residencies accredited by CODA may be used for CE credit at 1 academic credit = 10 CE hours.Sourcehttps://dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/CE[1]
Board-approved credit
min 16 hrs
At least 16 of the 30 hours must be clinical or science-based (or 8 of 15 if licensed 12-24 months at first renewal). At least 50% of total hours must be live and interactive — web-based courses with real-time Q&A capability count as live; pure on-demand video does not qualify.Sourcehttps://dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/CE[1]
Presenter (max 6 hrs/biennium)
max 6 hrs
a presenter may submit course hours they presented, up to 6 total credits, toward their CE requirement per license period. Credit awarded one time per course presented (no repeated-presentation stacking).Sourcehttps://dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/CE[1]
Documentation & audit

Records retention: 4 years.

Waivers & exemptions

First-renewal full exemption: licensees licensed for 12 months or less before their first license expiration date are not required to complete CE for their first renewal.

Reduced first-renewal load: licensees licensed for 12-24 months before first expiration date complete 15 CE hours rather than 30 (with 8 of the 15 in clinical/science-based content).

Substance Use Prevention Training exemption: dentists/academic dentists who attest to the Board that they do not prescribe opioids, OR who maintain a national board certification that requires equivalent substance use prevention training, may be exempt from the 1-hour SUP training.

Emergency Exemption — the Board may excuse a licensee from all or part of the CE requirements, or grant an extension, for an unusual circumstance, emergency, or special hardship. Written request must be submitted at least 45 days before license renewal to dora_dentalboard@state.co.us.

Military Exemption — available for licensees on full-time active military service via the DPO Military License Renewal pathway.

FAQ
Does Colorado treat DDS and DMD differently for CE purposes?
No. The Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) and Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degrees are equivalent in Colorado, and the Colorado Dental Board licenses both under the same Dental Practice Act. The same 30-hour biennial CE obligation, the same 16-hour clinical minimum, and the same 50% live-and-interactive requirement apply to every Colorado dentist regardless of degree title.
Are ADA CERP credits accepted in Colorado?
Yes. The Colorado Dental Board's CE page explicitly states that the Board AUTOMATICALLY accepts CE courses recognized by ADA CERP, AGD PACE, AMA PRA Category 1, and CODA-accredited institutions. Non-accredited CE courses must be pre-approved by the Board (request to dora_dentalboard@state.co.us).
Are there mandatory CE topics for dentist renewal in Colorado?
Yes. Within the 30-hour biennial total: at least 1 hour of Opioid/Substance Use Prevention Training each license period (every dentist regardless of licensure date, with non-prescriber/qualifying-board-cert exemption); and current BLS for Healthcare Providers (max 2 CE hrs, AHA standards, in-person skills test required). Sedation/anesthesia permit holders may apply 17-hr-per-5-year permit CE to the 30-hour license total. DEA-registered dentists are separately subject to the federal MATE Act 8-hour one-time SUD training.
Where can I check my Colorado dental license renewal date?
DORA maintains a public license-lookup search at apps.colorado.gov/dora/licensing/Lookup. The Colorado Dental Board's CE page at dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/CE displays the current CE rules, and DORA notifies licensees of upcoming renewal windows by email.

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Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. Colorado Dental Board — Continuing Education
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-05-05
    Show verbatim text
    “Every Dentist and Academic Dentist, regardless of the date of licensure, is required to complete at least 1 hour of training each license period to demonstrate competency on: Best practices for opioid prescribing...”CO Dental Board CE Page — Opioid/Substance Use Prevention Training
    “Maintaining current Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers is required for all dental licenses. Licensees will receive a maximum of 2 hours of CE credit for successful completion.”CO Dental Board CE Page — Basic Life Support
    “A Dentist renewing an anesthesia or sedation permit may apply CE credits specific to renewing their permit for anesthesia or sedation administration (17 hours every 5 years) to the 30 hours required to renew a license every 2 years. Anesthesia-related hours may only be applied to the license period in which they were completed.”CO Dental Board CE Page — Anesthesia and Sedation Permit

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CE requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the Colorado Dental Board, or any other state dental board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Dentists are solely responsible for verifying their own current CE requirements directly with their state dental board before relying on any information presented here.

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