Georgia Board of Dentistry · DDS/DMD

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

Below is exactly what Georgia Board of Dentistry requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from GBD~7 min read

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated May 5, 2026

Mandatory topics

For Dentists, 40 hours is the total CME requirement. Georgia also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 40-hour total.

Infectious Disease[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Effective January 1, 2024, 2 hours of the minimum 40-hour biennial requirement must include education and training regarding infection control in the practice of dentistry, including dental unit water lines. Counts within the 40-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Effective on and after January 1, 2024, two (2) hours of the minimum requirement shall include education and training regarding infection control in the practice of dentistry, which shall include education and training regarding dental unit water lines”
GA Rule 150-3-.09(3)(d) (current GAC compilation, eff. 2024-01-01)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Opioid/Substance Use[2]
1 hr
Biennial
1 hour of the minimum 40-hour biennial requirement must include the impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, and/or the use of opioids in dental practice. Counts within the 40-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“One (1) hour of the minimum requirement shall include the impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, and/or the use of opioids in dental practice”
GA Rule 150-3-.09(3)(e) in the current compilation; was (3)(d) prior to the 2024 amendment — identical text, renumbered only.See source [2] in Primary Sources
Legal & Risk Management[2]
1 hr
Biennial
Effective on and after January 1, 2022, 1 hour of the minimum requirement must include legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistry — including professional boundaries, sexual misconduct, legislative updates, professional conduct and ethics, billing practices, professional liability, and risk management. Counts within the 40-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Effective on and after January 1, 2022, one (1) hour of the minimum requirement shall include legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistry”
GA Rule 150-3-.09(3)(f) in the current compilation; was (3)(e) prior to the 2024 amendment — identical text, renumbered only.See source [2] in Primary Sources
CPR / BLS[2]
4 hrs
Biennial
Up to 4 credit hours for successful completion of the in-person CPR course required by Georgia law may be used to satisfy CE requirements per renewal period. May be satisfied by in-person BLS or ACLS. CPR/BLS/ACLS courses must be in-person, from approved providers (AHA, ARC, ASHI, NSC, EMS Safety Services, or other Board-approved agencies).
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Four (4) credit hours for successful completion of the in-person CPR course required by Georgia law may be used to satisfy continuing education requirements per renewal period. This requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of an in-person Basic Life Support (BLS) or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) course”
GA Rule 150-3-.09(3)(c) — subsection letter unchanged by the 2024 amendment; identical text in the current compilation.See source [2] in Primary Sources
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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Georgia 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 customarily accepted.
AGD PACE
AGD PACE-approved providers customarily accepted.
Board-approved credit
min 30 hrs
At least 30 of the required 40 biennial hours must be clinical courses in the actual delivery of dental services to the patient or to the community. Documentation must be from an approved provider that verifies attendance.Sourcehttps://gbd.georgia.gov/document/laws-policies-rules/rule-150-3-09-amended/download[2]
Board-approved credit
min 20 hrs
Effective January 1, 2008, at least 20 of the required 40 hours of credit must be acquired in person at an on-site course or seminar. All-online/electronic/journal-only compliance is prohibited. The 2024-2025 biennium ended COVID-era virtual substitution; live-virtual courses are no longer accepted in lieu of in-person hours.Sourcehttps://gbd.georgia.gov/document/laws-policies-rules/rule-150-3-09-amended/download[2]
Documentation & audit

Records retention: 3 years following end of biennium during which course was taken.

Waivers & exemptions

Dentists whose licenses are on inactive status are exempt from continuing education requirements.

First-biennium alternative compliance — newly licensed Georgia dentists in their first biennium may submit dental coursework taken within the previous 2 years from a CODA-accredited (or successor) university or institution as their CE hours, in lieu of standard CE. After the first biennium, standard Rule 150-3-.09(2)–(3) applies.

FAQ
Does Georgia 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 Georgia, and the Georgia Board of Dentistry licenses both under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 11. The same 40-hour biennial CE obligation and the same 30-hour clinical-science floor apply to every Georgia dentist regardless of degree title.
Are ADA CERP credits accepted in Georgia?
ADA CERP-recognized providers and AGD PACE-approved providers are customarily accepted by the Georgia Board of Dentistry, alongside courses from CODA-accredited dental schools and dental association programs. The full provider acceptance list lives in Rule 150-3-.09, which Atlas has not yet fully confirmed against this specific list. Documentation must come from an approved provider that verifies attendance.
Are there mandatory CE topics for dentist renewal in Georgia?
Yes. Per Rule 150-3-.09(3), within the 40-hour biennial total dentists must complete: 2 hours of infection control, including dental unit water lines (effective 1/1/2024); 1 hour of opioid CE (impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, and/or use of opioids in dental practice); 1 hour of legal ethics and professionalism (effective 1/1/2022, scope includes professional boundaries, sexual misconduct, legislative updates, billing practices, professional liability, risk management); and up to 4 hours of in-person CPR/BLS/ACLS may count. There is also a 30-hour clinical-science floor and a 20-hour in-person floor. DEA-registered dentists are separately subject to the federal MATE Act 8-hour SUD training.
Where can I check my Georgia dental license renewal date?
The Georgia Secretary of State's professional licensing verification at verify.sos.ga.gov displays Georgia dental license status and expiration. The Georgia Board of Dentistry page at gbd.georgia.gov has current CE rules and renewal information.

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Other roles in Georgia

Dentists (DDS/DMD) CME requirements in other states

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. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 150-3-.09 — current official GAC compilation (through June 16, 2026; capture georgia/dentist/gac-150-3-.09)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-03
    Show verbatim text
    “Effective on and after January 1, 2024, two (2) hours of the minimum requirement shall include education and training regarding infection control in the practice of dentistry, which shall include education and training regarding dental unit water lines”GA Rule 150-3-.09(3)(d) (current GAC compilation, eff. 2024-01-01)
  2. Rule 150-3-.09 — Continuing Education for Dentists
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-05-05
    Show verbatim text
    “One (1) hour of the minimum requirement shall include the impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, and/or the use of opioids in dental practice”GA Rule 150-3-.09(3)(e) in the current compilation; was (3)(d) prior to the 2024 amendment — identical text, renumbered only.
    “Effective on and after January 1, 2022, one (1) hour of the minimum requirement shall include legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistry”GA Rule 150-3-.09(3)(f) in the current compilation; was (3)(e) prior to the 2024 amendment — identical text, renumbered only.
    “Four (4) credit hours for successful completion of the in-person CPR course required by Georgia law may be used to satisfy continuing education requirements per renewal period. This requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of an in-person Basic Life Support (BLS) or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) course”GA Rule 150-3-.09(3)(c) — subsection letter unchanged by the 2024 amendment; identical text in the current compilation.

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 Georgia Board of Dentistry, 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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