New Jersey State Board of Dentistry · DDS/DMD

New Jersey CE Requirements for Dentists (DDS/DMD)

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from NJSBD

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated July 4, 2026

Mandatory topics

For Dentists, 40 hours is the total CE requirement. New Jersey also names specific topics that must be covered, and each one is listed below.

CPR / BLS[1]
3 hrs
Biennial
3 hours hands-on AHA Healthcare Provider CPR including AED and rescue breathing.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Three hours of continuing education with practical hands-on certification for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which meets the American Heart Association certification standards for healthcare providers. The training shall include the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED), unconscious and conscious choking, and rescue breathing.”
N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.iSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Pharmacology[1]
3 hrs
Biennial
3 hours pharmacology and internal medicine including NJ PDMP.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Three hours of continuing education of pharmacology and internal medicine, which includes the appropriate use of analgesics, antibiotics, local anesthesia and agents to control anxiety, drug (medication) knowledge and interactions, prescription writing, abuse of prescriptions by patients, taking complete medical histories, and the use of the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program (NJPMP);”
N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.iiSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Infectious Disease[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
2 hours infection control covering disease transmission, occupational exposure prevention, dental water quality.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Two hours of continuing education in preventing and controlling infectious diseases and managing personnel health and safety concerns related to infection control in dental settings. Examples of such education include: modes of disease transmission and the chain of infection; strategies that can prevent occupational exposures to blood and bodily fluids; methods to ensure that patient-care items and environmental surfaces are safe for use; selection and use of safe dental devices and dental water quality assurance and practice monitoring; and evaluation of dental infection control programs;”
N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.iiiSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Professional Boundaries & Conduct[1]
1 hr
Biennial
1 hour professional ethics and NJ law including child abuse awareness and patient confidentiality.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“One hour of continuing education in professional ethics and New Jersey law concerning the practice of dentistry. Examples of such education include: dental ethics, professionalism, New Jersey jurisprudence, ethical issues concerning the abuse of prescriptions by patients, child abuse, competence and judgment, and patient confidentiality. The online New Jersey Jurisprudence orientation shall not satisfy this continuing education requirement; and”
N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.ivSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Opioid/Substance Use[1]
1 hr
Biennial
1 hour opioid prescription education on responsible prescribing, pain alternatives, and addiction/diversion risks. Newly licensed dentists face an earlier deadline for this same credit: it must be completed within 24 months of becoming licensed. That is a deadline on this requirement, not an additional credit — and it applies even though initial registrants are otherwise exempt from CE for their first registration period.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Pursuant to P.L. 2017, c. 28, one hour of continuing education in educational programs or topics concerning prescription opioid drugs, including responsible prescribing practices, alternatives to opioids for managing and treating pain, and the risks and signs of opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion. This one credit shall not be eligible for carry-over as described at (k) below.”
N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.vSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your New Jersey cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Accepted credit
Credit systemNotes
ADA CERP
ADA CERP-recognized providers accepted.Sourcehttps://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-13-30-5-1[1]
AGD PACE
AGD PACE-approved providers accepted.Sourcehttps://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-13-30-5-1[1]
Board-approved credit
Board-approved providers per N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.3.Sourcehttps://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-13-30-5-3[2]
Documentation & audit

Dentists are responsible for retaining CE documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.

Waivers & exemptions

Initial registration is exempt from CE per L.1991, c.490, s.5.

FAQ
How many CE hours do New Jersey dentists need?
40 hours every two years, of which 10 hours are mandatory: 3 CPR, 3 pharmacology/internal medicine (including NJ PMP), 2 infection control, 1 ethics/jurisprudence, and 1 opioid prescription education. The remaining 30 hours can be general dental CE. Up to 7 excess hours can carry over to the next biennium.
Does New Jersey treat DDS and DMD differently for CE purposes?
No. DDS and DMD are equivalent dental degrees, and the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry applies identical CE rules to both.
Are ADA CERP credits accepted in New Jersey?
Yes. ADA CERP-recognized providers and AGD PACE-approved providers are accepted under the Board's general approved-provider framework in N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.3.
Are there mandatory CE topics for dentist renewal in New Jersey?
Yes — 10 hours of mandatory topics in each biennium: CPR (3), pharmacology including NJ PMP (3), infection control (2), ethics and jurisprudence including child abuse (1), and opioid prescription education (1). The 1-hour opioid CE is universal, not limited to DEA registrants.
Where can I check my New Jersey dental license renewal date?
The New Jersey State Board of Dentistry maintains license records via the Division of Consumer Affairs portal at njconsumeraffairs.gov/den, with online renewal through newjersey.mylicense.com.

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Other roles in New Jersey

CE requirements for Dentists (DDS/DMD) 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. N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1 — Continuing Dental Education
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-05-11
    Show verbatim text
    “Three hours of continuing education with practical hands-on certification for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which meets the American Heart Association certification standards for healthcare providers. The training shall include the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED), unconscious and conscious choking, and rescue breathing.”N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.i
    “Three hours of continuing education of pharmacology and internal medicine, which includes the appropriate use of analgesics, antibiotics, local anesthesia and agents to control anxiety, drug (medication) knowledge and interactions, prescription writing, abuse of prescriptions by patients, taking complete medical histories, and the use of the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program (NJPMP);”N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.ii
    “Two hours of continuing education in preventing and controlling infectious diseases and managing personnel health and safety concerns related to infection control in dental settings. Examples of such education include: modes of disease transmission and the chain of infection; strategies that can prevent occupational exposures to blood and bodily fluids; methods to ensure that patient-care items and environmental surfaces are safe for use; selection and use of safe dental devices and dental water quality assurance and practice monitoring; and evaluation of dental infection control programs;”N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.iii
    “One hour of continuing education in professional ethics and New Jersey law concerning the practice of dentistry. Examples of such education include: dental ethics, professionalism, New Jersey jurisprudence, ethical issues concerning the abuse of prescriptions by patients, child abuse, competence and judgment, and patient confidentiality. The online New Jersey Jurisprudence orientation shall not satisfy this continuing education requirement; and”N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.iv
    “Pursuant to P.L. 2017, c. 28, one hour of continuing education in educational programs or topics concerning prescription opioid drugs, including responsible prescribing practices, alternatives to opioids for managing and treating pain, and the risks and signs of opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion. This one credit shall not be eligible for carry-over as described at (k) below.”N.J.A.C. 13:30-5.1(e)1.v
  2. https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-13-30-5-3
    Source

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 New Jersey State 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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