Vermont Board of Dental Examiners · DDS/DMD

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

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from VBDE~6 min read

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

Mandatory topics

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

Airway[1]
Hrs vary
Biennial
Completion of a course in emergency office procedures (as defined in Rule 21(m)) is required for license renewal — required even within the first two years of practice in Vermont. Counts within the 30-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Emergency Office Procedures Completion of a course in emergency office procedures as defined in Rule 21(m) is required for license renewal.”
04-080 Vt. Code R. § 4.16See source [1] in Primary Sources
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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.

ConditionalGeneral CME[1]
100 hrs
Quinquennial

Dentists who do not meet the 800-hours-of-active-practice-over-5-years minimum

View sourceVerbatim from source
“engage in active practice, for at least 800 hours, or accumulate 100 continuing education credits approved by the Board in practice related subjects during the previous five years”
04-080 Vt. Code R. § 4.11See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Vermont 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 explicitly accepted.Sourcehttps://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/vermont/04-080-Code-Vt-R-04-030-080-X[1]
AGD PACE
AGD PACE-approved providers explicitly accepted.Sourcehttps://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/vermont/04-080-Code-Vt-R-04-030-080-X[1]
Board-approved credit
ADA, ADHA, constituent dental societies, CODA-accredited schools accepted.Sourcehttps://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/vermont/04-080-Code-Vt-R-04-030-080-X[1]
Documentation & audit

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

Waivers & exemptions

First-two-years exemption — except for emergency office procedures, the 30-hour-per-2-year CE requirement shall apply only to renewals AFTER an applicant's initial two years of practice in Vermont. New Vermont dentists are not required to complete the standard 30-hour CE total during their first biennium of practice; emergency office procedures CE remains required even during this window.

FAQ
Does Vermont require opioid prescribing CE for general dentists?
No state-level opioid prescribing CE is required for general dentist license renewal under the current 04-080 Vt. Code R. as indexed at Cornell LII. DEA-registered Vermont dentists remain subject to the federal MATE Act's one-time 8-hour substance use disorder training as a separate federal overlay.
Does Vermont treat DDS and DMD differently for CE purposes?
No. DDS and DMD are equivalent dental degrees, and the Vermont Board of Dental Examiners applies identical CE rules to both.
Are ADA CERP credits accepted in Vermont?
Yes. ADA CERP and AGD PACE accreditation are explicitly named in 04-080 Vt. Code R. § 4.13(d) as approved sponsor categories — uncommon clarity in primary rule text. Practice management courses ARE accepted under § 4.13(e) if they contribute to patient-care knowledge (e.g., ethics, billing/coding, dental-team communication, record-keeping). Many narrowly business or personal-development topics are explicitly disallowed under § 4.13(f).
Are there mandatory CE topics for dentist renewal in Vermont?
Yes — every dentist must complete an emergency office procedures course within the 30-hour biennial total under § 4.16. Conscious sedation endorsement holders must additionally complete 6 hours of CE in conscious sedation per licensing period under § 5.18. Sedation endorsement holders face substantial initial-training requirements (60 hrs + 10 patients for conscious sedation per §§ 5.11–5.12; 12 months residency for general anesthesia).
Where can I check my Vermont dental license renewal date?
The Vermont Office of Professional Regulation maintains license records and online renewal at sos.vermont.gov. Documentation must be retained for 7 years given the Board's extended audit window.

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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. 04-080 Code Vt. R. 04-030-080-X — Vermont Board of Dental Examiners
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-05-05
    Show verbatim text
    “Emergency Office Procedures Completion of a course in emergency office procedures as defined in Rule 21(m) is required for license renewal.”04-080 Vt. Code R. § 4.16
    “engage in active practice, for at least 800 hours, or accumulate 100 continuing education credits approved by the Board in practice related subjects during the previous five years”04-080 Vt. Code R. § 4.11

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 Vermont Board of Dental Examiners, 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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