West Virginia Board of Dentistry · DDS/DMD

35 hours. Every two years. On a fixed renewal cycle.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from WVBD~4 min read

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

Mandatory topics

For Dentists, 35 hours is the total CME requirement. West Virginia also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 35-hour total.

Infectious Disease[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Licensed dentists must complete 2 hours of infection control training each CE reporting period (W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.5.4). Counts within the 35-hour biennial total, not additive. Current rule version (reporting deadline February 1, 2026, and every two years thereafter); in the superseded prior version infection control was folded into the § 3.5.3 menu.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“3.5.4. Licensed dentists and dental hygienists shall complete 2 hours of infection control training during each reporting period.”
W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.5.4See source [1] in Primary Sources
CPR / BLS[1]
0 hrs
Ongoing
Current basic-life-support (CPR/AED) certification required each CE reporting period (W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.5.5); the certification may itself be counted as CE credits. Modeled as a 0-hour certification-maintenance mandate, not an additional CE-hour requirement.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Certification is required each continuing education period, and the certification may be counted as continuing education credits.”
W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.5.5See 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.

ConditionalOpioid/Substance Use[1]
3 hrs
One-time

Dentists upon initial licensure

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Each dental applicant upon initial licensure shall complete at least 3 hours of continuing education regarding drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training and training on prescribing and administration of an opioid antagonist within one year of receiving his or her initial dental license from the Board.”
W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.2.1See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, West Virginia 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
Board-approved credit
Course must be offered by a Board approved provider and designed to enhance the licensee's clinical knowledge and ability to treat dental patients.Sourcehttps://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/readfile.aspx?DocId=58000&Format=WORD[2]
ADA / Constituent Societies
American Dental Association and its constituent or component societies approved as Board providers per W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.3.2.c.Sourcehttps://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/readfile.aspx?DocId=58000&Format=WORD[2]
AGD / Component Societies
Academy of General Dentistry or its component societies approved per W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.3.2.l.Sourcehttps://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/readfile.aspx?DocId=58000&Format=WORD[2]
Accredited Dental Schools
Accredited dental or dental hygiene schools approved per W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.3.2.a.Sourcehttps://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/readfile.aspx?DocId=58000&Format=WORD[2]
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

Newly licensed dentists are exempt from CE requirements for, and are considered in compliance through, the end of the first CE reporting period following initial licensure.

A dentist who is a graduate student in an approved dental specialty program, dental internship/residency, or related dental or medical degree program need not complete the rule's CE requirements, but must still complete the 3-hr drug-diversion/controlled-substance/opioid-antagonist training and the basic-life-support certification.

The Board may excuse a licensee from all or part of the CE requirements due to unusual circumstance, emergency, or special hardship.

FAQ
Does West Virginia treat DDS and DMD differently for CE purposes?
No. DDS and DMD are equivalent dental degrees, and the West Virginia Board of Dentistry applies identical CE rules to both.
Are ADA CERP credits accepted in West Virginia?
The Board approves courses sponsored by the American Dental Association and its constituent or component societies, the Academy of General Dentistry and its component societies, ADA-recognized specialty societies, accredited dental schools, and the other providers enumerated in W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.3.2. Programs from these sponsors are accepted directly under the Board's approved-provider framework.
Are there mandatory CE topics for dentist renewal in West Virginia?
The recurring biennial 35-hour total does not carve out specific topical hour mandates for general renewal. The 3-hour drug diversion / best practice prescribing / opioid antagonist training is a one-time obligation tied to initial dental licensure (§ 5-11-3.2.1). DEA-registered dentists are also subject to the federal MATE Act 8-hour SUD training as a separate federal obligation.
Where can I check my West Virginia dental license renewal date?
West Virginia dental license renewal is not tied to an individual license date — every license runs on a fixed statewide anchor. Renewal filings are due on or before February 1 each year, and a license expires on February 1 if a current renewal certificate is not secured by that day (W. Va. CSR § 5-1-6.1). The CE reporting period is likewise fixed: it ends February 1 of even-numbered years (§ 5-11-3.4.5). The West Virginia Board of Dentistry maintains license records at wvbde.org; direct contact with the Board is recommended for current renewal status.

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Other roles in West Virginia

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. https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/west-virginia/W-Va-C-S-R-SS-5-11-3
    Source
    Show verbatim text
    “3.5.4. Licensed dentists and dental hygienists shall complete 2 hours of infection control training during each reporting period.”W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.5.4
    “Certification is required each continuing education period, and the certification may be counted as continuing education credits.”W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.5.5
    “Each dental applicant upon initial licensure shall complete at least 3 hours of continuing education regarding drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training and training on prescribing and administration of an opioid antagonist within one year of receiving his or her initial dental license from the Board.”W. Va. CSR § 5-11-3.2.1 · Effective 2025-05-06
  2. W. Va. CSR Title 5, Series 11 — Continuing Education Requirements (West Virginia Board of Dentistry, effective May 6, 2025)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-05-03

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 West Virginia 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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