Licensure, Renewal, and Continuing Education Requirements
This section covers how Nevada dentists, hygienists, and assistants obtain and keep licensure, and the continuing education rules the exam tests.
Initial licensure
Nevada dental licensure requires graduation from a Board-approved or accredited dental school, passing the national board examinations, passing a clinical competency examination accepted by the Board (or an approved residency pathway), and passing the Nevada jurisprudence examination. Applicants must disclose prior discipline and submit fingerprints for background checks. The Board may deny licensure for conduct that would be grounds for discipline.
Renewal and CE
Licenses renew biennially. Dentists and hygienists must complete the Board-required continuing education hours each cycle; Nevada's rule is 30 hours per biennium for dentists, including mandated subject areas such as infection control, and current BLS/CPR is required. Keep certificates for audit. Practicing on an expired license is unlicensed practice; late renewal may require a fee and proof of CE. Inactive status allows retention without practice, but reactivation requires compliance.
Worked example
A dentist lets her license lapse in June and continues seeing patients in July while her renewal is "processing." The Board treats the July treatment as unlicensed practice regardless of the pending paperwork. The defense "I paid the fee" fails; the license must be active when care is delivered.
Traps
Don't confuse CE hours for one cycle with annual hours, and don't assume a CE course counts just because it is dental-related; it must be Board-approved or accepted. Don't practice on a lapsed license during renewal. For hygienists and assistants, CE and renewal rules differ, so check the specific license type rather than applying dentist rules.