Dentist Licensure Requirements in Oregon

The ADA lists four accepted routes for the clinical exam: the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) examination as administered by CDCA-WREB-CITA, CRDTS combined with SRTA performed on manikins or patients, the Delaware Practical Board exam, or DLOSCE.

An applicant must pass a Board-administered clinical examination, or any clinical Board examination administered by any state, regional testing agency, national testing agency, or other Board-recognized testing agency.

Clinical examination results are recognized by the Board for five years.

Every applicant files with the Oregon Board of Dentistry, pays the application and examination fee, discloses any criminal convictions, and presents evidence of graduating from a board-approved, CODA-accredited dental program.

An applicant must be 18 or older and hold certification of passing the dental examination administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations or the Canadian National Dental Examining Board Examination.

Graduates of dental schools outside the U.S. or Canada qualify by completing at least two years of a CODA-accredited predoctoral program and demonstrating English proficiency.

Applicants must also pass a jurisprudence portion administered by the Board and, prior to initial licensure, a one-hour Oregon-specific pain management course; anyone who fails a Board-approved clinical exam three times must successfully complete the remedial training recommended by the testing agency, conducted by a CODA-accredited dental school, before retaking it.

The Board may grant a license without further examination to a dentist holding a license in another state who meets Oregon's general qualifications, holds an active, unrestricted license in that state, and has passed a clinical exam through a regional, state, or national testing agency.

The applicant must also show at least 3,500 hours of licensed clinical practice (which can include CODA-accredited dental school teaching) in the five years before applying, plus 40 hours of continuing education in the two years before applying.

Credentialed applicants must pass the Board's jurisprudence exam and complete the one-hour Oregon pain management course before initial licensure.

Each dentist must complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years, directly related to clinical patient care or dental public health, and keep records for at least four licensure years (the licensure year runs April 1 through March 31).

Within that 40 hours, at least three hours must cover medical emergencies in a dental office, two hours infection control, two hours cultural competency, and — for dentists placing implants — seven hours on implant placement or restoration; no more than 12 hours may come from teaching or scientific sessions, no more than 6 hours from certain listed alternative activities, and no more than 4 hours from Practice Management and Patient Relations.

Every renewal also requires the one-hour Oregon pain management course.

Renewal applications and fees are due by March 31 every other year for dentists, on the licensee's odd- or even-year renewal cycle.

A dentist may advertise as a specialist only after completing a CODA-accredited postdoctoral residency of at least two years, being recognized as a specialist by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards, or completing a Department of Education-recognized advanced program of at least two years.

The Board recognizes twelve specialties, including Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, and Prosthodontics.

A dentist who already holds an Oregon license can be certified as a specialist by being a diplomate or fellow of an ADA-recognized specialty board or by completing a CODA-approved postgraduate program.

A dentist without a current Oregon license who wants to practice as a specialist must additionally hold active general-dentist licensure earned through a clinical exam, pass the national board exam, complete a CODA-accredited specialty program, and pass the Board's jurisprudence exam.

That applicant is issued the specialty license upon passing a Board-approved specialty exam within the preceding five years, or, if the specialty exam was passed more than five years earlier, upon showing at least 3,500 hours of licensed clinical practice in that specialty in the preceding five years plus 40 hours of continuing education in the preceding two years; a license issued under this pathway is limited to the practice of that specialty only.