Guide to Obtaining a Dental License in Kentucky

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Kentucky offers three pathways to dental licensure, with a framework that includes several distinctive requirements worth understanding before you begin. The examination pathway accepts only two clinical examinations — one of the narrower lists in the country — and the credentials pathway carries a substantial continuing education prerequisite of 60 hours within just two years. Kentucky’s renewal CE requirements also include a domestic violence course on a ten-year cycle, a mandate you won’t encounter in most other states. Here’s a full breakdown of what each pathway requires.

General Requirements

All applicants, regardless of pathway, must meet the following baseline criteria:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Be of good moral character and professional standing
  • Hold a degree from a CODA-accredited dental school
  • Pass all required examinations for their chosen pathway
  • Hold a current CPR certification

The Three Pathways

1. Examination Pathway

The standard route for new dental graduates, Kentucky accepts only two regional clinical examinations — ADEX and SRTA. If you’re planning ahead, confirm that the exam you intend to sit for is on Kentucky’s accepted list before scheduling your board.

Requirements:

  • Graduation from a CODA-accredited dental school
  • Passing scores on the NBDE Parts I & II, or the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE)
  • Passing score on one of the following clinical examinations accepted by the Kentucky Board of Dentistry: ADEX or SRTA
  • Passing score on the Kentucky Jurisprudence Examination

Steps to licensure: Submit a completed application to the Kentucky Board of Dentistry along with the required fee. Provide official transcripts from your dental school, NBDE/INBDE scores, clinical examination results, and proof of current CPR certification. Pass the Kentucky Jurisprudence Examination and complete a criminal background check.

2. Licensure by Credentials

Kentucky’s credentials pathway is designed for experienced out-of-state dentists, but it sets a high bar for continuing education that must be met before you apply — not after. Sixty hours of CE within the two years preceding your application is among the highest pre-application CE thresholds in the country. If your CE hours are not current, address that well in advance.

Requirements:

  • A current, active dental license in good standing in another U.S. state or territory
  • Active dental practice for at least five of the ten years immediately preceding your application
  • At least 60 hours of continuing education completed in the two years prior to application
  • A certificate of good standing from each state where you hold or have held a license
  • Passing score on the Kentucky Jurisprudence Examination

Steps to licensure: Submit a completed application along with the required fee. Provide verification of licensure from all states where you hold or have held a dental license, documentation of your active practice history, certificates of CE completion, and a certificate of good standing from each relevant licensing state. Pass the Kentucky Jurisprudence Examination and complete a criminal background check.

The five-of-ten-year practice window is broader than many states, giving dentists with non-consecutive practice periods more flexibility — but the 60-hour CE requirement within the preceding two years is non-negotiable and demands consistent recent professional development.

3. Faculty License

Kentucky’s faculty license is available to dentists holding full-time faculty appointments at CODA-accredited dental schools in the state. It requires a current license in another U.S. state or territory, making it accessible to experienced clinicians transitioning into academic roles from active practice elsewhere.

Requirements:

  • Full-time faculty employment at a CODA-accredited dental school in Kentucky
  • A dental degree from a CODA-accredited institution
  • A current dental license in at least one other U.S. state or territory
  • Passing score on the Kentucky Jurisprudence Examination

Steps to licensure: Submit a completed application along with the required fee and documentation of your full-time faculty appointment, dental degree credentials, and current out-of-state license. Pass the Kentucky Jurisprudence Examination and complete a criminal background check.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Kentucky dental licenses must be renewed annually by December 31, with 30 hours of continuing education required over each two-year period. Kentucky’s CE requirements are among the more structured in the country, with the following mandatory components:

  • 10 hours must be completed through live, interactive courses — self-study alone is not sufficient to meet this component
  • 1.5 hours on prescription opioid abuse
  • 3 hours on domestic violence — required once every ten years rather than at every renewal cycle

The live interactive requirement is a Kentucky-specific mandate that affects how you structure your CE plan. Not all online courses qualify — verify the format of any course before completing it for credit. The domestic violence course, while only required once per decade, should be tracked carefully so it doesn’t slip through the cracks at the appropriate renewal cycle.

Additional Considerations

Temporary charitable limited licenses: Kentucky offers temporary charitable limited licenses for dentists providing volunteer dental services in specific circumstances. Contact the Kentucky Board of Dentistry directly for details on eligibility and the application process for this license type.

Foreign-trained dentists: If your dental degree was earned outside the United States, your credentials must be evaluated by a board-approved credentialing agency. Depending on your background, you may also be required to complete additional education at a CODA-accredited dental program before becoming eligible for licensure in Kentucky.

For the most current requirements, fee schedules, and application materials, contact the Kentucky Board of Dentistry directly:

312 Whittington Parkway, Suite 101 Louisville, KY 40222 Phone: (502) 429-7280 Email: [email protected] Website: dentistry.ky.gov

Requirements are subject to change, and confirming the latest details with the Board before you apply is always the right first step.