Guide to Obtaining a Dental License in South Carolina

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South Carolina offers one of the more comprehensive dental licensing frameworks in the Southeast, with six distinct pathways covering new graduates, experienced out-of-state clinicians, academic faculty, retired volunteers, and internationally trained dentists seeking to contribute in approved settings. A one-time abuse and neglect course applies to all licensees, and the credentials pathway carries a continuing education requirement tied to a five-year window — one of the longer lookback periods in the country. 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 21 years old
  • Be of good moral character
  • Hold a degree from a CODA-accredited dental school
  • Pass the NBDE Parts I & II, or the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE)
  • Pass a clinical examination accepted by the South Carolina Board of Dentistry
  • Hold a current CPR certification

The Six Pathways

1. Initial Licensure by Examination

The standard route for new dental graduates, South Carolina accepts five regional clinical examinations — one of the broader lists of accepted boards in the country — giving candidates strong flexibility in which exam they sit for.

Requirements:

  • Completion of all general requirements listed above
  • Passing score on one of the following clinical examinations accepted by the South Carolina Board of Dentistry: ADEX, SRTA, CRDTS, WREB, or CDCA-WREB-CITA
  • Passing score on the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination

Steps to licensure: Create an account and complete the online application through the South Carolina Board of Dentistry’s website. Submit official transcripts from your dental school, NBDE/INBDE scores, clinical examination results, and proof of current CPR certification. Pay the required application and licensing fees, pass the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination, and complete a criminal background check.

2. Licensure by Credentials

South Carolina’s credentials pathway is available to experienced out-of-state dentists who have been in active clinical practice, but it carries one of the more demanding continuing education prerequisites in the country. Fourteen hours of CE per year for each of the five years preceding your application amounts to 70 hours total — a threshold that rewards consistent, ongoing professional development throughout your career.

Requirements:

  • A current, active dental license in good standing in another U.S. state
  • At least five years of active clinical dental practice immediately preceding your application
  • At least 14 hours of continuing education per year for each of the five years prior to application
  • Passing score on the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination

Steps to licensure: Submit a completed application through the South Carolina Board of Dentistry’s website 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, and certificates of CE completion for each of the five preceding years. Pass the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination and complete a criminal background check.

If your CE records from prior years are not well-organized, begin gathering that documentation early — verifying five years of CE history can take longer than anticipated.

3. Teaching License

South Carolina’s teaching license is available to dentists holding a full-time faculty appointment at a South Carolina dental school. This license is institution-specific — it authorizes practice only in connection with teaching duties at the designated school and does not grant independent clinical practice rights outside that setting.

Requirements:

  • Graduation from a CODA-accredited dental school
  • A full-time faculty appointment at a South Carolina dental school
  • Passing score on the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination

Steps to licensure: Complete the online application and submit the required fee and documentation of your full-time faculty appointment. Pass the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination and complete a criminal background check.

4. Volunteer License

South Carolina’s volunteer license provides a formal pathway for retired dentists who want to continue serving patients in a non-compensated capacity at approved settings. It’s a meaningful option for those stepping back from active practice without stepping away from patient care entirely.

Requirements:

  • A current or prior valid, unrestricted dental license in South Carolina or another U.S. state
  • Agreement to provide services without compensation in approved settings only
  • Passing score on the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination

Steps to licensure: Complete the online application and submit the required documentation of your current or prior licensure. Pass the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination and complete a criminal background check.

5. Restricted Volunteer License

South Carolina’s restricted volunteer license is a distinctive pathway designed specifically for internationally trained dentists who wish to contribute dental services in approved settings. Rather than requiring full U.S. licensure credentials, this pathway focuses on educational equivalency and a commitment to practicing only within specifically approved environments.

Requirements:

  • Graduation from a dental program considered equivalent to CODA-accredited programs
  • Agreement to practice only in specific, Board-approved settings
  • Passing score on the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination

Steps to licensure: Complete the online application and submit documentation of your dental degree and its equivalency to CODA standards. Pass the South Carolina Jurisprudence Examination and complete a criminal background check.

6. Specialty License

South Carolina formally recognizes dental specialties and offers a dedicated specialty license for dentists who have completed advanced postdoctoral training in a recognized specialty area. This pathway builds on the general licensure requirements and adds specialty-specific credentialing on top.

Requirements:

  • Satisfaction of all requirements for general dentistry licensure in South Carolina
  • Completion of a CODA-accredited specialty training program
  • Passing score on the applicable specialty board examination

Steps to licensure: Submit a completed specialty license application along with all documentation required for general licensure, proof of specialty program completion, and your specialty board examination scores. Pay the required application and licensing fees and complete a criminal background check.

Maintaining Your License

South Carolina dental licenses must be renewed biennially by March 1st of odd-numbered years, with 28 hours of continuing education required per renewal period. Two mandatory topic areas apply at every renewal cycle:

  • 2 hours on infection control
  • 2 hours on opioid prescribing practices — required for dentists who hold a controlled substance registration

All licensees must also maintain a current CPR certification throughout their time in practice.

One additional one-time requirement applies to all South Carolina dental licensees: a 3-hour course on the identification and reporting of abuse and neglect must be completed as part of the initial licensure process. This is a standalone requirement and does not need to be repeated at renewal.

Dentists who provide sedation services must also comply with the South Carolina Board of Dentistry’s sedation rules. Review these requirements carefully and ensure you have the appropriate approvals in place before offering any sedation services in your practice.

For the most current requirements, fee schedules, and application materials, visit the South Carolina Board of Dentistry website or contact their office directly. Requirements are subject to change, and confirming the latest details before you apply is always the right first step.