Renewal Information

The Board mails a reminder postcard to every license and permit holder approximately 90 days before their license or permit expires. Licenses expire during the second year of a two-year term, on the last day of the birth month of the licensee. [Business and Professions Code (BPC) § 1715.] If you were born in an even-numbered year, your license will expire during even-numbered years. If you were born in an odd-numbered year, your license will expire during odd-numbered years. There is no grace period for late renewal, although a delinquency fee will not be charged until the renewal is more than 30 days late.

Even if you do not receive a reminder postcard, you are responsible for renewing. A licensee who practices with an expired license is considered to be practicing without a license. This is a criminal offense. Your license will be displayed as “Delinquent” when a consumer conducts an online License Search. In addition, your license or permit will be cancelled if you fail to renew within five (5) years of the expiration date.

How to Renew

You must renew online using the BreEZe system at www.BreEZe.ca.gov. Renewals by mail are not accepted. If you do not have a BreEZe account, select New User to create one. You can link licenses and permits to your BreEZe account by selecting the Update Profile tab as shown below.

Renewal Processing Times

Online renewals are processed immediately unless there are missing requirements (deficiencies). Upon approval of the renewal, you will be mailed a new pocket or small wall Dentist License (or Fictitious Name Permit, Additional Office Permit, or Mobile Dental Clinic Permit). Please allow 2–3 weeks for mailing.

Digital copies of licenses are not available. However, your license or permit can be verified online at https://search.dca.ca.gov/.

Renew in Active or Inactive Status

When renewing a Dentist License, you must choose active or inactive status. Consider inactive status if you are discontinuing your clinical practice of dentistry and will stop offering dental services. There is no continuing education (CE) requirement to maintain an inactive license. [BPC § 703.]

Renewal Requirements

NOTE: Renewal requirements may be waived for active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

To renew your Dentist License in ACTIVE status, you must:

• Pay the Renewal Fee
• Satisfactorily complete the required Continuing Education (CE) units, that is, 50 hours of CE (including applicable mandatory courses) every two years.
  NOTE: CE is not required the first time you renew your license.
• Disclose any license discipline by a governmental agency or other disciplinary body and any criminal conviction(s) since the last renewal.
• Complete the HCAI Health Workforce Survey.
• Complete the Dental Workforce Survey.
• Submit fingerprints if required.
• Licensees required to submit fingerprints will be notified in writing.
• Fingerprinting for license renewal is only required once. However, you must answer "yes" on EVERY renewal application, acknowledging that you have furnished a full set of fingerprints.

To renew your license in INACTIVE status, CE is not required.

Renewal Fees

The table below includes the fees for Dentist License and permit renewal, as well as information on delinquency (late) fees.

* The amount includes the annual $9.00 CURES fee. For more information about CURES, visit Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System | State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General.

Reduced Dentist License Renewal Fee

When renewing your Dentist License, you may qualify for a reduced renewal fee if you meet all of the following requirements: [BPC § 1716.1.]

• You have practiced dentistry in California for 20 years or more.
• You have reached the age of retirement under the federal Social Security Act.
• You customarily provide your services free of charge or for a nominal charge. In no event may the aggregate of these charges in any single calendar year be in an amount that would render you ineligible for full Social Security benefits.

To request a reduced renewal fee, mail a completed Application for Reduced Dental License Renewal Fee form to the Board. When renewing and paying a reduced fee, you must renew in either active or inactive status. If your license is in inactive status, you are exempt from CE requirements. If your license is in active status but you are in uncompensated practice only, you are required to complete 30 units of CE every two years (instead of 50 hours). The 30 hours of CE must include mandatory courses and courses related directly to the delivery of dental services.

Waiver of 50% of Renewal Fee for Dentist with a Disability

A licensed dentist who is unable to practice dentistry due to a disability may also request a waiver of 50% of the renewal fee. The request may be submitted online at www.BreEZe.ca.gov or by mail. To submit by mail, mail a completed Disabled Dentist Application for Waiver of 50% of License Renewal Fee form to the Board. A licensed dentist granted a 50% waiver may not engage in the practice of dentistry unless and until they pay the current renewal fee in full and submit a completed Application to Remove Disabled Status from License form to the Board.

Required HCAI Health Workforce Survey

Effective July 1, 2022, all boards that regulate healing arts licensees are required to request workforce data at the time of license renewal. [BPC § 502.] The required workforce data will be used to inform stakeholders and develop workforce policy. The Department of Consumer Affairs has partnered with the Department of Healthcare Access and Information (HCAI) to collect the data, including the following information:

• Anticipated year of retirement
• Area of practice or specialty
• Location of practice
• Educational background
• Gender or gender identity
• Hours spent in direct patient care
• Languages spoken
• National Provider Identifier
• Ethnicity and/or race
• Practice setting
• Sexual orientation
• Work hours
• Disability status

When renewing online, you will be prompted to provide this data by completing the HCAI survey. You are not required to answer the questions, but you must indicate “decline to state” for questions you do not answer.

Required Dental Workforce Survey

Effective January 1, 2009, the Board is required to collect data from dental professionals upon license renewal. The purpose is to identify areas in California that are underserved by professionals with cultural or linguistic competencies. [BPC § 1715.5.] The data includes the following information:

• Completion of any advanced educational programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation in a dental specialty recognized by the American Dental Association. [BPC § 1715.5(a).]
• Practice or employment status. [BPC § 1715.5(b).]
• Information regarding cultural background and foreign language proficiency. [BPC § 1715.5(d).]

When renewing online, you will be prompted to enter this information by completing the dental workforce survey. You may decline to provide the information regarding cultural background and foreign language proficiency, but you must indicate “decline to state” for questions you do not answer. All survey data is aggregated and posted annually on the Board’s website.

Renewal with a Continuing Education Waiver for Licensees with a Disability

If you have not practiced in California for more than one year due to a disability, you may renew your license without meeting the continuing education (CE) requirements. [CCR § 1017, subs. (m).] However, you must pay the required renewal fee. To obtain the CE Waiver, you must certify in writing that you are eligible for waiver of the continuing education requirements. We have provided a courtesy form, which can be found at the following link: Courtesy Form for CE Waiver

Please Note: A licensee who ceases to be eligible for such waiver shall notify the Board of such and shall comply with the continuing education requirements for subsequent renewal periods.

For information or assistance, call (916) 263-2300 or email DentalBoard@dca.ca.gov.