Colorado Board of Dentistry

The Colorado Dental Board operates within the Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO), part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). The Board licenses and regulates dentists, academic dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists practicing in Colorado.

The Board traces its origin to 1889, when the State Board of Dental Examiners was created; the name changed to the Colorado Dental Board in 2013.

Board structure

The Board is led by a Chair and Vice Chair and is organized into two six-member hearing panels — Panel A and Panel B — each with its own panel chair and vice chair. Seats are held by licensed dentists and dental hygienists along with public members; as of this writing one Panel A public-member seat is vacant. A separate five-member Anesthesia Application Consultant Committee, composed of dentists, reviews applications for the Board's anesthesia and sedation permits.

The Colorado Dental Board issues licenses to the following practitioner types:

• Dentists (license prefix: DEN)
• Academic Dentists — a dentist license limited to practice within an accredited dental education, training, or research program
• Dental Therapists
• Dental Hygienists (license prefix: DH)

The Board also issues specialty permits on top of a base license:

• Local Anesthesia — for dental hygienists and dental therapists
• Interim Therapeutic Restorations — for dental hygienists
• Dental Anesthesia Permits — for dentists and academic dentists, in three tiers: Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia (GEN), Moderate Sedation (MODS), and Minimal Sedation (MINS). Permits expire 5 years from issuance and require the holder to maintain an active Dentist or Academic Dentist license

Volunteer and research practice

Dentists or dental hygienists licensed in good standing by other states may provide care as a volunteer or participate in an educational or research program at the invitation of any group of licensed dentists or hygienists in Colorado who are in good standing, so long as such practice is limited to five consecutive days in a twelve-month period and the name of each participating person is submitted to the Board in writing, on a Board-approved form, at least ten days before the person performs such practice.

Colorado dental license applications are submitted online through the DPO's Online Services system at apps2.colorado.gov/dora/licensing/default.aspx, where dentists, academic dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists can apply by examination, endorsement, or (for dentists) telehealth method. Application forms and instructions are indexed at dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/Applications.

What a dentist applicant typically provides

• Passing scores on Part I and Part II of the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE), sent directly by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations
• A passing score on a regional clinical licensure exam — WREB, CRDTS, ADEX, or SRTA — or the Canadian OSCE in lieu of a clinical exam
• An official transcript sent directly from an accredited dental school
• Proof of professional liability insurance meeting Colorado Revised Statutes, or a qualifying exemption under Colorado Dental Board Rule II
• A completed Healthcare Professions Profile (HPPP), required of all Colorado healthcare licensees as part of the online application
• Responses to criminal-history and general screening questions, with supporting documentation as needed

Processing typically takes several weeks once a complete application is received; the Division communicates with applicants primarily by email, so applicants should keep the email address on file current. New applicants issued a license within 120 days of the next renewal expiration date are issued that later expiration date rather than the closer one.

Out-of-state licensees

The online application system offers an endorsement method for dentists already licensed in another state, in addition to licensure by examination. Specific endorsement eligibility criteria are presented during the online application; applicants with questions can contact the Division at dora_dpo_licensing@state.co.us.

All Dentists, Academic Dentists, Dental Therapists, and Dental Hygienists with an active Colorado license must complete at least 30 hours of continuing education (CE) during each two-year license period. Compliance audits are conducted after each license period.

Pro-rated requirements for new licensees

Standards for the full 30-hour requirement

• At least 16 of the 30 hours (8 of the 15, for a pro-rated first renewal) must be clinical or science-based
• At least 50% of all CE hours must be live and interactive, including web-based courses that allow real-time questions and answers
• A course presenter may claim credit for hours presented, up to 6 total credits per license period
• CE tied to renewing an anesthesia or sedation permit (17 hours every 5 years) may also count toward the 30-hour license renewal requirement, but only for the period in which it was completed
• CODA-accredited dental residency coursework counts, at a rate of 1 academic credit = 10 CE hours

Basic Life Support (BLS)

Maintaining current Basic Life Support certification for healthcare providers is required for every dental license. Successful completion earns up to 2 CE hours (these hours cannot be applied to an anesthesia permit renewal). Initial BLS training must include at least 3 hours of instruction with skills practice and testing; renewal courses require at least 2 hours.

Opioid / substance-use-prevention training

Every Dentist and Academic Dentist, regardless of license date, must complete at least 1 hour per license period on opioid-prescribing best practices, benzodiazepine prescribing, recognizing and referring substance use disorders, and use of the state's electronic prescription drug monitoring program. Licensees are exempt if they hold a national board certification requiring equivalent training, or if they attest to the Board that they do not prescribe opioids.

Limited exceptions exist for emergency/hardship circumstances (written request to the Board at least 45 days before renewal) and for military service members, via the Military License Renewal Information page.

The Colorado Dental Board regulates four practitioner license types — dentists, academic dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists — each with a scope of practice defined by the Dentists, Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists Practice Act and the Board's rules.

Current Board rules are published through the Colorado Secretary of State's Code of Colorado Regulations at sos.state.co.us, and the Practice Act and Board policies are available at dpo.colorado.gov/Dental/Laws.

Complaints against Colorado dental licensees are handled by the Division of Professions and Occupations. There are two ways to file:

• Online, through the Online Services complaint portal at apps2.colorado.gov/dora/licensing/Activities/Complaint.aspx
• By mail, using the downloadable Healthcare Related Complaint Form, sent with supporting documentation to Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Professions and Occupations, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350, Denver, CO 80202

Create an online account before filing so you can track your complaint. All information you submit — including your identity as the Complainant — will be disclosed to the Respondent. Anonymous complaints are accepted but may be dismissed if the Board cannot reach you for follow-up information.

What happens after you file

• Initial intake can take up to 10 days before you receive an acknowledgment letter with a case number
• A complaint cannot be withdrawn once filed — it proceeds to a conclusion
• Complaints may be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction (for example, billing disputes, co-worker disagreements, or conduct outside the Board's authority) or insufficient information to investigate a possible violation
• If a violation is found, the Board may issue a Letter of Admonition, refer the matter to the Office of Expedited Settlement, impose probation or required CE, issue a fine, suspend or revoke the license, or refer the case to the Attorney General

Complaints about insurance claims, denials, or customer service should instead go to the Colorado Division of Insurance. Note that the Board cannot award monetary damages or resolve fee disputes — those are civil matters for the courts.

License status for Colorado dental professionals can be searched through DORA's Online License Verification at apps.colorado.gov/dora/licensing/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx. Search by license type, license prefix and number, name, city, state, or zip code.

Viewing disciplinary and profile history

Colorado dentists and dental hygienists are also covered by the Healthcare Professions Profiling Program (HPPP), created by the 2007 Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act and expanded between 2010 and 2014 to more than 50 healthcare license types statewide. To view a licensee's HPPP profile:

• Search for the licensee at the License Lookup tool above and select "Detail" next to their name
• The profile discloses, where applicable, disciplinary actions in any state or country, restrictions and suspensions (including voluntary agreements), DEA registration surrenders, final criminal convictions for a felony or crime of moral turpitude since licensure, and any malpractice-insurance carrier refusals — each shown with the relevant year(s) and location(s)
• To view the underlying public documents, scroll to the "Online Documents" section of the License Details screen and select "DPO Public Documents" to open the Division's Public Documents Search Form, then look up the document by the licensee's information and open it by its Doc ID

A downloadable roster of licensee and discipline information is available at apps.colorado.gov/dora/licensing/Lookup/GenerateRoster.aspx for anyone who needs a bulk list rather than an individual lookup.