Colorado Dental License Renewal

Colorado dental licenses are administered by the Division of Professions and Occupations, and initial applications, renewals, and fee payments are all processed online through the DPO's portal at apps2.colorado.gov/dora/licensing/default.aspx. Application and renewal fees are paid by credit card or electronic check at the time of submission and are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Renewal cycle

All Dentist, Academic Dentist, Dental Hygienist, and Dental Therapist licenses expire together on February 28 of even-numbered years (February 29 in leap years), rather than on an individual licensee's anniversary date. Renewal typically opens about 4-5 weeks before the expiration date, and licensees can usually continue to renew for a period after the expiration date before the license lapses. Dental anesthesia permits (GEN, MINS, MODS) run on a separate 5-year cycle from the date of issuance.

Current fee amounts

DORA does not publish a standalone public fee schedule listing exact dollar amounts for dental license types. The current application and renewal fees are displayed within the online application/renewal system itself at the time of submission. For a fee amount before starting an application, contact the Division at dora_dpo_licensing@state.co.us or call 303-894-7800.

Inactive, retired, and expired licenses

Licensees who wish to stop practicing can change their license status to inactive or retired using the forms on the Applications and Forms page, and can later reactivate. Reinstating an expired license requires a new application, payment of the required fee, proof of professional liability insurance, a criminal-history screening, a completed Healthcare Professions Profile, and — if the license expired more than two years earlier — proof of clinical competency (such as recent practice hours, postgraduate training, or a Board-approved clinical exam). Applications that go unfinished for one year from submission expire and must be resubmitted with a new fee.