Maryland Board of Dentistry

The Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners (MSBDE) regulates dental professionals within the Maryland Department of Health (MDH). The Board's statutory authority is established under Md. Code Ann., Health Occ. § 4-202, and its administrative rules are codified in COMAR Title 10, Subtitle 44 (Board of Dental Examiners).

The Board consists of 16 members appointed by the Governor with the advice of the Secretary of Health and the advice and consent of the Senate: 9 licensed dentists, 4 licensed dental hygienists, and 3 consumer members. For dentist and dental hygienist vacancies, the Board conducts a balloting process open to every licensed dentist or hygienist in the state, and forwards the balloting results to the Governor, who is not required to appoint the top vote-getter. Members serve staggered 4-year terms and may not be appointed for more than two consecutive full terms (Md. Code Ann., Health Occ. § 4-202(h)).

The Board's mission is to protect the citizens of Maryland and promote quality health care in the field of dentistry by licensing and regulating the practice of dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental radiation technology; receiving and resolving complaints against licensees who may have violated the Dental Practice Act and its regulations; and setting standards for practice that reflect new and emergent developments in the profession through regulations and legislation.

Maryland law requires that each owner of a dental practice hold an active Maryland dental license — operating a dental practice without one is a felony under Maryland law, and the Board publishes a document detailing unlicensed dentistry penalties.

Maryland issues a broad range of dental credentials, all administered by the Board under COMAR Title 10, Subtitle 44:

Primary licenses

• Dentist — general license for graduates of accredited dental programs.
• Dental Hygienist — license for clinical hygiene procedures, including preventive care.
• Specialty — issued in ADA-recognized dental specialties for qualifying dentists.
• Limited Dental — restricted-scope license for graduates of U.S./Canadian or foreign dental schools practicing under defined limitations.
• Dental Teacher — for dentists and dental hygienists with faculty appointments at Maryland dental schools.
• Dental Pediatric Fellow — for dental pediatrics fellowship training programs.
• Foreign Trained Dentists (UMDS) — pathway involving examination by University of Maryland Dental School faculty.

Auxiliary credentials

• Expanded Function Dental Assistant – General (EFDA-Gen) and EFDA-Ortho
• Qualified Dental Assistant – General (QDA-Gen), QDA-Ortho, and QDA-General/Ortho
• Dental Radiation Technologist — for personnel operating dental radiographic equipment.

Permits and specialty authorizations

• Local Anesthesia (In-State and Out-of-State) and Nitrous Oxide permits for qualifying dental hygienists.
• Full Drug Dispensing Permit and Limited Drug Dispensing Permit for practices dispensing medications.
• Letter of Recognition for specific qualified practitioners.
• Class I, Class II, and Class III anesthesia and sedation permits, plus certificates allowing a treating dentist to have another dentist, physician, or certified registered nurse anesthetist administer anesthesia at their practice location.

Retired credentials

• Retired Dentist and Retired Volunteer Dental Hygienist — for retired practitioners providing volunteer services in Maryland.

Maryland dental license applications and renewals are processed through the Board's online credentialing portal at mdbod.mylicense.com. The application process can take up to 30 days, and it is the applicant's responsibility to check application status. Payments must be made by check or money order payable to MSBDE or the Maryland Board of Dental Examiners — cash payments are not accepted.

Jurisprudence examination

Dentist and dental hygienist applicants must complete the Board's jurisprudence examination as part of licensure. The current exam packet and a required affidavit are published on the Board's Licensure Information page. Key details:

• Statutory examination fee: $50.00, paid as part of the license application (COMAR 10.44.20.02(GG))
• Separate exams are published for dentists and for dental hygienists, covering Maryland dental statutes (Health Occupations Article, Title 4) and COMAR Title 10, Subtitle 44
• A signed jurisprudence affidavit must be submitted with the completed exam

Out-of-state licensees

Dentists and dental hygienists already licensed in another state may apply using the Board's "Licensed in Another State" application forms. The application fee is the same as for initial licensure by examination — $450.00 for dentists and $275.00 for dental hygienists — and applicants must submit proof of good standing from every state where they currently or previously held a dental credential.

Anesthesia and sedation permits

Dental practices and practitioners who administer anesthesia or sedation in Maryland require separate Class I, II, or III anesthesia/sedation permits, renewed annually through dedicated applications published on the Board's homepage.

Dentists and dental hygienists must complete 30 full hours of continuing education every 2-year renewal cycle (COMAR 10.44.22.04B). Only Board-approved courses or sponsors qualify, and courses on money management, personal finance, HIPAA, politics, memory training, and similar subjects are excluded.

Required components (count toward the 30 hours unless noted)

• Infection control — one 3-hour Board-approved course each renewal cycle
• CPR certification — must be maintained without a lapse through the American Heart Association's Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers, the American Red Cross's CPR for Professional Rescuers, or an equivalent Board-approved program; earns no CE credit
• Abuse and neglect as it relates to Maryland law — a 2-hour Board-approved course every other renewal cycle
• Proper prescribing and disposal of prescription drugs — a 2-hour Board-approved course every other renewal cycle, mandatory for dentists (optional for hygienists)
• Implicit bias and structural racism training — a one-time course required before a licensee's first renewal or reinstatement on or after April 1, 2022

Optional ways to fill remaining hours

• Up to 17 hours of self-study per cycle (preparing table clinics, lectures, or journal articles; attending study clubs; or qualifying webinars)
• Up to 4 hours combined for cultural/linguistic competency, health disparities and health literacy, and military culture courses
• Up to 8 hours for volunteer pro bono dental or dental hygiene services through a Board-approved nonprofit (1 CE hour per 60 minutes of patient care)
• Up to 2 hours for attending a regularly scheduled open session of the Board in its entirety (1 hour per session)

Licensees must retain CE records for at least 5 years, and the Board audits a percentage of dentists and dental hygienists each renewal cycle to verify compliance. Failure to timely complete CE (without an approved extension) results in nonrenewal of the license, and a false statement on a renewal form may constitute unprofessional conduct.

Dental practice in Maryland is governed by Md. Code Ann., Health Occ. § 4-202 and COMAR Title 10, Subtitle 44 (Board of Dental Examiners), which define the authorized scope of practice for each credential type the Board issues.

Auxiliary procedures

The Board publishes a Dental Auxiliaries Procedures Chart mapping which procedures each auxiliary credential type — Expanded Function Dental Assistants (EFDA-Gen, EFDA-Ortho) and Qualified Dental Assistants (QDA-Gen, QDA-Ortho) — is authorized to perform under Maryland law. Practice owners and supervising dentists should review this chart before delegating clinical tasks.

Practice ownership

Maryland law requires that each owner of a dental practice hold an active Maryland dental license. Operating a dental practice without an active license is treated as a felony, and the Board publishes a document detailing the penalties for unlicensed dentistry.

Infection control and prescribing

Maryland dental practices must follow infection prevention and control standards consistent with CDC guidance. Dentists who prescribe or dispense controlled substances must register with and use the state's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), which is administered separately from the Board.

A complaint is a formal accusation that a Maryland-licensed dental professional violated professional standards or Maryland statutes. The Board investigates complaints and, when findings warrant, initiates disciplinary proceedings.

Step 1: Consider preliminary resolution

• MSDA Peer Review: The Maryland State Dental Association offers a confidential peer review process, staffed by calibrated volunteer dentists, to resolve disputes over dental care and treatment without the cost of litigation. Cases can be brought by the public or referred by the Board. Call (410) 964-2880 or email info@msda.com to learn more.
• Direct contact: Speaking with the licensee or their office directly can often resolve a concern faster than a formal complaint.

Step 2: File a formal complaint

Download the Board's Complaint Form (a Spanish-language version is also available). The form must be completed, signed, and mailed to the address printed on the form. For additional translation services, contact the Board at (410) 402-8500.

Step 3: Track the outcome

If the Board's investigation substantiates the complaint, it may impose sanctions such as probation, suspension, revocation, or accept a voluntary surrender of the license. Finalized disciplinary orders — including consent orders and letters of surrender — are posted by licensee name on the Board's Public Orders page, with an archive dating back to 2007.

License status and disciplinary history for Maryland dental professionals can be searched through the Board's public verification portal at mdbod.mylicense.com/Verification/Search.aspx.

How to search

• Select a Profession (Dental) and, optionally, a specific License Type from the dropdown (Dentist, Dental Hygienist, Dental Radiation Technologist, EFDA/QDA variants, permits, and more).
• Enter a First Name, Last Name, or License Number. Searching by license number or last name returns the most efficient results.
• Wildcard searches are supported with an asterisk (*) — for example, a* returns every name starting with "a," and *a* returns every name containing "a."
• A reCAPTCHA challenge must be completed before the search runs. A separate link on the same page supports searching for a facility, certificate, or permit.

Results show credential status. Statuses that can appear include: Active, Deceased, Inactive, Non-Renewed, Probation, Retired, Revoked, Suspended, and Voluntarily Surrendered.

Public disciplinary orders

The Board separately publishes finalized disciplinary orders — consent orders, letters of surrender, and similar documents — by licensee name and date on its Public Orders page, with an archive organized by year going back to 2007–2008. The Board notes that this listing is not necessarily reflective of a licensee's current status — use the verification portal above for that.