Minnesota Board of Dentistry

Minnesota regulates dental professionals through the Minnesota Board of Dentistry, an independent state licensing agency created under Minn. Stat. § 150A.02 — it is not a division of a larger department. The Board's mission is to promote and protect public health and safety and to ensure every licensed dental professional practicing in the state meets the requirements for safe, competent, and ethical practice.

Under Minn. Stat. § 150A.02, subdivision 1, the Board is a nine-member body appointed by the Governor: five dentists, one licensed dental assistant, one dental hygienist, and two public members. Dentist, dental assistant, and dental hygienist members must have been in active practice in Minnesota for at least five years immediately before appointment. Members serve four-year terms and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. Current board leadership includes President Ashley K. Johnson, DMD, Vice President Trina Courtright, DH, ADT, and Secretary Peter Cannon, DDS.

As of July 1, 2026, the Board oversees more than 18,300 active licensees and registrations, including 4,012 dentists, 5,865 dental hygienists, 7,712 dental assistants, 181 specialty dentists, 169 dental therapists, and 73 registered dental laboratories.

The Minnesota Board of Dentistry licenses both individual practitioners and entities. Minnesota is one of a limited number of states that licenses dental therapists and advanced dental therapists as distinct mid-level credential types.

Individual practitioner licenses

• Dentist — general practice license, plus Full Faculty, Limited Faculty, Resident, and Specialty Dentist license variants.
• Dental Therapist / Advanced Dental Therapist — mid-level oral health providers who practice restorative and preventive procedures under a Collaborative Management Agreement (CMA) with a supervising dentist.
• Dental Hygienist — preventive and clinical hygiene services; hygienists practicing under a collaborative agreement register it with the Board online.
• Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA) — expanded-function credential for dental assistants authorized to perform defined chairside procedures; a Dental Assistant with Limited Radiology Registration credential is also available.
• Guest License / Volunteer License — for out-of-state licensees providing indigent or charitable dental care in Minnesota; guest licenses renew annually every December 31.
• Emeritus Inactive / Emeritus Active License — for retired licensees; Emeritus Active permits limited pro bono, supervisory, or consulting practice.
• Limited General License (LGL) — issued to graduates of nonaccredited (non-CODA) dental programs who complete a Board credential review and practice under a Minnesota dentist's general supervision for three years before becoming eligible for an unrestricted license.

Entity registrations

• Dental Corporation or Professional Firm — entities operating dental practices in Minnesota register annually, with registrations due by December 31.
• Dental Laboratory — commercial dental labs operating in Minnesota register with the Board; 73 labs were registered as of July 2026.

Minnesota dental license applications use a two-step process through the Board's online system at mn.gov/boards/dentistry.

Step 1: Online pre-application

Applicants begin with the online pre-application, which collects the nonrefundable application fee (paid by Visa, Mastercard, or Discover) and starts the criminal background check process. Once started, the pre-application cannot be paused or restarted, and fees charged are nonrefundable.

Step 2: Paper application and documents

Applicants must still mail or submit a complete paper application once all exams and documentation are ready. Schools must email official transcripts directly to the Board (dental.board@state.mn.us); transcripts issued directly to the student are not accepted. The Board's office is currently closed to walk-in document delivery, so all licensure documents must be mailed to 335 Randolph Ave, Suite 250, St. Paul, MN 55102.

Jurisprudence examination

All applicants — dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants — must pass the Minnesota Jurisprudence Examination, covering the statutes and rules of the Board, within five years before applying for licensure. The exam is proctored online by PSI Services; study materials are available through mngovpublications.com. After licensure, completing the jurisprudence exam again counts for 5 continuing education credits, once per renewal cycle.

Out-of-state licensees (licensure by credentials)

Under Minn. Stat. § 150A.06, subdivision 4, dentists and dental hygienists may apply for licensure by credentials in lieu of the standard exam if they have passed all components of the National Board Dental Examinations, have been in active practice at least 2,000 hours within the prior 36 months (or completed a Board-approved re-entry program), currently hold — or previously held in good standing — a license in another state or Canadian province with no pending or final discipline, and are of good moral character. Dental assistants and dental therapists have parallel credentialing pathways under subdivisions 8 and 12 of the same statute. All credentialing applicants must still pass the Minnesota Jurisprudence Examination.

Internationally educated dentists

Internationally educated dentists apply through the Limited General License pathway. The Board uses Foreign Credentials Service of America to evaluate foreign dental degrees for equivalency, and applicants submit a nonrefundable $200 credential-review fee. Once approved, the applicant practices under the general supervision of a Minnesota-licensed dentist for three consecutive years before the Board grants an unrestricted license.

Minnesota calls its continuing education requirement Professional Development, governed by Minnesota Rules, part 3100.5100. Requirements run on the same renewal cycle as the license (biennial for dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists, and licensed dental assistants; three years for Limited General License holders).

Professional development hours by license type

• Every licensee must complete an infection control course each biennial cycle (Minnesota Rules, parts 3100.6300 and chapter 6950).
• Completing the Board's jurisprudence exam counts for 5 fundamental credits, once per renewal cycle (not applicable to reinstatement).
• Full-time dental school/allied-program instructors receive automatic credits each cycle: 15 credits for dentist/specialty/dental therapy faculty, 10 credits for hygienist/assistant faculty, and 5 credits for part-time instructors.
• Fundamental courses cover content directly related to dentistry (recordkeeping, ethics, patient communication, medical emergency management, diagnosis and treatment planning); elective courses include self-study, dental research, community service, and CE instruction. Estate planning, marketing, financial planning, and investing courses are not accepted.
• Licensees must retain professional development documentation for the current and immediately preceding biennial cycle in case of a Board audit.

Failing a professional development portfolio audit carries escalating consequences under Minn. Stat. § 150A.091, subd. 16: a warning for a first failure, a penalty of up to $250 for a second failure within ten years, and up to $1,000 for additional failures, with the Board authorized to open a complaint proceeding for repeated failures.

Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. § 150A.05) broadly defines the "practice of dentistry" to include diagnosing, treating, or operating on oral conditions; taking impressions or performing prosthetic work; using dental x-ray equipment; and any clinical procedure taught in an accredited dental curriculum. Each credential type licensed by the Board has its own defined scope within that framework.

Dental therapists and advanced dental therapists

Minnesota is among a small number of states authorizing dental therapists and advanced dental therapists as licensed mid-level providers. They practice defined restorative and preventive procedures under a Collaborative Management Agreement (CMA) with a supervising dentist. The dentist and dental therapist retain the original signed agreement; CMA details are now reported to the Board through an online survey rather than by mailing the signed agreement itself.

Dental hygienists

Licensed dental hygienists may practice under a range of supervisory arrangements. A collaborative dental hygiene agreement between a dentist and hygienist can authorize oral health services in settings such as schools, Head Start centers, long-term care facilities, and mobile dental units without a dentist on site. Hygienists register these agreements with the Board online.

Licensed dental assistants and restorative functions

A Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA) may obtain Restorative Functions certification through a CODA-accredited training program, authorizing expanded chairside procedures beyond the standard LDA scope, including placing, contouring, and adjusting amalgam and glass ionomer restorations; adapting and cementing stainless steel crowns; and placing Class I, II, and V supragingival composite restorations. Certification requires didactic, laboratory, and clinical training with a minimum number of documented patient procedures and passing a final clinical competency exam.

Complaints about Minnesota dental licensees are reviewed by the Board's Practitioner Review Committee (PRC), which receives legal support from an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General's Occupation Licensing Division. The PRC first attempts to correct improper activity through education, conference, and other non-disciplinary means; if those efforts fail or a violation warrants it, the PRC can take corrective or disciplinary action against the licensee's license.

How to file a complaint

• Email den.practitioner.review.hlb@state.mn.us to request a complaint form or have one mailed to you, providing the first and last name of the licensee involved.
• Review the Board's complaint-process guidance before filing, available at mn.gov/boards/dentistry/public/complaint-forms.jsp.
• Call the Board's complaint filing line at (612) 548-2124 with questions before submitting.

What the Board can and cannot do

The Board's authority is limited to the license of a dentist, dental hygienist, dental therapist, or dental assistant. It cannot order a monetary refund, resolve a billing dispute, or take action against an unlicensed individual (such as an office manager or receptionist) unless that person is engaged in the unlicensed practice of dentistry.

Other resources

• Direct resolution — contacting the dentist, practice, or office manager directly is often the fastest path to resolving a concern.
• Attorney General's Office — the Consumer Complaints Division and "Assert Your Rights as a Consumer" guidance are available at ag.state.mn.us.
• Minnesota Courts Self-Help Centers — for disputes outside the Board's jurisdiction, such as refunds.

License status and public disciplinary history for Minnesota dental professionals are searched through the Board's GLSuite online license verification portal at GLSuiteWeb/Clients/mnbod/Public/Licensee/LicenseeSearch.aspx. To verify a specific license, enter only the license number, including its letter, in the second-to-last field of the search form.

Public Actions page

Formal disciplinary and corrective actions are also listed on the Board's Public Actions page, sortable by title, description, or date, with each order available as a PDF. Actions fall into these categories:

• Conditional License — practice permitted subject to specific conditions (coursework, reporting, inspections) within a set timeframe.
• Limited License — practice permitted only within a Board-defined limited scope.
• Suspended — all practice must cease until the Board reinstates the license.
• Voluntary Surrender / Revocation — the license is removed and the individual must cease practicing until completing the reinstatement process.
• Stipulation to Cease Practice and Agreements for Corrective Action (ACA) — both are considered non-disciplinary. ACAs resolve minor violations and are not published on the Board's website, but are public information available on request.

For a disciplinary record that cannot be located on the website, or for a public corrective action, contact the Board's Practitioner Review unit at den.practitioner.review.hlb@state.mn.us or (612) 617-2250.