Nevada Board of Dentistry

The Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners (NSBDE) is Nevada's dental regulatory agency. Its mission is to protect the public by licensing and regulating dental professionals consistent with NRS 631 and NAC 631, and by establishing and enforcing standards of practice so that dental professionals provide safe, competent, and ethical oral health care to everyone who receives care in Nevada.

The Board traces its origins to 1895, when the Nevada Legislature passed Assembly Bill 52 requiring dentists to hold a certificate to practice and creating a Board of Examiners. Nevada's modern dental regulatory framework dates to the 1951 Nevada Dental Act (AB6) and has been updated repeatedly since, including the 2019 creation of the dental therapy profession (SB 366), the 2021 special immunization endorsement (AB 269), the 2023 licensure of Expanded Function Dental Assistants (SB 310), and 2023 teledentistry rules (AB 147).

Board composition

The Board is made up of 11 members appointed by the Governor:

• 7 dentists who must be Nevada residents and have practiced in Nevada for at least 5 years, including 1 seat reserved for a dentist who represents the care of indigent, uninsured, or underinsured patients
• 3 dental hygienists who must be Nevada residents and have practiced in Nevada for at least 5 years
• 1 public representative who may not be a dentist or dental hygienist, and may not be related to one

Under NRS 631.190, the Board adopts regulations to carry out the Dental Practice Act, creates committees and review panels, oversees licensure, maintains the official register of licensees, and conducts inspections in dental offices and laboratories. The Board appoints an Executive Director and General Counsel, who in turn manage the agency's Licensing, Legal & Compliance, and Program Support departments, along with Board Agents — licensed dentists retained to perform infection-control inspections, anesthesia/sedation evaluations, and complaint-related case review.

The Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners issues licenses and permits to the following credential types:

• Dentists (general and specialty licenses)
• Dental Therapists
• Dental Hygienists
• Expanded Function Dental Assistants (EFDAs) — authorized by 2023 legislation (SB 310), but as of this writing the Board has not yet finalized the regulatory language needed to begin issuing this license

The Board also issues a range of permits and endorsements beyond standard licensure, including:

• General anesthesia, moderate sedation (age 13+), and pediatric sedation (age 12 and under) permits for dentists, with separate administrator and site permits
• Neuromodulator and dermal/soft tissue filler (Botox) permits for dentists, requiring a Board-approved 24-hour didactic and hands-on course — not available to dental hygienists
• Local anesthesia and nitrous oxide permits for dental hygienists, each requiring institution-verified proof of proficiency
• Laser radiation permits requiring a minimum 6-hour course meeting national dental laser curriculum standards
• Dental Hygiene Public Health Endorsement, which expands the settings in which a hygienist may practice
• Limited, restricted geographical, and restricted low-income-practice licenses for residents/interns, instructors, and practitioners serving underserved counties or low-income populations

Before applying, dentist applicants must be at least 21 years old, have graduated from a CODA-accredited dental school, and be of good moral character (NRS 631.230(2)). Dental hygienist applicants must be at least 18, have graduated from a CODA-accredited 2-year dental hygiene program, and be of good moral character (NRS 631.290(2)).

Licensure pathways

• By examination — a National Board Examination score of 75 or higher, plus passing all sections of the ADEX or WREB clinical examination.
• By endorsement — for dentists, at least 5 years of practice in another state or jurisdiction plus a National Board score of 75+; for dental hygienists, an active license in another state or jurisdiction plus a National Board score of 75+.
• By military credential — expedited licensure for active/retired military personnel and military spouses who show passing National Board and clinical examination scores.

Application timeline

Most applications are processed within 1 to 2 months, though processing can take longer during or shortly after graduation season or during renewal season (April–July):

• Application confirmation: 7–10 business days
• Application processing: 14–30 business days
• Background check processing: 2–6 weeks through the Nevada Department of Public Safety; results are valid for 90 days
• Final review by the Board's Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Director: 2–14 business days, with a decision communicated within 5 business days after

A criminal background check is required for every applicant. Applicants must request a Fingerprint Packet Request Form from the Board before being fingerprinted — fingerprints taken without the Board's packet may not be accepted. Nevada-based applicants use Live Scan through an approved Nevada vendor; out-of-state applicants receive mailed fingerprint cards.

Continuing education (CE) is a condition of license renewal under NRS 631 and NAC 631.173. Hours do not carry over between renewal periods, and licensees must keep CE documentation for at least 3 years in case of audit.

CE hours by license type

At least 50% of required CE hours must be completed live (in-person or live webinar — pre-recorded courses do not count as live instruction). Home study, online self-study, journal study, and distance learning together may not exceed 50% of total required hours.

• Dentists registered to dispense controlled substances must complete 2 hours per licensure period on misuse/abuse of controlled substances, opioid prescribing, or addiction
• Anesthesia or moderate sedation permit holders must complete 6 hours every 2 years in anesthesia/sedation-related study to renew the permit
• DEA/controlled substance permit holders must complete 2 hours per period on that subject
• Special Endorsed Immunization holders must complete 2 hours per period on immunizations

Approved CE providers

Board approval is automatic for courses from the ADA, American Dental Hygienists' Association, Academy of General Dentistry, any nationally recognized dental or medical specialty association, any Joint Commission–accredited hospital, any university/college/community college, and CPR courses. Other providers must apply to the Board at least 45 days before a course begins; the Board's reviewing committee acts within 30 days. CE provider applications carry a $150 fee for the first credit hour and $50 for each additional hour.

The Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners regulates the scope of practice for each credential type it licenses under NRS 631 and NAC 631:

• Dentists — full diagnosis and treatment of oral conditions; specialty licenses by credential are available for recognized dental specialties
• Dental Therapists — a mid-level provider profession established by 2019 legislation (SB 366)
• Dental Hygienists — preventive and clinical services, with optional local anesthesia and nitrous oxide permits and an optional Public Health Endorsement that expands practice settings
• Expanded Function Dental Assistants (EFDAs) — authorized by 2023 legislation (SB 310); as of this writing the Board has not finalized the regulations needed to issue this license

Nevada also regulates teledentistry: under 2023 legislation (AB 147), Board regulations require dentists to establish a bona fide dentist-patient relationship before providing services via teledentistry.

Dental professionals and facilities may also be subject to requirements enforced by agencies outside the Board, including controlled-substance prescribing/dispensing (NRS 453), health care records (NRS 629), communicable disease reporting (NRS 441A), medical waste and sharps disposal (NRS 444), and radiology/radiation-producing equipment (NRS 459).

A complaint is a report or allegation submitted to (or opened by) the Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners raising concerns about a dentist, dental hygienist, dental therapist, or expanded function dental assistant. When the Board receives a verified written complaint describing facts that, if proven, could justify discipline, it is required to open a case and investigate.

What the Board cannot do

• It is not a substitute for a civil lawsuit and does not pause any statute of limitations
• It cannot award civil damages such as pain and suffering or lost wages
• It has no authority over fee disputes or the appropriateness of charges
• It does not investigate billing, insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid disputes (report insurance fraud to the Nevada Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Unit)
• It generally will not investigate care older than 5 years, since dental records are only required to be retained for 5 years
• Its jurisdiction covers only Board-licensed individuals — not dental office staff such as receptionists or billers

How to file a complaint

Complaints can be filed online (English or Spanish) or by paper packet including the complaint form, a Verification of Complaint, and an Authorization to Release Records. Paper complaints may be mailed, faxed, or emailed to:

Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners
2651 N Green Valley Pkwy, Ste 104
Henderson, NV 89014
Fax: (702) 486-7046 • Email: nsbde@dental.nv.gov

What happens after a complaint is filed

1. Intake and legal review — Board counsel determines whether the Board has jurisdiction and whether an investigation is warranted.
2. Investigation — a Preliminary Screening Consultant (PSC), a Nevada-licensed dentist, is appointed. The respondent is notified by certified mail and email and must submit a written response and patient records.
3. PSC review — the PSC provides a confidential written analysis (NRS 631.368) with an opinion on whether the conduct violated law or professional standards; the respondent may review and rebut the report.
4. Review Panel review — a peer review panel meets roughly monthly and, by majority vote, recommends dismissal (sometimes with a Letter of Concern), a stipulated settlement with probation, or a formal administrative hearing.
5. Board action — the full Board must approve any recommendation at a public meeting before it takes effect.

Possible discipline includes public reprimand, fines, probation, practice limitations, suspension, revocation, and — in some cases — restitution limited to verifiable out-of-pocket costs (not amounts paid by insurance or third parties). Complainants who provide an email address receive status updates as their case moves through major stages, though confidential investigative findings are not shared by email.

License status and disciplinary history for Nevada dental professionals are searched through the Board's online licensing portal at online.nvdental.org/#/VerifyLicense. The portal covers dentists and dental hygienists and is intended for general public use — not as a substitute for an official License Certification Request for employers or other state boards.

The verification data displayed includes any disciplinary action imposed by the Board, as well as any notice provided to the Board by casualty insurance companies of a malpractice claim or complaint resulting in a settlement, award, or judgment exceeding $5,000, in accordance with NRS 690B.250.

How to look up disciplinary records

• Search the Licensing Portal Lookup by licensee name or license number.
• If a licensee's name cannot be located, contact the Board directly at (702) 486-7044 or nsbde@dental.nv.gov.
• For statistics and background on recent case outcomes, the Board publishes a Disciplinary Outcome Matrix and an Administrative Cost Schedule on its Complaints & Disciplinary Actions page.