Oklahoma Board of Dentistry

The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry was created under Article V, Section 39 of the Oklahoma Constitution and implements the State Dental Act (59 O.S. §§ 328.1 et seq.). Its mission is to promote, protect, and provide public health and safety to the citizens of Oklahoma by regulating the practice of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting, and the fabrication of dental appliances in dental laboratories through enforcement of laws, rules, and policies.

Under 59 O.S. § 328.7, the Board consists of 11 members: eight dentists elected by dentists residing in each of eight geographical election districts, one dental hygienist elected at-large by hygienists statewide, and two public members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate (who may not be a dentist, hygienist, dental assistant, or dental laboratory technician). Members serve three-year terms and may not serve more than three consecutive terms. To be eligible, a dentist or hygienist board member must have been licensed in Oklahoma for at least five years and have no board penalty in the preceding five years.

The Board is a small agency — staffed by two office employees — overseeing roughly 13,000 licensees and permit holders statewide, including dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental laboratories.

The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry issues licenses and permits to the following credential types:

• Dentists (DDS, DMD, or BDS) — general practice and 12 recognized specialties
• Dental Hygienists — with optional Advanced Procedure certifications
• Dental Assistants — permit required before working chairside, with optional expanded-function authorizations
• Dental Laboratories — dentist-owned and non-dentist-owned labs, plus mobile dental labs/clinics
• Anesthesia Permit Holders — separate Facility and Provider permits for pediatric conscious sedation, parenteral conscious sedation, and general anesthesia
• Faculty, Resident, Dental Student Intern, and Fellowship license/permit holders

Dentist specialty licenses are available in Dental Public Health, Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, Dental Anesthesiology, Oral Medicine, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, and Orofacial Pain.

Dental hygienists may add Advanced Procedure certifications in local anesthesia, nitrous oxide, venipuncture/phlebotomy/elder care, therapeutic laser use, and neuromodulator (Botox) administration. Dental assistants may add expanded-function authorizations for x-ray/radiology, nitrous oxide, sealants, coronal polishing, elder care/public health, and venipuncture/phlebotomy, plus a separate Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Assistant (OMSDA) credential.

Dentist applicants choose between two application types: Application by Exam, for those who took a regional clinical exam within the last five years, and Application by Credential, for those who took the exam more than five years ago, hold an out-of-state license, and have practiced at least 500 hours in the last five years (59 O.S. § 328.21(1)). A completed application packet — including National Board scores, exam scores, diplomas and transcripts, a National Practitioner Data Bank self-query report, verification from every state where the applicant is or has been licensed, a BLS certification, proof of citizenship or lawful presence, and proof of malpractice insurance — must be received at least 30 days before a Board meeting to be placed on that meeting's agenda.

Application fees

Jurisprudence examination

Once the Board approves an application, the applicant is notified by email to schedule the jurisprudence exam, offered only on Thursdays between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. by appointment at the Board office in Oklahoma City. The exam covers the State Dental Act and Board rules, consists of 50 questions, allows one hour to complete, and requires a score of 70% or higher to pass. A candidate who fails must wait 30 days to retake it and pay a $10.00 retake fee by check or money order.

Out-of-state and Canadian-trained applicants

Dentists and hygienists licensed elsewhere may apply by credential as described above. Under HB 3934, effective July 1, 2026, dentists and dental hygienists who graduated from a Canadian-accredited dental school are also eligible for Oklahoma licensure.

The Board's current continuing education reporting period runs from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. As of July 1, 2025, all CE hours must be logged through CE Broker rather than the Board's prior internal system.

CE hours by license type

• Dentists — 40 total hours, including at least 2 hours of opioid education, a live BLS/CPR course, and an ethics course
• Dental Hygienists — 20 total hours, including a live BLS/CPR course and an ethics course
• Dental Assistants — 2 hours of infection control

No more than 50% of a dentist's or hygienist's total hours may be completed online, and BLS/CPR must include a live, hands-on skills component — fully online CPR courses are not accepted. A free online ethics course is available at dentalethics.org. Course-specific category tracking is no longer required when entering hours online.

Dentists supervising a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) for general anesthesia must separately complete 18 hours every three years on anesthesia, sedation, or medical-emergency topics, in addition to current BLS/ACLS or PALS certification (OAC 195:20-1-5(f)).

The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry's regulatory scope covers the practice of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting, and the fabrication of dental appliances in dental laboratories. Auxiliary healthcare providers working under a dentist's supervision are limited to practicing within the scope of dentistry (59 O.S. § 328.19(C)).

The Board's General Dental Practice Committee, which advises on scope-of-practice questions, is expanding from 10 to 18 members under HB 3934.

The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry investigates complaints against the dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental laboratories it regulates. The Board applies a clear and convincing evidence standard of proof and has the authority to revoke, suspend, place on probation, fine, or censure a license.

What the Board does not handle

The Board does not have jurisdiction over billing or fee disputes, general customer-service complaints, or complaints about staff behavior. It also cannot award money damages — that is the role of a district court. Dental malpractice claims must be filed in civil court within Oklahoma's two-year statute of limitations, running from the date the malpractice is identified; the Board separately requires dentists to carry malpractice insurance.

How to file

• Complete the Complaint Process and Form (PDF), providing as much supporting detail as possible — statements, records, or other documentation.
• Mail or deliver the completed form to the Board office at 2920 N Lincoln Blvd., Ste B, Oklahoma City, OK 73105.
• You may request confidentiality in writing, though the Board may still issue a subpoena for testimony if the matter proceeds to a formal hearing.

Each complaint is reviewed by an assigned Dental Board investigative panel; if the evidence does not support further action, the complainant receives a letter closing the complaint. The process can take time, and the Board asks complainants to be prepared to support their allegation with testimony if a hearing is scheduled. Board meeting agendas, appendices, and minutes are posted on the Reports & Agendas page.

License status and disciplinary history for Oklahoma dental professionals are searched through the Board's License Verification portal, which is primary-source verification updated weekly. Rather than a single lookup tool, the portal links to separate searchable tables by credential type — dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, anesthesia permit holders, dental laboratories, residents, faculty license holders, and dental student interns.

How to look up disciplinary records

• Visit the License Verification page and choose the table for the credential type you're checking (for example, Verify A Dentist).
• Search the table by last name, first name, or license number. Each row shows license type, issue date, specialty license information (if any), expiration date, and an Orders column marked "Yes" or "No."
• Click the "View the Disciplinary Licensees" link at the top of the table for a filtered list of only those licensees with a formal Board order on record.

These tables list active license and permit holders only. To verify an inactive licensee, or to obtain a certified Verification of Licensure letter, mail the Board's Verification Request form with a $10.00 check or money order — license verifications are not available by telephone. Other public records, including full Board Orders, can be requested using the Board's Open Records Request form.