Oregon Board of Dentistry

The Oregon Board of Dentistry (OBD) is the independent state regulatory body responsible for licensing and overseeing dentists, dental therapists, registered dental hygienists, and dental assistants practicing in Oregon. Created by an act of the Oregon Legislature on February 23, 1887, OBD is the second-oldest professional licensing board in the state. Its mission is to promote quality oral health care and protect all communities in Oregon by equitably and ethically regulating dental professionals.

The Board's statutory authority comes from Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 679 (dentists and dental therapists) and ORS 680.010 to 680.205 (dental hygienists), with implementing rules in Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 818. As of April 2024, OBD licensed 3,544 dentists (including approximately 726 specialists), 4,256 dental hygienists, and 20 dental therapists.

Under ORS 679.230, the Board consists of 10 members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate: six actively licensed Oregon dentists (at least one of whom must practice in a dental specialty recognized by the American Dental Association), two actively licensed Oregon dental hygienists, and two public members who are not otherwise eligible for board appointment and are not the spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, or sibling of a dentist or hygienist. Nominees for the dentist and hygienist seats are submitted to the Governor by the Oregon Dental Association and the Oregon Dental Hygienists' Association. Members serve staggered four-year terms beginning the first Monday of April and may be reappointed.

OBD receives no state General Fund tax revenue — its roughly $4.1 million budget (for the period July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025) is funded entirely through license application, renewal, examination, and permit fees paid by dentists and dental hygienists.

Oregon Wellness Program

The Oregon Wellness Program (OWP) gives Oregon dental licensees — dentists, registered dental hygienists, and dental therapists — access to mental health support that is non-reported, urgently available, and complimentary. OWP contracts with licensed mental health providers who each have at least five years of experience serving health care professionals.

• Up to three complimentary sessions (a one-time benefit that can be spread across multiple years)
• Appointments generally available within three business days
• Care without a “paper trail” or reporting to insurance carriers or professional boards

OBD was recognized as a 2025 Wellbeing First Champion by ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare for keeping its licensure and renewal applications free of intrusive, stigmatizing mental-health-related language. At its June 14, 2024 meeting, the Board also voted to withdraw from the state's Health Professionals' Services Program (HPSP) effective July 1, 2025; OWP is now the Board's primary wellness resource for active licensees.

The Oregon Board of Dentistry licenses and certifies the following credential types:

• Dentist — general or specialty practice, licensed by examination, without further examination (reciprocity), or as dental faculty at Oregon Health & Science University.
• Registered Dental Hygienist — including the optional Expanded Practice Permit (EPP) for unsupervised practice on historically underserved populations described in ORS 680.205.
• Dental Therapist — a mid-level provider credential Oregon began licensing after House Bill 2528, with rules effective July 1, 2022.
• Dental Faculty license — for full-time OHSU dental instructors who do not otherwise hold an Oregon dental license.

The Board also issues optional permits and endorsements once a base license is held:

• Anesthesia permits — Nitrous Oxide (dentists and hygienists), Minimal Sedation, Moderate Sedation, Deep Sedation, and General Anesthesia (dentists only)
• Dental hygiene endorsements — Local Anesthesia Endorsement, Restorative Functions Endorsement, and Expanded Practice Permit (Pathway 1 or Pathway 2)
• Dental assistant certifications — Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA), Expanded Function Orthodontic Dental Assistant (EFODA), Expanded Function Preventive Dental Assistant (EFPDA), Anesthesia Dental Assistant, and Radiology certification, administered through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) on OBD's behalf

Oregon dental license applications are submitted through the Board's online portal at online.oregondentistry.org. New applicants complete a one-time registration and receive a temporary password by email, which they must change on first login. Licensees who already hold an active Oregon license and want to apply for a different license type, or whose Oregon license has become inactive (resigned, retired, or expired) and want to reapply, must first email information@obd.oregon.gov before using the portal.

Licensure by examination

For dentists, dental hygienists, and dental therapists who have taken and passed a qualifying clinical examination within the past five years. Applicants must also pass the Board's jurisprudence examination.

Licensure without further examination (out-of-state licensees)

Dentists and dental hygienists who hold an active, unrestricted license in another state may apply without retaking a clinical exam if they:

• Passed a clinical examination administered by a state, regional, or national testing agency
• Completed at least 3,500 hours of licensed clinical practice (in Oregon, another state, or the U.S. Armed Forces, Public Health Service, or Department of Veterans Affairs) in the five years before applying
• Completed 40 hours of continuing education (24 hours for dental hygienists) in the two years before applying, consistent with OBD's CE rules
• Pass the Board's jurisprudence examination

A license granted under this pathway mirrors the license held in the applicant's other state — general, specialty, or the least restrictive license if the applicant holds more than one.

Dental therapists

Dental therapy licensure is by examination only; Oregon does not currently offer a without-further-examination pathway for dental therapists. Applicants must also submit a completed Verification of Collaborative Agreement with their application.

Oregon dental licensees must complete continuing education (CE) every two-year renewal cycle. CE must relate directly to clinical patient care or the practice of dental public health. OBD audits approximately 15% of licensees for CE compliance after each renewal period closes, so licensees must keep CE completion records for at least four licensure years.

CE hours by license type

Required subject areas (all license types unless noted)

• 3 hours on medical emergencies
• 2 hours on infection control (OSHA-specific hours must be delineated separately from infection-control hours on the certificate)
• 2 hours on cultural competency
• Current Healthcare Provider BLS/CPR certification maintained at all times
• Dentists only: a 1-hour Oregon-specific pain management course through the Oregon Health Authority's Pain Management Commission, every renewal cycle
• Dentists placing dental implants: at least 7 additional hours on implant placement and/or restoration, effective January 1, 2024
• Dental therapists only: at least 1 hour on pain management

Sedation and anesthesia permit CE (every 2 years)

• Nitrous Oxide Permit: 4 hours in sedation-related topics, plus current BLS
• Minimal Sedation Permit: 4 hours in sedation-related topics, plus current BLS
• Moderate Sedation Permit: 14 hours in sedation-related topics, plus current BLS and ACLS and/or PALS
• Deep Sedation / General Anesthesia Permits: 14 hours in sedation-related topics, plus current BLS and ACLS and/or PALS

Oregon dental scope of practice is defined in ORS Chapters 679 and 680 and OAR Chapter 818. Only a person licensed as a dentist may own, operate, or maintain a dental practice, office, or clinic in Oregon (ORS 679.020) — dental hygienists and dental therapists may not own a practice, though a non-licensed dentist may still hold ownership of the practice's tangible or intangible business assets, such as real property, equipment, and inventory.

Dental hygienists

Under OAR 818-035-0030, amended effective December 1, 2025, dental hygienists may perform an expanded list of functions under a dentist's general or indirect supervision, including preliminary intra- and extra-oral exams, placing and removing periodontal dressings, dispensing fluoride and antimicrobial agents, high-speed handpiece polishing, temporary soft relines, teeth whitening, and — after Board-approved training — initiating IV lines or performing phlebotomy for a supervising dentist. An Expanded Practice Permit (EPP) allows a dental hygienist to practice without a supervising dentist on site, but only for the historically underserved populations defined in ORS 680.205 (for example, residents of nursing homes, adult foster homes, correctional facilities, and homebound adults). An EPP does not authorize extra duties in a dentist-staffed clinic and never permits administering nitrous oxide without a supervising dentist present.

Dental therapists

Oregon authorizes dental therapists under rules that took effect July 1, 2022 following House Bill 2528. Dental therapists practice under a required Collaborative Agreement with a supervising dentist.

Dental Pilot Projects

The Oregon Health Authority — not the Board of Dentistry — approves Dental Pilot Projects under Senate Bill 738 (2011), which allows innovative oral health care delivery models, including new categories of dental personnel or expanded training for existing categories, aimed at populations with the highest disease rates and least access to care.

Anyone with knowledge of a potential violation of Oregon dental law, administrative rule, or the doctor-patient relationship may contact the Oregon Board of Dentistry (OBD) and request a complaint form. OBD receives approximately 220 complaints per year.

The Board does not have jurisdiction over fees, personality conflicts, rude behavior, or the scheduling of appointments.

How to file

Complaints should be submitted in writing, preferably using the Board's official complaint form (a fillable PDF) — using and signing the Board's form helps the investigation access relevant dental and medical records. You may remain anonymous, but the Board asks for enough information to follow through on the complaint. Mail the completed form to the Board office, or call (971) 673-3200 or email information@obd.oregon.gov if the form will not print.

What happens next

Each complaint is assigned a case number, and the complainant receives a letter acknowledging receipt. A staff investigator requests relevant patient records and a response from the licensee (respondent), then interviews the respondent, the complainant, prior and subsequent treating dentists, and any other necessary witnesses — OBD also uses expert consultants for complex or specialized cases. Most investigations conclude with a Board determination within approximately 10 months of the initial complaint.

Dispositions can result in a finding of no violation, a Letter of Concern (a non-public warning), or a determination that disciplinary action is warranted — approximately 18% of cases result in disciplinary action. Notices of Proposed Disciplinary Action and final disciplinary actions (Orders, Consent Orders, Stipulated Agreements, Emergency Suspensions) taken against licensees are public record and available upon request.

License status and disciplinary history for Oregon dental professionals can be searched through the Board's online Licensee Lookup at online.oregondentistry.org/#/verifylicense. Enter only one of License Number, First Name, or Last Name — entering values in multiple fields returns no results — and optionally narrow results by specialty, permit type, or city.

• Every licensee appears in the lookup regardless of status — active, expired, retired, resigned, or deceased — and unlicensed individuals who have had formal Board action taken against them are also listed.
• OBD has performed primary source verification of licensees' initial dental education since at least 1987.
• Copies of final Board actions against individual licensees are viewable online through the lookup; certified copies require a written request, with fees governed by the Department of Administrative Services' statewide public records policy (107-001-030).
• Malpractice claim information, compiled from insurer reports under ORS 742.400, may also appear on a licensee's record — a settled claim does not necessarily mean malpractice occurred, and not every insurer has reported claim information to the Board.

Complaints and the investigation process itself remain confidential under ORS 676.165 and 676.175 — only a final disciplinary order, consent order, stipulated agreement, or emergency suspension becomes public record. Dental assistant certifications (EFDA, EFODA, EFPDA, anesthesia, radiology) are verified separately through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).