Michigan Board of Dentistry

About the Michigan Board of Dentistry

The Michigan Board of Dentistry operates within the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL). LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing oversees more than 250 licensed professions and occupations in Michigan; the Board of Dentistry sits within the health professions section of BPL.

The Board's regulatory authority covers dental practice in Michigan under the Public Health Code. The Board meets on a regular schedule to consider licensing matters, disciplinary cases, and Board business; meeting agendas and minutes are published on the LARA dentistry page. The current Board member roster is available through the State of Michigan government web portal.

Michigan dental practice is governed by two sections of the Public Health Code: the General Provisions applicable across health professions, and the Dentistry-specific section that defines practice requirements and the Board's authority. LARA also publishes the Administrative Rules for dentistry, which set out detailed requirements for licensing, CE, and practice standards.

Online services for Michigan dental licensees — including applications, renewals, license verification, and complaint filing — are provided through MiPLUS, Michigan's professional licensing user system.

Dental Licensing in Michigan

Michigan licenses dental professionals across a comprehensive range of credential types under the Public Health Code and LARA administrative rules. LARA publishes individual licensing guides for each credential type — available as PDF downloads from the LARA dentistry page.

Michigan dental license types include:

• Dentist — full dental practice license for graduates of accredited dental schools who satisfy examination and background requirements.
• Dental Hygienist (Registered) — license for preventive and clinical hygiene services under dentist supervision.
• Dental Assistant (Registered) — licensed dental assistant credential with defined clinical scope under dentist supervision.
• Dental Therapist — Michigan issues a Dental Therapist license, with a dedicated Dental Therapist Licensing Guide published by LARA. Dental therapists are licensed mid-level practitioners; consult the LARA licensing guide for scope and supervisory requirements.
• Dentist Clinical Academic Limited — restricted license for dentists practicing in a clinical academic setting affiliated with an accredited dental school.
• Dentist Educational Limited — limited license for dentists involved in dental education programs.
• Dentist Nonclinical Academic Limited — limited license for dentists in nonclinical academic roles.
• Dentist Specialty — specialty license for dentists holding board certification in a recognized dental specialty area.

LARA provides a dedicated licensing guide PDF for each credential type on the LARA dentistry page at michigan.gov.

How to Apply for a Michigan Dental License

Michigan dental license applications and renewals are submitted online through MiPLUS — Michigan's Professional Licensing User System. Access MiPLUS through the Apply or Renew Online link on the LARA dentistry page at michigan.gov.

Before applying, download and review the licensing guide for your specific credential type from the LARA dentistry page. LARA publishes separate PDF guides for each license type — Dentist, Dental Hygienist, Dental Therapist, Registered Dental Assistant, and each limited or specialty dentist license — that specify the exact documentation required for each application path.

General documentation categories for new Michigan dental license applications include:

• Education credentials — official transcripts from an accredited dental education program.
• Examination scores — national board examination results and clinical examination scores from an accepted testing body.
• Background documentation — as required by LARA for your specific credential type.
• Licensure verification — for endorsement applicants, verification of current licensure in good standing in another state.

For license verification, use the MiPLUS public lookup at aca-prod.accela.com/MILARA. License records are updated once per day. For a certified license verification (suitable for official purposes), use the certified verification link provided on the MiPLUS lookup page.

License Fees and Renewal

Michigan dental license renewals are processed online through MiPLUS at michigan.gov/lara. The LARA dentistry page provides an Apply or Renew Online link to access the renewal portal directly.

Michigan dental license renewal requires completion of continuing education. The CE requirements for each license type are set by LARA administrative rules. The LARA dentistry page publishes annual CE master lists showing approved CE providers and courses for the current and prior year.

Michigan manages CE tracking through CE Broker. LARA's dental professions page links to CE Broker for tracking and reporting CE completion for license renewal. Applications for board-approved CE sponsor status are also now processed through CE Broker rather than directly through LARA.

Continuing Education Requirements

Michigan dental licensees are required to complete continuing education as a condition of license renewal. LARA sets CE requirements — including the required hours and subject matter categories — for each dental credential type through administrative rules.

Michigan uses CE Broker to track and report continuing education for dental licensees. LARA's dental professions page links directly to CE Broker for tracking and submitting CE records. Applications for board-approved CE sponsor status — organizations seeking to offer CE that qualifies for Michigan dental license renewal — are now processed through CE Broker rather than directly through LARA.

LARA publishes annual Approved Continuing Education master lists for dentistry, with the 2025 and 2026 master lists available as PDF downloads from the LARA dentistry page. These lists confirm which CE providers and courses have been approved by the Board for the current renewal cycle.

Scope of Practice

Michigan dental practice scope is governed by the Public Health Code, which includes a dedicated Dentistry section defining the authorized scope of practice for each dental credential type. LARA's administrative rules supplement the statute with detailed practice requirements. Both the Public Health Code (Dentistry section) and the Administrative Rules are linked directly from the LARA dentistry page.

Michigan's licensing structure formally recognizes an expanded set of dental practitioners compared to many states:

• Dentists — full scope of dental examination, diagnosis, treatment planning, and clinical treatment as defined by the Public Health Code.
• Dental hygienists — licensed for preventive and clinical hygiene services within the supervisory structure set by LARA rules.
• Registered dental assistants — clinical scope defined by LARA administrative rules governing delegation by supervising dentists.
• Dental therapists — Michigan issues a dedicated Dental Therapist license. The LARA Dental Therapist Licensing Guide defines the authorized scope of practice and supervisory requirements for this credential type.

Michigan dental practitioners who prescribe controlled substances must also comply with the Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) requirements. LARA's dental professions page links to MAPS resources for practitioners subject to these obligations.

Filing a Complaint Against a Michigan Dental Licensee

Complaints about Michigan dental licensees — dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental therapists, and other LARA-licensed dental professionals — are filed with LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing through MiPLUS.

How to File a Complaint

File a complaint online at aca3.accela.com/MILARA using the MiPLUS portal. A MiPLUS account is required to file online; account registration is available through MiPLUS. Dentistry is among the professions for which online complaint filing is available.

Resources for Complainants

LARA's complaint page provides several guides to help complainants understand the process:

• A Citizen's Guide to Filing a Complaint Against a Health Care Professional — an overview of the complaint process, what to expect, and how LARA handles health professional complaints.
• What Information is Required to File a Complaint — specific guidance on what must be included in a valid complaint submission.
• What Happens After a Complaint is Filed — describes the investigation process and possible outcomes.
• How Can I Get Disciplinary Information About a Health Licensee — guidance on accessing public disciplinary records for Michigan health professionals.

Michigan Dental Association

The Michigan Dental Association (MDA) is the professional membership organization for Michigan dentists, connecting members with a network of more than 5,800 dental professionals throughout the state. The MDA supports its members through advocacy, practice resources, and community engagement.

MDA membership provides access to:

• Legislative and regulatory advocacy — the MDA monitors and engages on state and federal legislative matters affecting the dental profession in Michigan.
• Annual Session — a major professional event featuring continuing education, networking, and professional development for Michigan dental professionals.
• Insurance programs — through MDA Insurance, members can access health, life and disability, auto and home, and liability and property coverage options.
• Endorsed services — the MDA endorses vendors providing dental supplies, financial solutions, technology support, and regulatory compliance assistance at preferential terms for members.
• Community service — the MDA Foundation sponsors the Michigan Mission of Mercy (MOM) free dental care event, providing care to underserved patients across Michigan.

Learn more about MDA membership and resources at michigandental.org.

Disciplinary Actions

Michigan dental licensee records, including disciplinary actions, are publicly accessible through MiPLUS. The LARA Find/Verify portal at michigan.gov/lara provides a direct link to the Dentistry license lookup within MiPLUS.

To look up a Michigan dental licensee:

• Access the MiPLUS public license lookup at aca-prod.accela.com/MILARA
• Search by license type (Dental Assistant, Dental Hygienist, Dental Therapist, Dentist, or specialty/limited license types), name, or license number.
• License records in MiPLUS are updated once per day from LARA's database.

For a certified license verification suitable for official or credentialing purposes, use the certified verification link available on the MiPLUS lookup page.

LARA also provides a dedicated resource — How Can I Get Disciplinary Information About a Health Licensee — linked from the BPL complaint page, which explains how to access the public disciplinary record for a Michigan health professional, including dental licensees.

Other state dental boards