Missouri Board of Dentistry

About the Missouri Dental Board

The Missouri Dental Board is one of 38 professional licensing boards that make up Missouri's Division of Professional Registration, a unit within the Department of Commerce and Insurance. The Division's mandate — shared by the Dental Board — is safeguarding public health, safety, and welfare through the licensing and oversight of regulated professions.

The Board administers licensing for dentists, dental hygienists, dental specialists, expanded function dental assistants, and related credential holders practicing in Missouri. Its core functions include processing applications, conducting disciplinary proceedings, maintaining a public license database, and setting continuing education requirements for renewal.

MOPRO — Missouri's online licensing portal

The Board adopted the MOPRO system, which launched January 14, 2025, as the state's unified platform for license management. MOPRO enables licensees to apply, renew, pay fees, update contact information, and track CE hours — all online through a single account at mopro.mo.gov.

Additional board programs

• Well Being Program — the Board maintains a wellness resource for dental licensees; details are on the Board's website at pr.mo.gov/dental.asp.
• Veterans' Reimbursement — eligible veterans may apply for reimbursement of licensing examination fees through the Division of Professional Registration.
• Opioid Resources — the Board provides opioid-related guidance and resources for dental practices at pr.mo.gov/dental-opioid-resources.asp.

License types in Missouri

The Missouri Dental Board issues the following credential types, drawn from the MOPRO licensee database:

• Dentist — standard dental practice license for qualifying graduates.
• Dental Specialist — for practitioners who have completed a specialty residency in an ADA-recognized specialty area.
• Dental Hygienist — license for dental hygiene practice under dentist supervision.
• Dental Assistant Nitrous Permit — additional authorization allowing a dental assistant to monitor nitrous oxide sedation.
• Teaching License Dentist — for dentists practicing in a dental education institution context.
• Volunteer Dentist / Volunteer Dental Hygienist — limited-purpose licenses for practitioners providing charitable or volunteer dental services.

Expanded Function (EF) credentials

Missouri authorizes dental assistants to earn Expanded Function credentials in five separate categories, each permitting a specific set of additional clinical procedures performed under supervising dentist oversight:

• EF-Fixed Prosthodontics
• EF-Orthodontics
• EF-Removable Prosthodontics
• EF-Restorative I
• EF-Restorative II

EF credential applications and requirements are available at pr.mo.gov/dental-application-forms.asp. Each category defines a distinct authorized scope; a dental assistant may hold multiple EF credentials.

Applying for a Missouri dental license

Missouri dental license applications are processed through the MOPRO portal at mopro.mo.gov. To register for a MOPRO account, you need a current email address on file with the Missouri Dental Board. Contact the Board first if you are a new applicant who has not yet provided an email address.

What MOPRO handles

• Applying for a new license
• Renewing a license (on time or late)
• Online payment for license fees, duplicate license requests, and licensure verifications
• Name, address, and contact information updates
• Corporate officer or business owner changes for licensed entities
• CE hour tracking (availability varies by credential type)

Application forms and examination requirements

Downloadable application forms for all dental credential types are posted at pr.mo.gov/dental-application-forms.asp. Examination requirements — including accepted clinical and written board examinations — are detailed on the Board's Exam page at pr.mo.gov/dentalexam-pin.asp.

Veterans' licensing examination reimbursement

Eligible veterans applying for initial dental licensure in Missouri may qualify for reimbursement of licensing examination fees through the Division of Professional Registration's Veterans Reimbursement program. Information and the application are linked from the Board's website.

Fees and license renewal

Missouri dental licensing fees are set through the Division of Professional Registration's rule-making process and used to fund board operations. The fee schedule for dental credential types is not published on the Board's main public web page; fees are presented in the MOPRO portal when a licensee initiates a renewal or application transaction.

License renewal is completed online through MOPRO at mopro.mo.gov. The system supports both on-time and late renewals. Once renewal is submitted and payment is processed, licensees can download a copy of their renewal certificate directly from the portal.

Continuing education and CE Broker

The Missouri Dental Board uses CE Broker as its official continuing education management system. Pursuant to board rule, licensees must report CE documentation to CE Broker prior to license expiration or during the renewal process. The Missouri Dental Association distributed guidance to members in January 2026 on using CE Broker for board compliance.

Setting up your CE Broker account

• Visit cebroker.com/plans and choose the plan that fits your needs.
• Enter your license number to link your account to your Board record.
• A Basic account is free — the Board has confirmed "you will never have to pay for a CE Broker Basic Account."
• Upgraded accounts provide additional CE tracking and course search features for a subscription fee.

MOPRO also offers CE hour tracking as an optional feature for some credential types, allowing licensees to manage CE records directly in their Board account alongside their license information.

Scope of dental practice in Missouri

Scope of practice for Missouri dental professionals is defined by the state's dental practice act and the Board's administrative rules. The full text of applicable rules and statutes is available at pr.mo.gov/dental-rules-statutes.asp.

Dentists and dental specialists

A Missouri dentist license authorizes the full scope of dental practice as defined by the dental practice act. Practitioners who have completed a recognized specialty residency may apply for a Dental Specialist license, which reflects completion of postgraduate specialty training in an ADA-recognized specialty area.

Dental hygienists

Dental hygienist licensees practice under dentist supervision. The specific supervisory requirements and authorized procedures are set in the Board's administrative rules. Dental hygiene license holders in good standing may be eligible for Volunteer Dental Hygienist status for charitable practice.

Dental assistants — Expanded Function credentials

Missouri's Expanded Function credential system allows dental assistants to obtain authorization to perform additional clinical procedures beyond standard assistant duties. The five EF categories are distinct authorizations — each requires separate application and establishes a defined set of procedures the credential holder may perform under supervising dentist oversight:

• EF-Fixed Prosthodontics
• EF-Orthodontics
• EF-Removable Prosthodontics
• EF-Restorative I
• EF-Restorative II

Separately, a Dental Assistant Nitrous Permit authorizes a dental assistant to monitor nitrous oxide administration — this is a distinct permit from the EF categories and requires its own application through the Board.

Filing a complaint

Complaints about licensed dental professionals in Missouri are submitted to the Missouri Dental Board. Complaint forms are available at pr.mo.gov/dental-complaint-forms.asp. The Board investigates complaints and may impose sanctions including probation, suspension, or revocation of licensure when violations of the dental practice act are found.

How to file a complaint

Download and complete the complaint form from the Board's Complaint Forms page. Submit the completed form by mail to the Board's office. The Board acknowledges complaints and notifies complainants of findings upon conclusion of the investigation.

Active scam — what to know

The Missouri Dental Board has issued a formal alert about a telephone scam targeting dental licensees. Callers claim to represent the Dental Board, state that the dentist or office is under investigation, and demand that a bond be posted by phone payment or by mailing funds to an address they provide. The Board has confirmed this is a scam: there is no bond associated with any type of Dental Board activity. Under no circumstances will the Board contact licensees and solicit any kind of payment over the phone. Do not provide payment information to any caller making this claim.

Missouri Dental Association

The Missouri Dental Association (MDA) is Missouri's constituent organization of the American Dental Association, representing dentists across the state with professional resources, advocacy, and continuing education.

Advocacy — More for Your Smile

The MDA launched the More for Your Smile campaign — an initiative focused on dental loss ratio legislation to give Missouri patients better dental coverage. Member dentists have access to campaign tools at moreforyoursmilemo.com, and the MDA has invited patients to participate through grassroots and online advocacy efforts.

Continuing education and training

• Dental Team Education — the MDA (via moefda.org) offers EFDA (Expanded Function Dental Assistant) training, Basic Skills Review courses, and Nitrous Monitoring courses for dental team members seeking Missouri EF credentials.
• Connect4Success annual meeting — the MDA's annual CE and networking event. The 2026 gathering was held at Margaritaville at the Lake of the Ozarks (June 25–27, 2026) and included CE sessions and the MDA House of Delegates.
• Fluoride trainings — the MDA has organized fluoride training sessions around the state, offering 7 free continuing education units per the 2026 announcements.
• CE Broker guidance — the MDA distributed webinar resources in January 2026 to help members navigate CE Broker, the Board's mandatory CE reporting system.

Disciplinary actions and license verification

The Missouri Dental Board publishes disciplinary actions on its website at pr.mo.gov/dental-recent-discipline.asp. This page is publicly accessible and lists actions taken against licensed practitioners in Missouri.

License verification

License status for any Missouri dental professional can be verified through the MOPRO licensee search at mopro.mo.gov. The system provides what it describes as "Primary Source Verification of licensure" — data extracted directly from the Division of Professional Registration's licensing database and updated nightly.

Searches can be conducted by profession type, county, name, or license number. If you are unable to locate a licensee in the results or have questions about the information displayed, the Board recommends contacting the Missouri Dental Board directly for clarification.

Other state dental boards