North Dakota Board of Dentistry

North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners

The North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners (NDSBDE) is North Dakota's dental regulatory authority. The Board is responsible for licensing and registering qualified dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants, and for enforcing dental practice law and professional conduct standards across the state.

The NDSBDE is located at 2900 E Broadway Ave Ste 3 (PO Box 7246), Bismarck, ND 58501. The Board's laws and rules, meeting minutes, practitioner resources, and consumer information are accessible at nddentalboard.org.

License types in North Dakota

The North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners licenses and registers the following practitioner categories:

• Dentist — licensed to perform the full scope of dental procedures under North Dakota law and Board rules.
• Dental Hygienist — licensed to perform preventive, diagnostic, and periodontal services within the scope defined by Board regulations.
• Dental Assistant — registered to perform dental assisting functions under dentist supervision as defined by Board rules.

Each credential type carries specific education, examination, and renewal requirements. Applicants should review the current requirements for their license or registration type at nddentalboard.org/practitioners/ before beginning an application.

Applying for a North Dakota dental license

North Dakota dental license and registration applications are processed through the NDSBDE. Applications, required documentation, and fee information are published on the Board's practitioner pages.

Application resources

• Licensing and registration — application guidance at nddentalboard.org/practitioners/.
• Application forms — available at nddentalboard.org/practitioners/forms.asp.
• Jurisprudence and ethics examination — required for licensure; available at nddentalboard.org/practitioners/jp/login.asp.
• Laws and rules — the North Dakota Dental Practice Act and administrative rules are at nddentalboard.org/laws-and-rules/index.asp.

Fees and license renewal

North Dakota dental licenses and registrations require periodic renewal on a schedule set by the NDSBDE. License holders are responsible for renewing by the applicable deadline and maintaining current contact information with the Board.

Renewal requirements include payment of the applicable renewal fee and completion of the continuing education hours required by the Board for the renewal period. Licensees who allow their credential to lapse may be required to complete a reinstatement process before resuming practice.

Continuing education requirements

The North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners requires licensed dental professionals to complete continuing education (CE) as a condition of license renewal. CE requirements ensure that dentists and dental hygienists remain current with evolving clinical standards and regulatory requirements throughout their careers.

The Board sets required CE hours, approved subject areas, and acceptable course formats for each credential type. Licensees are responsible for obtaining CE from approved providers and documenting completion with their renewal submissions.

Scope of practice

North Dakota dental practice law defines the authorized scope of activities for each credential type issued by the NDSBDE. These definitions govern what procedures each credential holder may legally perform and under what supervision conditions — protecting patients by ensuring that clinical services are rendered only by appropriately licensed or registered practitioners.

Dentists hold authority to perform the full range of dental services authorized under their training and Board rules. Dental hygienists perform preventive, diagnostic, and periodontal services within a scope established by Board regulations and North Dakota statute. Dental assistants perform supporting clinical functions under dentist supervision as defined by Board rules.

Filing a complaint

The North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners investigates complaints alleging violations of dental practice laws and Board rules by dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants. An individual may file a complaint with the Board by completing the Board's complaint form.

Filing a complaint

The Board strongly encourages use of the official complaint form, which helps it quickly gather the information needed to investigate a matter. Complainants may include supporting documents such as patient records, images, insurance statements, and other pertinent information. Download the complaint form at nddentalboard.org/www/download_resource.asp?id=420.

Process overview

After receiving a complaint, the Board seeks a response from the practitioner being complained about and may contact the parties for additional information. When processing complaints, the Board must follow North Dakota's public records and meetings laws — it can only discuss complaints at its noticed, public meetings. Board meetings generally occur once every quarter. Complaints are discussed in a confidential portion of Board meetings to protect sensitive data such as patient records.

After the Board completes its investigation and reaches a decision, it provides a written notice to each party.

Anonymity

The Board recognizes that some individuals may wish to remain anonymous. However, the Board cannot assure anonymity and cannot always keep matters from the public because it must follow Open Records laws. Anonymously filed complaints may also not comply with North Dakota law, which provides that a "person may file a written and signed complaint." See NDCC 43-28-18.2. Anonymous submissions may substantially reduce the Board's ability to investigate and may negatively impact the dental professional's right to a full and fair opportunity to defend themselves.

North Dakota Dental Association

The North Dakota Dental Association (NDDA) is the professional membership organization for North Dakota dentists. Established in 1889, the NDDA is an American Dental Association constituent organization organized into 5 component districts. It represents over 87% of the dentists in North Dakota, and its members adhere to high ethical standards and follow a code of professional conduct.

Mission and programs

The NDDA's mission is: "The North Dakota Dental Association is a leading advocate of oral health, promoting education and service to its members and the public."

• Advocacy — the NDDA represents member and public-health interests in North Dakota legislative and regulatory processes, working to advance sound oral health policy.
• Continuing education — the Association provides CE opportunities and resources to help members meet renewal requirements and stay current with clinical developments.
• Professional community — NDDA membership connects North Dakota dentists to colleagues across the state's 5 component districts and to national resources through the ADA tripartite network.
• Ethical standards — all NDDA members commit to upholding the Association's code of professional conduct.

Disciplinary actions and license verification

The North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners maintains publicly accessible licensure and disciplinary information for dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants currently or recently licensed or registered in North Dakota.

How to look up a North Dakota dental license

• Visit the NDSBDE Verification and Roster page.
• Select a license type (Dentist, Dental Hygienist, or Dental Assistant) and enter a partial last name or full license number to search.
• Disciplinary history, if any, is displayed in the licensee's record.

Request a list of licensees

The NDSBDE may provide lists of licensees in pipe-delimited or CSV format (easily converted to Excel) at no charge, sent by email. Submit a written request or complete the List Request form and mail or email it to:

NDSBDE, PO Box 7246, 2900 E Broadway Ave Ste 3, Bismarck, ND 58501
info@nddentalboard.org

Other state dental boards