Dentists

Certification or Licensing

All 50 states and the District of Columbia require dentists to be licensed. To qualify for a license in most states, a candidate must graduate from a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation and pass written and practical examinations. Candidates may fulfill the written part of the exam by passing the Integrated National Board Dental Examination. Individual states or regional testing agencies give the written or practical examinations. Approximately 45 states grant licenses to dentists from other states based on their credentials. Dentists who intend to practice in a specialty area must be licensed or certified in about 20 states. Visit https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/licensure for more information on licensure.