Information on filing a complaint and the form to use can be found by clicking on the complaints page. You can complete the online form or send the completed form by email to enfcomplaints@dhp.virginia.gov, by fax to: (804) 527-4424 or to the following address:
Enforcement Division
Virginia Department of Health Professions
Perimeter Center
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300
Henrico, VA 23233
You can also report an individual by phone by calling 1-800-533-1560 or (804) 367-4691.
You may obtain license information online via the License Lookup. Anyone seeking verification of current licensure status of any license, registration or certification in the Commonwealth of Virginia may obtain this information via License Lookup which serves as Primary Source Verification.
A complete list of requirements is available in the Dental Application and Instruction Sheet on our Forms page. To review the laws and regulations governing licensure refer to §54.1-2709 of the Code of Virginia and to Part III Entry Requirements, beginning at 18VAC60-21-190 of the Regulations Governing the Practice of Dentistry which can be found on our Laws & Regulations page.
You must be a graduate and a holder of a diploma or a certificate from a dental program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (CODA) or the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), which consist of either a pre-doctoral dental education program or at least a 12-month post-doctoral advanced general dentistry program or a post-doctoral dental education program of at least 24 months in any other specialty that includes a clinical component. For a list of CODA accredited programs, go to the American Dental Association website www.ada.org/coda.
If applying by examination or credentials, review guidance document 60-25 Guidance On Dental Clinical Competency Examination Requirements For Licensure.
If you submitted the initial information and paid the fee on line, you may view the status of your application by going to https://www.license.dhp.virginia.gov/apply/login.aspx and entering the User ID and Password that you initially created to start the application process.
For applicants who submitted a paper application with the fee, you may contact the Board by email at denbd@dhp.virginia.gov or call (804) 367-4538.
Yes, all applicants are required to submit an original, current report not older than 6 months from date prepared to complete their application. Disciplinary or malpractice actions do not automatically disqualify an applicant unless the applicant’s license in another jurisdiction is revoked or suspended. Applications are considered on a case by case basis after all the required documents are received.
Contact the ADA at 1-800-232-1694 or https://www.ada.org/ to obtain the required original grade card giving your scores from the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. Passing scores are accepted from any year.
No. To practice in Virginia a dentist must qualify for a general dental license or one of the available restricted licenses. In addition, every licensed dentist who practices as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is required to register his practice with the Board. Also, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon must be certified by the Board to perform aesthetic or cosmetic procedures. The cosmetic procedure certification entitles the licensee to perform specified procedures above the clavicle or within the head and neck region of a patient.
Criminal history does not automatically disqualify an applicant. Applications are considered on a case by case basis after all the required documents are received.
Any licensed practitioner who wishes to prescribe, administer, dispense or otherwise handle controlled substances must register with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Registration Unit, Techworld Plaza, 800 K Street, N.W., Suite 500, Washington, DC 20024, phone: 202-305-8888 or 800-882-9535, http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/index.html
A complete list of requirements is available in the Dental Hygiene Application and Instruction Sheet located on our Forms and Applications page. To review the laws and regulations governing licensure, refer to §54.1-2722 of the Code of Virginia and the Entry Requirements beginning at 18VAC60-25-130 of the Regulations Governing the Practice of Dental Hygiene which are located on the Laws and Regulations page.
If applying by examination or credentials/endorsement, review guidance document 60-26 Guidance On Dental Hygiene Clinical Competency Examination Requirements For Licensure.
If you submitted the initial information and paid the fee on line, you may view the status of your application by going to https://www.license.dhp.virginia.gov/apply/login.aspx and entering the User ID and Password that you initially created to start the application process.
For applicants who submitted a paper application with the fee, you may contact the Board by email at denbd@dhp.virginia.gov or call (804) 367-4538.
Yes, all applicants are required to submit an original, current report not older than 6 months from date prepared to complete their application. Disciplinary or malpractice actions do not automatically disqualify an applicant unless the applicant’s license in another jurisdiction is revoked or suspended. Applications are considered on a case by case basis after all the required documents are received.
Contact the ADA at 1-800-232-1694 or https://www.ada.org/education/testing to obtain the required original grade card giving your scores from the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. Passing scores are accepted from any year.
Criminal history does not automatically disqualify an applicant. Applications are considered on a case by case basis after all the required documents are received.
Any dentist, dental hygienist or Dental Assistant II (DAII) who holds a current active, unrestricted license/registration in Virginia may change to inactive status by selecting this option during the annual renewal and paying the inactive renewal fee. Expired licenses/registrations are ineligible for the change in status.
If you hold a current inactive license/registration, you must submit a completed Reactivation Application with the required application fee. If your inactive license/registration has expired, you must renew your inactive license to current before you may submit the Reactivation Application. This application can be found on our Forms and Applications page.
Any person whose license/registration has been expired for more than one year must submit a completed Reinstatement Application, along with the required application fee. The applications and instructions are available on our Forms and Applications page.
A complete list of requirements is available in the Instructions for Dental Assistant II Applicants which is located on our Forms and Applications page. To review the laws and regulations governing registration, refer to §54.1-2729.01 of the Code of Virginia and to the Entry Requirements beginning at 18VAC60-30-115 of the Regulations Governing the Practice of Dental Assistants, which are located on our website under Laws and Regulations.
The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) is the certifying body for dental assistants. To learn more about the paths to certification and to assist you in preparing for certification, visit the website at https://www.danb.org/.
You may place or expose dental x-rays after completing one of the following three training options:
The Board sends out renewal notices by e-mail or by the USPS to your address of record 30-60 days in advance of the annual expiration date. You may renew your license/registration online by visiting the Online Renewals page.
No, you wil no longer receive a printed copy of your license/certificate/registration/permit after renewal. Licenses/certificates/registrations/permits are updated upon receipt of the renewal application and fees. The renewed license information may be viewed via License Lookup.
In 2023, the Board of Dentistry ceased mailing hard-copy licenses, certifications, permits, and registrations each renewal period for our regulated DENTIST, DENTAL HYGIENIST, DENTAL ASSISTANT II, ORAL MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON REGISTRATION, DEEP SEDATION / GENERAL ANESTHESIA PERMIT, MODERATE SEDATION PERMIT, COSMETIC PROCEDURE CERTIFICATION, and MOBILE DENTAL FACILITY / PORTABLE DENTAL OPERATION REGISTRATION professions.
In 2022, a final hard-copy license, certification, permit, or registration was issued that contains no expiration date. This final copy should be maintained, carried, or posted in accordance with relevant applicable laws and regulations. State health regulatory boards, employers, insurance providers and citizens seeking verification of current licensure status in the Commonwealth of Virginia may obtain this information via License Lookup.
You may order a duplicate copy of your license/certificate/registration/permit online. Please see the FAQ entitled Request a Duplicate License.
If your license/registration/permit has been expired for less than one year, you may go to our Online Renewals page for more information.
If your license/registration/permit has been expired for more than one year, you must submit a Reinstatement Application. The applications and instructions are available on our Forms and Applications page.
A dentist and a dental hygienist is required to complete a minimum of 15 hours of approved continuing education for each annual license renewal. Please refer to 18VAC60-21-250 of the Regulations Governing the Practice of Dentistry and 18VAC60-25-190 of the Regulations Governing the Practice of Dental Hygiene, on our Laws and Regulations page for information on acceptable content, approved sponsors and required documentation.
For annual renewals, there is no restriction on the number of hours that may be obtained online. With the exception that the required course for certification in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation for health care providers or for advanced life support for health care providers must include hands-on training.
Yes, hours in excess of the 15 required for renewal may be credited to the next renewal year for a total of not more than 15 hours.
If you have already established your username and password on the Department of Health Professions’ Online Licensing site you can login to your account to update your information. For assistance with establishing access or with problems encountered during online transactions, please contact the Department of Health Professions’ Practitioner Information Call Center at (804) 367-4444. If you are unable to access the online service, you might send your request for changes by e-mail to denbd@dhp.virginia.gov.
A name change must be submitted in writing and sent with a copy of the legal document which authorized the name change. Download the name change form here under Miscellaneous Forms. Send the request by e-mail to denbd@dhp.virginia.gov, fax to (804) 527-4428 or mail to Virginia Board of Dentistry, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463.
Verification of a Virginia license to another jurisdiction requires a written request to the Board office with a payment of $35 per verification. Check should be made payable to the “Treasurer of Virginia”. You must provide your full name, license number and the mailing address of the jurisdiction to receive verification. For your convenience, you may complete and submit the “Request for Verification of Virginia Dentist/Dental Hygienist License” form, found on our Forms and Applications page under Miscellaneous Forms.
If you have already established your username and password on the Department of Health Professions’ Online Licensing site, you can continue to the log in page, where you will have the option to request duplicate copies and pay online. If you are not already an established user, you can continue to the peson sign up page. To request a duplicate copy by mail of your license/permit/registration, you may submit a written request to the Board office with a payment of $20 per duplicate. Check should be made payable to the “Treasurer of Virginia”.
You should submit a written request to the dentist which is dated and signed. The request should describe the records you want. You can mail, fax or deliver the request. The dentist is required to respond within 15 days to do one of the following:
Section 32.1-127.1:03 of the Code of Virginia which governs patient health records is available on our Laws and Regulations and selecting “Patient Health Records”.
A dentist shall maintain complete, legible, and accurate patient records for not less than six years from the last date of service for purposes of review by the board with the following exceptions:
1. Records of a minor child shall be maintained until the child reaches the age of 18 years or becomes emancipated, with a minimum time for record retention of six years from the last patient encounter regardless of the age of the child;
2. Records that have previously been transferred to another practitioner or health care provider or provided to the patient or his personal representative pursuant to § 54.1-2405 of the Code; or
3. Records that are required by contractual obligation or federal law may need to be maintained for a longer period of time.
Yes. Per 18 VAC 60-21-70(5), “Failing to cooperate with an employee of the Department of Health Professions in the conduct of an investigation or inspection” is “Unprofessional Practice” which may result in disciplinary action against the licensee by the Board of Dentistry.
No. Inspections are unannounced. See the Code of Virginia (the Code) § 54.1-2703, which says “Employees of the Department of Health Professions, when properly identified, shall be authorized, during ordinary business hours, to enter and inspect any dental office or dental laboratory for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter.” Refusal to permit an unannounced inspection may be interpreted as a failure to cooperate (see above).
In addition to the Code § 54.1-2703, see § 54.1-2506(A), which says “The Director and investigative personnel appointed by him shall be sworn to enforce the statutes and regulations pertaining to the Department, the Board, and the health regulatory boards and shall have the authority to investigate any violations of those statutes and regulations and to the extent otherwise authorized by law inspect any office or facility operated, owned or employing individuals regulated by any health regulatory board.”
Yes. However, in order for a person to be recognized as an authorized representative by DHP, they must be an attorney with the necessary credentials to legally represent a licensee before a Board of Dentistry disciplinary hearing.
A person represented by legal counsel may have his/her attorney present at interviews. In order to comply with the confidentiality requirements of the Code § 54.1-2400.2, investigators or inspectors may require privacy for interviews and limit who else may be present. If a licensee insists on other third parties attending interviews, it may be interpreted by the Board of Dentistry as a failure to cooperate or an attempt to obstruct the investigation/inspection.
Virginia Board of Dentistry
denbd@dhp.virginia.gov | Contact the Board
Jamie C. Sacksteder, Executive Director
Margaret F. Lemaster, RDH, Board President