License by Credential Pathway: Clinical Practice with Residency Completion

This pathway requires certification from a residency training program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association. The applicant may receive credit of 1,000 hours for each year, up to 2,000 hours, of clinical practice completed in a residency training program.

*Requires submission of a residency certificate with the application and requires a completed form, which is available by using the link below.

Application Requirements

Before applying to the Board for a dentist license, all applicants must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age.
  • Submit a completed application online through BreEZe or by mail using a paper application.
  • The paper application can be found at the following link: Licensure by Credential. It should be mailed to the following address:
    • Dental Board of California
      2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1550
      Sacramento, CA 95815
  • Pay a non–refundable application fee of $525.00.
  • Provide a color passport–style photo. Please ensure the photo is clear with a plain background and the applicant's entire profile is visible. The photo should be included with the initial application, or it can be emailed to the Board for processing.
  • Submit proof of having an active and unrestricted license issued by another state, district, or territory of the United States to practice dentistry that is not subject to any current or pending disciplinary action such as revocation, suspension, or probation. Submit an Out of State Certification Form.
    NOTE: The Board will accept an electronic copy only if emailed directly from the licensing agency. The Board will not accept license verifications directly from the applicant, whether via BreEZe, email, or mail (unless delivered in a sealed unopened envelope.)
  • Submit proof that the applicant has either been in active clinical practice in another state, district, or territory of the United States, has been engaged in full–time nonclinical practice requiring an active dentist's license for federal, state, or local public health programs in another state, district, or territory of the United States for at least five years immediately preceding the application, or has been a full–time faculty member in an accredited dental education program and in active clinical practice for a total of at least 5,000 hours within the past five years immediately preceding the date of the application.
  • Submit proof that the applicant has not failed a state, regional, or national examination for licensure to practice dentistry within five years prior to the date of the application. If the applicant subsequently passed the examination for licensure, the prior failure shall not make the applicant ineligible. Acceptable proof is as follows:
    • Complete and submit the Certification of Non–Failure of Licensure form. This can be emailed to the Board for processing. This form is required even if you have never taken the WREB or ADEX examination or a state, regional, or national exam for licensure.
  • Submit classifiable sets of fingerprints. (Click link for more information)
    • For Live Scan service (only available in California) once you have submitted this application, Board staff will review and send you the Live Scan forms via email with instructions.
    • Applicants located outside of California must use hard cards provided by the Board or Standard FBI fingerprint cards. If submitting hard cards, the applicant must pay a non–refundable processing fee of $49 at the time of application submission or mailed to the Board along with the hard cards with a check or money order made payable to the Dental Board of California. You can send a message to the Board to request a set of fingerprint hard cards.
  • Submit fifty (50) continuing education (CE) courses.

For more information, call (916) 263–2300 or send a message to the Board.