Last updated July 2026 · all courses free at the point of access
Written by Dr Sam — practising dentist, Australia, and the clinician behind this directory. About the author →
Primary source: Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry — official site. Requirements on this page are summarised from the Board's published rules — always confirm the current rules at the source.
The Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry sets Pennsylvania's requirement — 30 hours per biennial period (renewals April 1 of odd years). The detail that matters most for readers of this directory is the delivery rule: no more than 50% (15 hours) via online/individual self-study — live interactive webinars are treated differently from recorded self-study.
Beyond the raw number, Pennsylvania names specific obligations worth diarising:
- 2 hours of Act 31 child abuse recognition and reporting from an approved provider every renewal (3 hours for initial licensure)
- 2 hours of Act 124 opioid/pain-management CE for anyone with (or using) a DEA registration
Fitting free webinars into this: the Board recognises any ADA- or AGD-approved provider, which covers most providers in this directory — so a certificated free webinar is creditable CE with a proper paper trail. Compliance is attestation-based: child-abuse hours are reported electronically; keep all other certificates. Log each course the day you finish it with the free CE tracker (set the US preset to your cycle), and see the US CE guide for the national picture.
Browse certificated courses for your CE record →A starting sample across clinical areas
- Temporization and Cementation of Porcelain Veneers: Predictable Workflow for Clinical Success
- Advanced Prosthodontics Care
- Breaking the Mold with Advanced Endodontic Technology
- Interdental Care: The Missing Link in Patient Home Care
- Caries Management: Evidence-Based Prevention Diagnosis and Treatment
- The Pathway to Transition Toward Digital Dentures - Part 2
- Oral-Systemic Disease Connection
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Pennsylvania dentists need?
30 hours per biennial period (renewals april 1 of odd years), under the Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry. Cycle timing and category rules are set by the Board — always work from the current renewal guide.
Do free online courses count in Pennsylvania?
Yes, within the delivery rules: no more than 50% (15 hours) via online/individual self-study — live interactive webinars are treated differently from recorded self-study. Courses from any ADA- or AGD-approved provider give you a certificate with your name, provider, date and hours — the evidence that matters at audit.
What topics are mandatory?
Currently: 2 hours of Act 31 child abuse recognition and reporting from an approved provider every renewal (3 hours for initial licensure); 2 hours of Act 124 opioid/pain-management CE for anyone with (or using) a DEA registration. Mandates are the part of state CE that changes most often, so re-check the Board’s list each cycle.
Do I submit certificates at renewal?
Generally no — child-abuse hours are reported electronically; keep all other certificates. A tidy dated log plus the certificates themselves is the whole game; the free CE tracker’s PDF export exists for exactly that conversation.
Related guides
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