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: Washington State Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC) — official site. Requirements on this page are summarised from the Board's published rules — always confirm the current rules at the source.
Washington's rulebook comes from the Washington State Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC), and the number that matters is 21 hours per year (annual renewal). The detail that matters most for readers of this directory is the delivery rule: commonly cited cap of 7 hours via home study/online per year — the balance should be live or interactive, so treat free webinars as a supplement rather than the whole plan. The figures here reflect commonly published summaries of the rules; requirements change, so verify against the Board’s current guidance before you plan a full cycle.
The total is only half the story; these named requirements sit alongside it:
- Washington has applied one-time public-health trainings to health professions (e.g. suicide-prevention education) — confirm the current DQAC list
- Current BLS certification
On free online CE specifically: the Board recognises DQAC-recognised and CERP/PACE-recognised providers, which covers most providers in this directory — so a certificated free webinar is creditable CE with a proper paper trail. Compliance is attestation-based: attestation with random audit; keep 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
- Direct Posterior Composite Restorations
- Guided Bone Regeneration Using PTFE Barrier Around Dental Implants
- Breaking the Mold with Advanced Endodontic Technology
- Advancements in Minimally Invasive Surgical Periodontal Interventions
- Management of Combined Therapeutic Indications with One Biomaterial: A Practice-Based Research Approach
- Making Sense of the Ever-Expanding World of Dental 3D Printing and Mills
- Instrumental Insight: Mastering Techniques to Mitigate the Damage
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Washington dentists need?
21 hours per year (annual renewal), under the Washington State Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC). Cycle timing and category rules are set by the Board — always work from the current renewal guide.
Do free online courses count in Washington?
Yes, within the delivery rules: commonly cited cap of 7 hours via home study/online per year — the balance should be live or interactive, so treat free webinars as a supplement rather than the whole plan. Courses from DQAC-recognised and CERP/PACE-recognised providers give you a certificate with your name, provider, date and hours — the evidence that matters at audit.
What topics are mandatory?
Currently: washington has applied one-time public-health trainings to health professions (e.g. suicide-prevention education) — confirm the current DQAC list; current BLS certification. 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 — attestation with random audit; keep 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
Browse free dental CE by state
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