Dentist license
Granted by state dental boards, not by a national exam alone. D.D.S. or D.M.D. from an accredited dental school (admission usually after a bachelor's degree).
Granted byState dental boards
National exams2INBDE (Integrated National Board Dental Examination) · State or regional clinical exam
ExperienceNone for general practice; specialties need a 2- to 4-year residency.
Other statesApply state by stateno compact list on this page
How to get licensed
D.D.S. or D.M.D. from an accredited dental school (admission usually after a bachelor's degree).
- High school diploma
- Bachelor's degree with science coursework
- DAT and dental school applicationExam
- D.D.S. or D.M.D.
- INBDE + clinical examExam
- State dental licenseLicense
- Optional: specialty residencyOptional
The exams
National bodies write the exams; the state board decides who is licensed. Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) — INBDE; American Dental Association (ADA) — DAT admission test.
- INBDE (Integrated National Board Dental Examination)Two-day licensure exam accepted in all U.S. licensing jurisdictions.
JCNDE
INBDEJoint Commission on National Dental Examinations- Checked
- 7 Oct 2026
- State or regional clinical examMost states also require a state or regional clinical examination (BLS).
BLS
Occupational Outlook HandbookU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics- Checked
- 7 Oct 2026
State rules and other states
All states license dentists, and requirements vary by state (BLS).