FLORIDA DENTAL LICENSURE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Requirements
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Dentistry Requirements
An applicant shall be entitled to take the examination required in this section to practice dentistry in Florida if he/she:
- Is 18 years of age or older;
- Is a graduate of a dental school accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Dental Association or its successor agency, if any, or any other nationally recognized accrediting agency;
- Has successfully completed the National Board of Dental Examiners dental examination within 10 years of the date of application.
If an applicant is a graduate of a dental college or school not accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of American Dental Association or of a dental college or school not approved by the board, he shall not be entitled to take the examination required in this section to practice dentistry until he/she:
- Completes a program of study, as defined by the board by rule, at an accredited American dental school and demonstrates receipt of a DDS or DMD from said school;
or
- Completes a two-year supplemental dental education program at an accredited dental school and receives a dental diploma, degree, or certificate as evidence of program completion.
Once qualified, an applicant must successfully complete the following to be licensed as a dentist in this state:
- A written examination on the laws and rules of the state regulating the practice of dentistry;
- A practical or clinical examination, which shall be administered and graded by dentists licensed in this state and employed by the Department of Health for just such purpose.
The practical examination shall include:
- Two restorations, and the board by rule shall determine the class of such restorations and whether they shall be performed on mannequins, live patients or both. At least one restoration shall be on a live patient;
- A demonstration of periodontal skills on a live patient.
- A demonstration of prosthetics and restorative skills in complete and partial dentures and crowns and bridges and the utilization of practical methods of evaluation, specifically including the evaluation by the candidate of completed laboratory products such as, but not limited to, crowns and inlays filled to prepared model teeth.
- A demonstration of restorative skills on a mannequin which requires the candidate to complete procedures performed in preparation for a cast restoration; and
- A demonstration of endodontic skills.
If the applicant fails to pass the clinical examination in three attempts, he/she shall not be eligible for re-examination unless he/she completes additional educational requirements established by the board.
The board may by rule provide for additional procedures that are to be tested, provided such procedures shall be common to the practice of general dentistry. The board by rule shall determine the passing grade for each procedure and the acceptable variation for examiners.
The FDA supports Florida dental students and out-of-state dentists by providing the malpractice insurance required to take the Florida Board of Dentistry Licensure Examination. See our Frequently Asked Questions of this section for details.
If you would like printed copies of this pamphlet, please contact the Florida Dental Association:
E-mail: dhiggins@floridadental.org
Voice: (800) 877-9922
Fax: (850) 681-3629, Ext. 7121
