Massachusetts Dental Licensing

Massachusetts's Board of Registration in Dentistry can license a dentist from another state "by credentials, without further professional examination." The rule, 234 CMR 4.04, asks for a long list of documents, including a physician's statement about your health, letters of endorsement from two dentists, and an attestation about state taxes and child support.

Who can be licensed by credentials in Massachusetts?

234 CMR 4.04 applies to "a dentist currently licensed in another jurisdiction," provided the applicant is of good moral character and has met all eligibility requirements. The central eligibility tests are:

• Five years of recent practice. "Proof satisfactory to the Board of a minimum of five years of practice in dentistry or dental education immediately preceding the application." Private practice, practice in the armed forces, federal, state and municipal programs, and intern and residency programs all count toward the five years.
• A license based on an exam. You must be "currently licensed and in good standing in another jurisdiction based on passing a Board-approved examination."
• Three passing scores. Parts I and II of the ADA National Board Examination; "the CDCA or other state or regional examination approved by the Board"; and the Massachusetts Dental Ethics and Jurisprudence Examination or a Board-approved successor.

Because residency years count toward the five, a dentist who completed a residency soon after school may reach five years sooner than in a state that excludes training time, such as Georgia. See years-of-practice rules for licensure by credentials.

What documents does 234 CMR 4.04 require?

Beyond the exams and the practice proof, the rule lists:

1. a complete, signed application and the non-refundable licensing and application fee set by the Executive Office of Administration and Finance;
2. an original transcript with the college seal from a CODA-accredited dental school, or a sealed letter from the school attesting to your degree and graduation date;
3. "a physician's statement made after an examination conducted within one year of the date of application, attesting to the health of the applicant and to any impairments that may affect the ability of the applicant to practice dentistry";
4. certified letters of standing from every jurisdiction that has licensed you, reporting any past or pending discipline or pending complaints;
5. letters of endorsement from two licensed dentists in good standing who know you and your practice, attesting to your competency and character;
6. an original National Practitioner Data Bank self-query report;
7. current BLS or CPR/AED certification (applicants for an individual anesthesia permit follow 234 CMR 6.00 instead);
8. a statement disclosing any disciplinary, civil or criminal action or restriction of privileges since you reached the age of majority;
9. a passport-size color photograph and proof of good moral character;
10. an attestation "signed under pains and penalties of perjury" that you have complied with Massachusetts tax and child support laws; and
11. proof of the training required under M.G.L. c. 94C, section 18(e) "as a condition precedent for obtaining licensure."

The physician's statement and the two endorsement letters depend on other people's schedules, so they belong at the start of the timeline. See the NPDB and AADB clearinghouse in a dental application and disclosing discipline on a dental application.

How does the exam route compare?

A new graduate applies by examination under 234 CMR 4.03. The exam list is the same as for credentials: National Board Parts I and II, the CDCA or another Board-approved state or regional exam, and the Massachusetts Dental Ethics and Jurisprudence Examination. So does the physician's statement. The difference for a credentials applicant is the five-year practice requirement and the letters of standing and endorsement. See your first dental license as a new graduate.

Are there other Massachusetts license types?

Under 234 CMR 4.05, the Board can grant a limited license to serve as a full-time member of a dental college faculty, and a limited license for dental interns. Anesthesia permits are governed by 234 CMR 6.00 and are separate from the license. See faculty and restricted dental licenses and dental sedation and anesthesia permits by state.

Is Massachusetts in the dental compact?

Not yet. A Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact bill is pending in Massachusetts but has not been enacted, and even the 13 member states are not issuing compact privileges. A Massachusetts license is the only way to practice there. See the dental compact hub.

How do we help with Massachusetts?

Our Dentist License by Credentials service is $799 for Massachusetts. We document your five years, order certified letters of standing from every jurisdiction, prepare the physician's statement form and endorsement letter requests for you to send, arrange the NPDB self-query, line up the jurisprudence exam, and give you a question-by-question guide. You sign the application and the pains-and-penalties attestation, take the jurisprudence exam yourself, pay the Board and submit. Jurisprudence Exam Logistics is $249. Board fees are separate. See the Massachusetts requirements page or start with the $149 Dental Licensure Readiness Review.