Getting licensed to practice as a dentist in Michigan means applying through the Michigan Board of Dentistry, completing primary source verification of your credentials, and then enrolling with payers so you can bill. Here's how it works — and how Rivon handles Michigan licensing and credentialing for you.
Official MI boardApply, renew, or look up a license on the Michigan Board of Dentistry websiteHow to get licensed in Michigan
- 01Confirm eligibility and gather documents — diploma, training verification, exam results (INBDE + a clinical exam), current licenses, DEA, and a complete work history.
- 02Submit the application to the Michigan Board of Dentistry, with all fees and supporting documents.
- 03Primary source verification — the board confirms your education, training, licensure, certification, and background (including the NPDB) directly with each source.
- 04Board review and issuance — once the file is complete and verified, Michigan issues your license.
- 05Enroll with payers and keep the license current — track the renewal cycle and CE/CME so it never lapses.
Licensing board
Michigan Board of Dentistry
The MI board sets Michigan's application, documentation, fees, and renewal requirements.
Board websiteEstimated application fee
$322.40
An estimate; confirm current fees with the Michigan Board of Dentistry. Amounts vary by license type and change over time.
Typical timeline
~45 days
From a complete file to issuance — driven mostly by how fast primary sources respond. A clean, error-free application is the best way to stay near the low end.
Free MI checklist
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Every document, form and fee, stage by stage, with links to the official board forms. Emailed to you now.
Renewing your Michigan dental license
Once you're licensed, the Michigan Board of Dentistry requires you to renew on a set cycle. Here are the renewal rules as the board publishes them.
- Renewal cycle
- Every 3 years
- Deadline
- Renew in MiPLUS on or before the expiration date shown on the license; renewal opens about 90 days before expiration, when LARA sends a renewal notice
- Renewal fee
- $296.40 dentist renewal; $248.10 controlled substance renewal (the CS license renews with the dentist license unless 'renew CS' is unchecked)
- Continuing education (CE)
- 60 hours every 3-year license cycle (at least 20 synchronous live hours; no more than 30 asynchronous)
- At least 20 hours in clinical issues (delivery of care, materials, pharmacology)
- 3 hours pain and symptom management
- 1 hour dental ethics and jurisprudence, including delegation to allied dental personnel
- 1 hour infection control (hand-piece sterilization, PPE, CDC guidelines)
- At least 20 hours synchronous live (in person or virtual); no more than 30 hours asynchronous
- Specialists: 20 of the 60 hours in the specialty
- Implicit bias: 1 hour per year of the cycle (3 hours); does not count toward the 60 CE hours
- One-time human trafficking training (may also count as CE)
- Opioids and controlled substances awareness training (R 338.3135) for CS licensees
- Current BLS or ACLS for healthcare providers with a hands-on component
- How to renew
- Online in MiPLUS; accepting the renewal attestation certifies CE compliance. Answer the good moral character and discipline questions and report the amalgam separator make and install year if R 338.11811 appliesOpen the renewal portal
- NoteCE proof is not submitted with renewal; keep documentation 5 years after renewal for audit
- NoteCE must be Board-approved (R 338.11704a); the Board's approved course lists and CE Broker tracking are linked from the Dentistry page
- NoteA CE waiver request (MCL 333.16205) must reach the Department at least 30 days before the last regular Board meeting before expiration
- NoteRelicensure after expiration: $342.40 plus 60 CE hours in the prior 3 years; lapsed 3+ years without other active licensure also needs ADEX re-passed within 2 years
- NoteLate renewal: renew within 60 days after expiration with the renewal fee plus a late renewal fee and may keep practicing in that window; after 60 days the license is void (MCL 333.16201(2)-(3)). Late fee amount not published in the guide
Last verified November 3, 2026 from the Michigan Board of Dentistry. As published by the board; confirm current requirements before renewing.
SourcesLARA - Michigan Dentist Licensing Guide and FAQ (revision 1/26/2026), Renewal Requirements ChecklistMich. Admin. Code R 338.11101-R 338.11821 (R 338.11701 renewal, R 338.11811 amalgam)Mich. Admin. Code R 338.7001-R 338.7005 (implicit bias)MCL 333.16201 - Renewal, 60-day late renewal, relicensure
Comparing states? See how often dentists renew, deadlines, fees and CE in every state: dental license renewal requirements by state.
Renewal tracking
Never miss a Michigan renewal
Rivon tracks your license expiration, CE hours and DEA, and reminds you before you're due.
Dental credentialing & payer enrollment in Michigan
A Michigan license lets you practice; credentialing lets you get paid. Before a health plan will reimburse you, it verifies your license, training, and history. Here's what that usually involves:
- 01Keep your NPI record (NPPES) current — your name, practice address, and taxonomy code should match your Michigan license exactly.
- 02Complete your CAQH ProView profile: upload your Michigan license and other documents, attest, and authorize each plan to view it. Re-attest every 120 days.
- 03Apply to each dental plan (and any medical plan you'll bill) that you want to join in Michigan. Each runs its own credentialing review.
- 04If you'll see Medicaid patients, enroll with Michigan Medicaid (and any Medicaid managed-care plans you'll work with).
- 05If you'll bill Medicare, enroll through PECOS.
- 06If you'll work in a hospital or surgery center, apply for privileges there — each facility credentials you separately.
New to CAQH? Read our CAQH ProView guide for setup, your CAQH ID, and re-attestation. Want it done for you? Our credentialing and payer enrollment service handles it per request (see what outsourced credentialing costs). Opening a practice in Michigan? Start with how to get a new practice credentialed.
How Rivon handles Michigan licensing & credentialing
On the Rivon platform, your Michigan license, DEA, and certifications live in one record with always-on monitoring that flags every renewal weeks early — so nothing lapses with the Michigan Board of Dentistry. Document AI reads each credential and fills the profile without retyping, and licensing & credentialing pipelines run primary source verification and payer enrollment in parallel.
Prefer to hand it off? Rivon's white-glove team manages the entire Michigan application end to end — gathering documents, completing verification, and shepherding payer enrollment — while you watch progress in real time. Licensing in several states at once? See our multi-state licensing service. Working as an independent contractor? Read whether you need an LLC and how we set up the whole business for you.
Michigan dentist licensing FAQ
How long does it take to get a dental license in Michigan?
Most Michigan dentist applications take about 45 days once the Michigan Board of Dentistry has a complete file, though timelines vary with how quickly primary sources (schools, prior boards, the NPDB) respond. Submitting a complete, error-free application is the single biggest way to avoid delays.
Which board licenses dentists in Michigan?
Dentists in Michigan are licensed by the Michigan Board of Dentistry, which verifies education, training, exams, and background before granting a license.
How much is the Michigan dentist application fee?
As an estimate, the Michigan dentist application fee is around $322.40. Fees change and vary by license type — always confirm the current amount directly with the Michigan Board of Dentistry before you apply.
How do I renew my Michigan dental license?
In Michigan, renewals are filed with the Michigan Board of Dentistry. How to renew: Online in MiPLUS; accepting the renewal attestation certifies CE compliance. Answer the good moral character and discipline questions and report the amalgam separator make and install year if R 338.11811 applies. Renewal cycle: Every 3 years. Deadline: Renew in MiPLUS on or before the expiration date shown on the license; renewal opens about 90 days before expiration, when LARA sends a renewal notice. Renewal fee: $296.40 dentist renewal; $248.10 controlled substance renewal (the CS license renews with the dentist license unless 'renew CS' is unchecked). Continuing education: 60 hours every 3-year license cycle (at least 20 synchronous live hours; no more than 30 asynchronous). Required topics include At least 20 hours in clinical issues (delivery of care, materials, pharmacology); 3 hours pain and symptom management; 1 hour dental ethics and jurisprudence, including delegation to allied dental personnel; 1 hour infection control (hand-piece sterilization, PPE, CDC guidelines); At least 20 hours synchronous live (in person or virtual); no more than 30 hours asynchronous; Specialists: 20 of the 60 hours in the specialty; Implicit bias: 1 hour per year of the cycle (3 hours); does not count toward the 60 CE hours; One-time human trafficking training (may also count as CE); Opioids and controlled substances awareness training (R 338.3135) for CS licensees; Current BLS or ACLS for healthcare providers with a hands-on component. This is as published by the board (last verified November 3, 2026); confirm before renewing. Rivon tracks the expiration date and flags it well before it's due.
How many CE hours do I need to renew a dental license in Michigan?
60 CE hours. The Michigan Board of Dentistry publishes the requirement as: 60 hours every 3-year license cycle (at least 20 synchronous live hours; no more than 30 asynchronous). Required topics include At least 20 hours in clinical issues (delivery of care, materials, pharmacology); 3 hours pain and symptom management; 1 hour dental ethics and jurisprudence, including delegation to allied dental personnel; 1 hour infection control (hand-piece sterilization, PPE, CDC guidelines); At least 20 hours synchronous live (in person or virtual); no more than 30 hours asynchronous; Specialists: 20 of the 60 hours in the specialty; Implicit bias: 1 hour per year of the cycle (3 hours); does not count toward the 60 CE hours; One-time human trafficking training (may also count as CE); Opioids and controlled substances awareness training (R 338.3135) for CS licensees; Current BLS or ACLS for healthcare providers with a hands-on component. Last verified November 3, 2026; confirm with the board before renewing. Rivon tracks your CE hours against the requirement so you're not caught short.
How do I look up or verify a Michigan dentist license?
Use the license lookup (verification) tool on the Michigan Board of Dentistry's official website. It shows whether a license is active and when it expires.
What does dentist credentialing involve in Michigan?
Credentialing is how health plans and facilities verify your qualifications before you can bill them or practice with them. In Michigan that usually means an up-to-date NPI record, a complete and attested CAQH ProView profile, an application to each plan you want to join, and — if you'll bill them — Michigan Medicaid enrollment and Medicare enrollment through PECOS.
Do I need a Michigan license to practice telehealth there?
Generally yes. Licensure follows where the patient is located, so to treat patients in Michigan — including by telehealth — you typically need a Michigan license unless a specific exception applies.
Can Rivon handle Michigan dentist licensing and credentialing for me?
Yes. On the Rivon platform you can track every Michigan license and renewal with always-on monitoring and run credentialing with primary source verification. Or hand it to Rivon's white-glove team, which manages the Michigan application and payer enrollment end to end.