Montana Dentist License Requirements

What are the requirements to become a dentist in Montana?

You can become a dentist in Montana by examination or credentialing.

To be licensed by examination, the applicant must graduate from an accredited dental school, pass the national board dental examination, pass a board-approved clinical examination, pass the Montana jurisprudence Exam, and possess current CPR certification.

To be licensed by credentialing, an applicant must do all of the above, plus they must currently be engaged in the practice of clinical direct patient care and document the five years immediately preceding application (have 3,000 hours of direct patient care experience).

How do I get a license to practice dentistry in Montana?

Submit an Application for Licensure as a Dentist to the Montana Board of Dentistry.

Candidates for licensure by examination must include a National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) self-query form, copy of their dental school diploma, verification of board examination passage, three letters of reference, a copy of your current CPR card and a check or money order for the amount of fees. You are also responsible for ensuring that your transcripts and exam scores are sent to the board and if you held a license in another state, that state should send verification to the Board.

Candidates for licensure by credentialing must include the NPDB self-query and a check or money order for fees. You must also have a Professional Background Information Services packet sent to the board.

Send your documents to:
Montana Board of Dentistry
PO Box 200513
301 S Park, 4th floor
Helena, Montana 59620-0513
Phone: (406) 841-2331
Fax: (406) 841-2305

How much does the dentist license cost?

Application for license by examination costs $100.00 plus and additional $85.00 to take the jurisprudence exam.

Application for license by credentialing costs $100.00, plus a $500.00 credentialing fee and a $85.00 jurisprudence exam fee.

The annual renewal fee is $306.00.

Are there any continuing education requirements?

Dentists must complete 60 hours of continuing education every three years.

Does a Montana Dental Practice need to be a certain type of business entity?

In addition to becoming a Montana licensed dentist, you may want to start your own dental practice. Registering your Montana business entity with the Secretary of State offers many benefits and protections for dentists. Montana allows dentists to choose the entity that best suits their needs. Dentists may form standard partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies, etc. Dentists may want to create a professional corporation (PC) or professional limited liability company (PLLC). These professional entities allow licensed individuals to form a corporation or LLC for the purpose of practicing their profession. Shareholders must also be licensed to render the service as must half of the officers and directors. Montana does not require entities to include a description of the service (for instance the word “dentist”) in the business name. If you choose to form a PC in Montana, you are required to file the Articles of Incorporation with the licensing authority, in this case, the Montana Board of Dentistry.

Once you have chosen the type of entity you want to form, we can file the appropriate documents with the Montana Secretary of State for you or provide all the information you need to do it yourself. We provide business formation services and ongoing business compliance services by acting as your registered agent for just under $300.00. You get your Montana Dentist License and we will properly form your Montana business. And for just $49 per year, we will provide ongoing business compliance services by acting as your Montana Registered Agent.

MBD forms:
http://www.bsd.dli.mt.gov

MBD SOS forms:
http://www.sos.mt.gov