DANB Certification Renewal: Credits, CPR, Fees and Deadlines
Every DANB certification must be renewed every year with continuing dental education (CDE) credits, a fee and, for most certificants, a current hands-on CPR, BLS or ACLS card. Find your row below; the numbers come from DANB's current recertification packets.
What applies to you
| What you hold | Total CDE credits each year | Must be included in that total | Hands-on CPR, BLS or ACLS | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 standard DANB certification (CDA, COA, CPFDA, CRFDA, CDPMA or COMSA) | 12 | 1 credit on OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard + 2 in infection control | Required | $75 |
| 2 standard DANB certifications | 18 | Same 3 credits (1 + 2) | Required | $90 |
| 3 standard DANB certifications | 24 | Same 3 credits | Required | $110 |
| 4 standard DANB certifications | 30 | Same 3 credits | Required | $130 |
| 5 standard DANB certifications | 36 | Same 3 credits | Required | $150 |
| 6 standard DANB certifications | 42 | Same 3 credits | Required | $170 |
| CDIPC or DISIPC + 1 other DANB certification | 18 | 6 infection-control credits inside the 18, including 1 bloodborne-pathogens credit | Required | $90 |
| CDIPC and DISIPC + 1 other DANB certification | 24 | 12 infection-control credits inside the 24, including 1 bloodborne-pathogens credit | Required | $110 |
| NELDA only | 6 | At least 3 in infection control, 1 of them on bloodborne pathogens | Required | $50 |
| CDIPC only or DISIPC only | 6, all in infection control | From an ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved provider | Not required | $50 |
| CDIPC and DISIPC only | 12, all in infection control | From an ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved provider | Not required | $75 |
Deadline: your certification expiration date, shown on your certificate and in your DANB account. Grace period: three months after that date, with a $20 late fee; DANB still considers you certified during the grace period. After the grace period: you are no longer DANB certified.
CPR is waived only if CDIPC and/or DISIPC are the only DANB certifications you hold. Add CDIPC or DISIPC to a CDA (or any other DANB certification) and you count every certification in the numbered rows, CPR included; see the combined-certification table for the infection-control split. Holding NELDA plus another DANB certification? The current public NELDA and general recertification packets don't provide a combined NELDA table, so ask recertification@danb.org for the requirement that applies to your combination.
Where you stand right now:
- Before your expiration date: finish CDE and CPR, then renew at the regular fee.
- Up to three months after it: you're in the grace period and still certified. Renew now and add $20.
- More than three months after it: you're no longer DANB certified. Some certifications can be reinstated and some can't; see If you missed your deadline.
Renew through DANB: log in and choose Renew Now under Notifications on your account dashboard.
Sources: DANB 2026 Recertification Requirements, pp. 2–5 (updated May 15, 2026); 2026 NELDA Recertification Requirements, pp. 2, 4 (updated May 15, 2026); 2026 CDIPC and DISIPC Recertification Requirements, pp. 3–4 (updated Nov. 6, 2025). Last verified October 26, 2026.
Your renewal timeline
DANB certification is valid for one year. Here's how one renewal cycle plays out, using an expiration date of December 1, 2026 as the example:
| When | What happens | Example date |
|---|---|---|
| 9 weeks before expiration | DANB emails your renewal notice, and online renewal opens around now (the 2026 packet says up to nine weeks ahead; DANB's renewal page says up to two months; your account shows the exact date) | September 29, 2026 |
| 5 weeks before expiration | DANB mails a renewal letter | October 27, 2026 |
| Expiration date | Last day to renew without the late fee | December 1, 2026 |
| Grace period | Renew with the $20 late fee; you're still considered certified | Through March 1, 2027 |
| After the grace period | No longer DANB certified; reinstatement rules apply (see If you missed your deadline) | From March 2, 2027 |
DANB's own example works the same way: an expiration date of June 1 means the grace period ends September 1. If your expiration falls on the 29th, 30th or 31st and that day doesn't exist three months later, confirm the exact end date with DANB rather than guessing.
You must renew every year whether or not you get a notice. Keep your email address current in your DANB account, because the first notice comes by email.
Sources: Recertification Requirements, pp. 3, 5; DANB, Renew Certification.
How to renew, step by step
- Keep your CPR, BLS or ACLS current. It must come from a DANB-accepted provider and include a hands-on skills test. It does not count toward your CDE total. (Not required if you hold only CDIPC and/or DISIPC.)
- Earn your CDE credits during your renewal period, including the required infection-control and bloodborne-pathogens credits.
- Submit the renewal and fee. Log in to your DANB account and choose Renew Now under Notifications. You can also renew by mail with the DANB Certification Renewal Form (CDIPC/DISIPC holders use their own form). Fees are nonrefundable.
For the standard renewal process, you attest that you've met every requirement rather than submitting routine CDE and CPR proof with the renewal. DANB audits a share of renewals each year and requests documentation if you're selected. You also answer three background questions (about felony convictions, discipline and court declarations of incompetence since your last renewal). Leaving them blank makes the renewal incomplete; a "yes" needs supporting documents with the application.
After you renew, your new certificate and wallet card follow, unless you've been selected for audit, in which case they're released once the audit clears.
Ready to renew? Renew through DANB · Questions: recertification@danb.org, 1-800-367-3262 (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. CT) or DANB's contact page
Sources: Recertification Requirements, pp. 3, 8–9; DANB Certification Renewal Form (updated Nov. 6, 2025); DANB, Renew Certification.
What counts as CDE
CDE must relate directly to dentistry or dental assisting. A few rules apply to every credit:
- 45 minutes minimum. A shorter program doesn't qualify.
- Counted in 15-minute increments. 45 minutes = 0.75 credit; 1 hour = 1 credit.
- Earned during your renewal period. DANB defines that period as starting on the date you earned your most recent DANB certification and ending when your three-month grace period ends. Credits can't be applied retroactively.
- No duplicates. The same course taken twice in one renewal period counts once.
- Initial exams don't count. Passing a DANB exam to earn your first DANB certification isn't CDE.
- Extra credits can carry over. CDE credits have a two-year lifespan, so credits beyond your requirement can roll into the next renewal period.
DANB sorts credits into four categories. Category limits are where most renewals go wrong:
| Category | What it covers | How credits are counted | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Clinical practice | Infection control, radiology, dental materials, four-handed dentistry, expanded functions, behavior management, chairside communication. Your required bloodborne-pathogens and infection-control credits come from here. | 1 hour = 1 credit; 1 college credit/unit = 4 credits; in-person DANB exam or DALE Foundation development committee meeting = 3; authored or edited article or textbook = 2 | No cap listed, except 6 for CDPMA certificants |
| 2. Dental office management | Practice acts, HIPAA, insurance and billing, risk and stress management, HR, marketing, computer courses, cultural competence, foreign languages and American Sign Language | Same as Category 1 | 3 for most certificants; 6 for CDPMA certificants |
| 3. DANB and other dental exams | Passing a DANB-administered exam (not one you take to earn an initial certification) or a professionally proctored, dental-related exam from another organization with at least 100 questions | DANB exam: 6 credits under 100 questions, 12 credits for 100 or more. Other exams: hour for hour if timed; 1 credit per 100 questions if untimed | None listed |
| 4. Volunteer service | Dental mission or volunteer clinic work and dental presentations. Serving as an officer or committee member doesn't count. | 1 clock hour = 1 credit | 3 |
Credits above a category limit don't count toward this year, but they may carry over to the next renewal period.
Your bloodborne-pathogens credit. DANB accepts proof of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens training your employer is required to provide, or another dental course focused on bloodborne pathogens. The two infection-control credits can cover any topic on DANB's Infection Control exam blueprint.
Credits from a state license or registration may also count toward DANB. DANB says to email recertification@danb.org if you're unsure.
Where to find CDE. DANB points to free or low-cost options such as Dentalcare.com, Viva Learning and Colgate Oral Health Network, and to its official affiliate, the DALE Foundation, whose courses are worth 2 to 12 credits. Before you count any course, check that its certificate shows the details DANB requires (see If you're audited).
Sources: Recertification Requirements, pp. 5–7, 10; DANB, Maintain Certification.
CDE plans that meet the rules
These are illustrations of DANB's rules, not course recommendations. Each one fills every required credit and stays inside every category limit.
CDA only — 12 credits
| Credits | What | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annual OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens training at work | 1 (required) |
| 2 | Two 1-hour infection-control courses | 1 (required) |
| 3 | Three 1-hour courses: HIPAA, insurance basics, practice act | 2 (at the 3-credit cap) |
| 6 | Six 1-hour clinical courses (radiography, materials, etc.) | 1 |
| 12 |
CDA and COA — 18 credits. The required 3 infection-control and bloodborne-pathogens credits don't double with a second certification; the total does.
| Credits | What | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 bloodborne pathogens + 2 infection control | 1 (required) |
| 3 | Office-management courses | 2 (at cap) |
| 3 | Three hours at a volunteer dental clinic | 4 (at cap) |
| 9 | Clinical and orthodontic courses | 1 |
| 18 |
CDA and CDIPC — 18 credits. DANB's own example: 1 credit in bloodborne pathogens and 5 in infection control, for 6 infection-control credits inside the 18. The CDIPC infection-control credits must come from an ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved provider.
Common traps, worked out
- A 30-minute webinar: 0 credits. It's under the 45-minute minimum.
- A 45-minute webinar: 0.75 credit. DANB gives this exact example when explaining its 15-minute credit increments.
- One 3-unit college course in dental office management: worth 12 credits on paper (3 × 4), but Category 2 caps a non-CDPMA certificant at 3 this year. The other 9 may carry over.
- Six hours of volunteer clinic work for a CDA: 3 credits count this year (Category 4 cap).
- CPR renewal class: 0 CDE credits. CPR is a separate requirement.
If you hold CDIPC or DISIPC with other DANB certifications
| Combination | Total CDE | Infection-control credits inside the total | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDIPC or DISIPC + 1 other | 18 | 6 | $90 |
| CDIPC and DISIPC + 1 other | 24 | 12 | $110 |
| CDIPC or DISIPC + 2 others | 24 | 6 | $110 |
| CDIPC and DISIPC + 2 others | 30 | 12 | $130 |
| CDIPC or DISIPC + 3 others | 30 | 6 | $130 |
DANB's worked examples include 1 bloodborne-pathogens credit inside those infection-control counts (for example, CDA + CDIPC + DISIPC = 24 total, with 1 in bloodborne pathogens and 11 in infection control). Credits earned for CDIPC or DISIPC also satisfy the infection-control requirement for your other DANB certifications. Fees follow the main table by number of certifications held.
Source: Recertification Requirements, pp. 2–3; CDIPC and DISIPC Recertification Requirements, p. 4.
CPR rules that trip people up
- It must include a hands-on skills exam. DANB requires CPR plus a hands-on exam; its provider page says both a cognitive and a hands-on exam must be taken. A card from a provider not on DANB's list isn't accepted and can cost you your certification.
- Check the provider list, then check the course. DANB accepts courses from providers including the American Heart Association, American Red Cross and the Health and Safety Institute family (ASHI, EMS Safety, MEDIC First Aid); see DANB's full CPR provider list. For four providers marked on that list (American CPR Care Association, American Health Care Academy, Emergency University and ProTrainings), not every course includes a hands-on exam, so confirm before you pay.
- Ignore the old online-only exception. An archived DANB page from the COVID-19 period still appears in search results describing temporary acceptance of online CPR without a hands-on component. DANB's current 2026 packets require a hands-on course.
- CPR doesn't count as CDE, and DANB doesn't list CPR as a CDE category.
- Keep the card or certificate showing the issue and expiration dates, the instructor's name, and your name and/or signature. That's what an audit asks for.
- Holding only CDIPC and/or DISIPC? You don't need CPR for DANB renewal.
Sources: Recertification Requirements, pp. 3–4; DANB, CPR Providers.
If you're audited
DANB selects a percentage of renewals for audit each year, at random or at its discretion. If you're picked, you'll get an email asking for:
- Proof of the CDE credits you earned in your renewal period, including the infection-control and bloodborne-pathogens credits
- A copy of your current, DANB-accepted, hands-on CPR, BLS or ACLS card or certificate
- Anything else DANB needs to confirm you met the requirements
If something is missing, DANB emails you about the gap, and you may get more chances to fix it while you're still within your grace period. If you can't prove compliance by the end of the grace period, the audit fails, you're no longer DANB certified, and the renewal fee isn't refunded. Pass the audit and your renewed certificate appears in your DANB account right away, with a mailed copy within four weeks.
What each kind of proof must show:
| Proof | Must include |
|---|---|
| Course or seminar certificate | Sponsor letterhead with contact information, your name, course title, date and hours |
| College course | Transcript or official letter with your name, course title, completion month and year, and credits or units |
| DANB or DALE Foundation committee meeting | Letter on the organization's letterhead verifying participation |
| Article or textbook you wrote or edited | Publisher's evaluation with title, your name, publisher and publication date |
| Volunteer service | Certificate or letter on sponsor letterhead with contact information, your name, hours and date of service |
| Non-DANB exam | Official results with the exam date and a description from the exam organizer |
| CPR, BLS or ACLS | Certificate or front and back of card with issue and expiration dates, instructor's name, and your name and/or signature |
Keep everything for two years. You can store CDE records in your DANB account dashboard, and DANB's packet includes a recertification recording form for tracking credits and CPR.
Source: Recertification Requirements, pp. 4–7, 9, 11; DANB, Maintain Certification.
Audit-ready renewal checklist
Use this before you click Renew. Every box should be checked.
If you missed your deadline
Still inside the three-month grace period? You're certified and can still finish CDE; renew now with the $20 late fee. Past it, what happens depends on the certification:
| Where you are | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| More than three months after expiration — CDA, COA, CPFDA, CRFDA, CDIPC or DISIPC | You're no longer DANB certified and can't use the credential's mark | Contact DANB about reinstatement. DANB says a reinstatement fee, proof of CDE and accepted CPR may be required, and in some cases retesting on all or some component exams |
| More than three months after expiration — NELDA, CDPMA or COMSA | DANB says these certifications cannot be reinstated | Contact DANB about what options, if any, remain |
NELDA has a hard limit. Because it's an entry-level certification, NELDA can be renewed only three times. Plan your path to the CDA or another credential before your third renewal runs out.
DANB also reports certificants whose certifications have lapsed to state regulatory agencies, and using a DANB mark after your certification has lapsed is grounds for DANB discipline.
If retesting is part of your reinstatement, start with Dental Assistant Certification: CDA, NELDA, RDA & State Rules to identify the current DANB credential and exam path that applies.
Sources: Recertification Requirements, pp. 3, 5, 9; NELDA Recertification Requirements, p. 2.
Retiring or leaving the field: Emeritus status
If you're retiring or can no longer work because of a disability, Emeritus status lets you keep your credential as an honorary title (for example, "CDA-Emeritus") without CDE, CPR or renewal fees. DANB's current application requires:
- Continuous certification for at least four of the previous five years in at least one certification you currently hold, and
- One of the following: total and permanent disability; retirement from dentistry or dental assisting at age 60 or older; or retirement with 35 years of continuous DANB certification
You'll need a signed letter from you plus either an employer's letter confirming your retirement date (or proof of Social Security benefits) or a physician's letter (or proof of Social Security disability benefits). The current form is accepted through December 31, 2026.
Changed your mind? CDA and COA certificants who received Emeritus status within the last 4 to 12 months can reinstate with their original certification number by providing CPR proof and the required CDE, and paying a $75 reinstatement fee plus past renewal and late fees.
Source: DANB Certified Assistant Emeritus Application (updated Nov. 6, 2025).
Does renewing DANB renew my state credential?
No. DANB certification is separate from any state dental assisting license, registration, permit or other state credential you may hold. State renewal rules, fees and CE requirements vary by jurisdiction. Some states use DANB certification in their requirements; others do not. DANB does say that CDE credits earned for a state dental assisting or hygiene license might also count toward DANB renewal. Check your state on DANB's state requirements page and with your state dental board. For how the two fit together, see national certification vs state dental assistant credentials.
Quick answers
Can I renew early? Yes, once the online window opens, roughly two months (DANB's packet says up to nine weeks) before your expiration date. Your DANB account shows when the Renew Now option is available.
I never got a renewal email. Am I off the hook? No. DANB says you must renew every year with or without a notice.
Do I need to upload my certificates when I renew? Not as part of the standard renewal process. You attest that you've met the requirements; if you're selected for audit, DANB asks for proof. Keep the documentation for two years.
Can my extra credits roll over? Yes. Credits beyond the requirement for one renewal period may carry over to the next; CDE credits have a two-year lifespan.
Does passing another DANB exam count? A DANB-administered exam that isn't for an initial certification counts in Category 3: 6 credits for fewer than 100 questions, 12 for 100 or more. Not sure whether your exam qualifies? Ask DANB before you count it.
Is the renewal fee refundable? No, under any circumstances, including a failed audit.
What if I changed my name? Update it through DANB's online name change or name change form.
Sources
All DANB rules on this page were checked against these official documents on October 26, 2026:
- DANB, 2026 Recertification Requirements (updated May 15, 2026): pp. 2–3 credits, fees and infection-control combinations; p. 3 renewal steps, notices and lapse; p. 4 CPR; pp. 5–7 CDE rules and categories; p. 9 audit, mark use and reinstatement; p. 11 recording form
- DANB, 2026 NELDA Recertification Requirements (updated May 15, 2026): p. 2 credits, fee, reinstatement and three-renewal limit; p. 4 CDE rules
- DANB, 2026 CDIPC and DISIPC Recertification Requirements (updated Nov. 6, 2025): pp. 3–5 credits, fees, approved providers and audit
- DANB, Certification Renewal Form (updated Nov. 6, 2025): mail and fax renewal, background questions
- DANB, Certified Assistant Emeritus Application (updated Nov. 6, 2025)
- DANB web pages: Renew Certification, Maintain Certification, CPR Providers, Forms and Policies
By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. Last verified October 26, 2026: DANB's renewal credits, fees, deadlines, grace period, CPR rules, CDE categories, audit, reinstatement and Emeritus rules, against the documents listed above. Example dates and CDE plans are our own illustrations of those rules. DANB updates its packets each year; if anything here differs from your DANB account or the current packet, follow DANB. This page covers DANB national certification only, not state licensing, and our source checks aren't legal or professional review. AI-assisted tools helped with research, editing and consistency checks. How we check sources.
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) or the DALE Foundation. Certification names such as CDA, COA, CPFDA, CRFDA, CDPMA, COMSA, CDIPC, DISIPC and NELDA identify their subjects; trademarks belong to their respective owners.