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About Us

Our Mission  

The North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners is a part of the North Dakota State goverment. It is a regulatory agency. The Board protects the dental health of the citizens of North Dakota by regulating the practice of dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental assisting through the enforcement of laws, rules and policies. Those laws are approved and put in place by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and the Governor. The Board may suggest, draft, and propose changes to the laws.

Our History

The Territorial Legislature in 1885 declared it unlawful to practice dentistry within the territory until a certificate was obtained from the Board of Examiners (T. L. 1885, Ch. 43). On April 10, 1885, the North Dakota Board of Dental Examiners registered their first licensee.  The Board of Examiners consisted of five practicing dentists two of whom were appointed by the Governor from a list provided by the South Dakota Dental Society and the Northwestern Dental Association. When North Dakota became a state in 1889 the North Dakota Legislature expanded the duties of the newly formed State Board of Dental Examiners to ensure better education and regulation for the practice of dental surgery and the general practice of dentistry.

In 1911 dentistry was defined as performing dental operations of any kind on the teeth, treating diseased lesions of the human jaw, replacing lost teeth with artificial ones, or attempting to correct the “malposition” of teeth (S. L. 1911, Ch. 280). As the functions of the profession changed and procedures became specialized laws were added or amended in order to keep current with the changes. 

Board Authority: Powers and Limits

The scope of the Board's authority is determined by the Legislative Assembly and its primarily set forth in North Dakota Century Code Section 43-28 and Section 43-20, and in North Dakota Administrative Code Title 20. It licenses qualified and competent dentists, dental hygienists, and issues registrations to dental assistants.

Powers of the Board include: 

• Draft and seek legislative approval of rules and regulations;
• Establish continued competence guidelines;
• Renew licenses and registrations;
• Investigate complaints;
• Discipline licenses for violations of law;
• Establish qualifications for minimal competency to grant or deny license and registration for dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants.
• Grant licenses, registrations, and permits to qualified applicants.

The Board does not have the power to:

• Require a patient to pay dental bills;
• Require a dentist to provide refunds;
• Require a dentist to provide care to a patient, or to provide the care a patient requests.

Governmental Dental Board v. Private Dental Associations

It is important to  understand the difference between the North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners (Board) and private associations. Examples of private assoications are: the American Dental Association (ADA); the North Dakota Dental Association (NDDA or The Association); and the North Dakota Dental Assisting Association (NDDAA).

• The Board is part of North Dakota's state governmental. Its members are appointed by the Governor, and the Board's authority is set by the Nortth Dakota State Legislature. While it has many responsibilities and duties, it primary function is to (a) grant licenses to practice dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental assisting, and (2) investigate complaints and decide if a dental practitioner should be disciplined. 

• Dental-related private Associations such as the ADA, NDDA, and NDDAA are not part of state goverment and are separate from the Board. They are private organizations and their membership is optional. These Associations advocate for and represent the members they serve.Even though the Board and these Associations all have an interest in dentistry, the Board is separate from all Associations and is not affiliated with any of them.