Colorado Dental Hygienist CE

How many CE hours do Colorado dental hygienists need?

Colorado dental hygienist CE totals 30 hours of Board-approved continuing education every 2 years, the same total that applies to dentists. Every hygienist license expires on the last day of February of even-numbered years, so your next renewal is February 29, 2028. At least 15 hours must be live and interactive and at least 16 must be clinical or science-based ( Colorado Dental Board, Continuing Education ; Colorado Dental Board, Applications ). Start with the Colorado dentist and dental hygienist CE package . Looking for a different license? See Colorado dentist CE .

Which CE topics are required for Colorado dental hygienists?

Every renewal you need 2 hours of infection control covering CDC guidelines, counted within the 30. The controlled substance and opioid prescribing hour applies only to dentists, not hygienists ( Colorado Dental Board ). You must also keep current BLS certification for healthcare providers, and up to 2 hours of BLS coursework count toward the 30. Two one-time requirements apply to some hygienists. A hygienist who administers local anesthesia first completes a 24-hour Local Anesthesia Permit training, 12 hours didactic and 12 hours clinical ( 3 CCR 709-1.14 ). Our local anesthesia pharmacology course covers part of the didactic portion. A hygienist who administers vaccines to patients age 6 and older first completes a 4-hour immunization administration training under Rule 1.33, effective June 30, 2026 ( Colorado Dental Association ).

Does Colorado accept AGD PACE credit?

The Board requires CE from a qualified provider and lists no single approved-sponsor roster for hygienist CE ( Colorado Dental Board ). AchieveCE is an AGD PACE approved provider (ID# 386503). Every AchieveCE course ends with a certificate of completion that lists the course, date, hours and sponsor.

Does Colorado audit dental hygienist CE?

Yes. The Board audits compliance after each renewal period. Hygienists self-attest to CE at renewal, and Colorado does not route hygienist CE through CE Broker or a similar tracker. Keep your name, course dates and hours, a course synopsis and the sponsor's name for at least 4 years ( Colorado Dental Board ; Colorado Dental Hygienists' Association ). Your AchieveCE certificate is available the moment you finish a course, and AchieveCE reports your completions to AGD PACE within 24 business hours. Our support team is on live chat, email, and phone, 7 days a week.

Do Colorado dental hygienists need live CE?

Yes. At least 50 percent of your hours, which is 15 of the 30, must be live and interactive ( Colorado Dental Board ). Our online package covers the self-study portion. Add live CE through our live webinars and the Dentistry Advanced membership .

Do newly licensed Colorado dental hygienists need CE for their first renewal?

Not if your license was issued within one year of the renewal date. A hygienist licensed earlier than that owes 15 hours, half the standard total, and at least 8 of them must be clinical or science-based ( Colorado Dental Board ).

Other Colorado dental licenses: Colorado dentist CE . Try Free dental CE before you buy, and browse every state and license in our CE course finder .

Last verified: October 24, 2026

Sources

• Colorado Dental Board, Continuing Education

• Colorado Dental Board, Applications and Forms

• Colorado Dental Board

• Colorado Dental Hygienists' Association, License Renewal

• Code of Colorado Regulations, 3 CCR 709-1

• Colorado Dental Association, Rulemaking Underway for the Dental Practice Act