Denturist Licensing Information

February Credentialing Freeze: All licensing and credentialing systems for health professionals and facilities will be unavailable on Friday, February 14 from 5 p.m. until the morning of Wednesday, February 19, 2025, to complete system upgrades. Please complete your applications and renewals now to avoid delays.

Apply for a License

Apply online

The Washington State Department of Health requires that only the applicant or licensee may complete an attestation for an application, or for continuing education. This is a legal attestation. Completion of the attestation by anyone other than the applicant may constitute a reportable felony offense. The Department of Health can take action against people for perjury or for making a false statement they know to be false.

For further information please see:

Washington state law authorizes the Department of Health to obtain fingerprint-based background checks for licensing purposes. This check may be through the Washington State Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We may require this if you have lived in another state or if you have a criminal record in Washington State. This would be at your own expense.

You must pay the application fee at the time you apply. You may use a credit or debit card with a VISA or MasterCard logo, or pay by ACH/E-Check. Please make sure your address on the payment information screen matches the address your financial institution has on file for you. This fee is non-refundable. There is a convenience fee to apply online.

If we need additional documentation, we'll notify you by email.

There are additional items you may need, in addition to your application:

If you have questions, contact our Customer Service staff at 360-236-4700.

Getting started

Online Application Instructions

Online application instructions are on our website.

Online applications are accessed through SecureAccess Washington (SAW) security portal. You'll need to add the Department of Health Online Application Portal - Healthcare Enforcement and Licensing Management System (HELMS) Portal service to access the online applications. The first time you add the service, you'll be prompted to answer several questions to verify your identity. The questions will match the name and address you provide with the existing public record information. Because the questions come from public record, you need to provide a complete address and your full legal name as it appears on your driver's license or birth certificate. You may find you have to enter a former address, especially if your address has changed recently (within the past one or two years) to get the right questions that pertain to your identity. If you don't have sufficient information in the public record to verify your identity and aren't currently credentialed by the Department of Health, then you'll need to submit a paper application, as you won't be able to access the Online Application Portal.

Once you have completed the process, and submitted your application, you will receive an email with your pending credential number, or you may look on Provider Credential Search. Refer to this credential number any time you contact Department of Health or submit paperwork.

Apply on paper

The following forms are required for completing the application process. Please download and print forms.

Fee Schedule

See licensing fees below
Non-Refundable Fee Type Fee Amount
Application $350
Examination $1,500
Reexamination, written $500
Reexamination, practical $500
License renewal (one year) $1,700
Late renewal penalty $300
Expired license reissuance $300
Inactive license renewal $750
Retired active license renewal $850
Retired active late renewal penalty $150
Expired inactive license reissuance $300
Duplicate license $10
Verification of license $25
Multiple location licenses $50

WAC 246-12-340 – Refund of fees

Fees submitted with applications for initial credentialing, examinations, renewal, and other fees associated with the licensing and regulation of the profession are non-refundable.

Examination Schedule

See exam schedule below

(subject to change)

Date Location
March 21-22, 2025

Clinical (practical) Examination
Bates Technical College
1101 S. Yakima Ave.
Tacoma, WA

Application Deadline: January 20, 2025
August 22-23, 2025 Clinical (practical) Examination
Bates Technical College
1101 S. Yakima Ave.
Tacoma, WA

Retake candidates: Notification, in writing, of intent to retake denturist written and/or clinical examination must be postmarked 60 days prior to the requested examination date. Appropriate retake fees must be postmarked 30 days prior to the requested examination date.

First-time candidates: Applications must be postmarked 60 days prior to the requested examination date. Application supporting documents, including appropriate examination fee, must be postmarked 30 days prior to the requested examination. A candidate must first pass the written examination prior to being scheduled for the clinical examination (effective June 2024).

Note: Scheduled clinical examination dates are subject to change. The board requires a minimum of four candidates to conduct the clinical examination. If there are less than four candidates, the clinical examination will be canceled, and the candidates will be scheduled for the next examination.

License Requirements

See license requirements below

Education

Applicant must have successful completion of formal training with a major course of study in denturism of not less than two years duration at an educational institution recognized by the board. Applicant must request official transcript(s) be sent to the department showing completion of formal training with a major course of study in denturism.

The following education programs have been approved by the board:

  • American Denturist College, Eugene, Oregon
  • Bates Technical College, Tacoma, Washington
  • George Brown College, Ontario, Canada
  • New England School of Denture Technology, Bangor, Maine
  • Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Alberta, Canada
  • Vancouver Community College, Vancouver, British Columbia if completed after 2000 and before July 2015

Applicant must list all professional education and experience, including college or university, and a complete chronology of practice history. Include all time periods whether or not engaged in activities related to the practice of denturism.

Examinations

Applicant must pass the board-administered written and clinical exams or successfully complete written and clinical exams recognized by the board

Verification of passing scores must be sent directly to the department.

  • Verification of scores from Oregon will be accepted if the state exams were taken and passed before March 1, 2015.
  • Verification of scores from Maine will be accepted if the exams were taken and passed before July 1, 2012.

State license verification

Applicant must list all states where credentials are or were held, including where applicant has applied but a credential was not granted. A verification form must be completed and submitted (PDF) by the jurisdiction where the applicant is or was credentialed. The jurisdiction must send the completed form directly to the department.

Personal data questions

Each applicant must answer the personal data questions. If there is a positive answer to the professional liability claims history question, the applicant must send an explanation of the nature of the case, data and summary of care given, copies of the original complaint, and the settlement or final disposition. If pending, applicant must indicate status.

Endorsement

Proof of successfully passing both a written and clinical exam for denturism in a state that has substantially equivalent licensing standards as those in Washington State. The following states have been determined to meet the equivalency standards:

  • Maine – 1. If applicant completed a Washington board-approved denturist program and was licensed before July 1, 2012; or
    2. Applicant completed a Washington board-approved denturist program, completed the Denturist Qualifying Examinations administered by the Denturist Examination Group and was licensed after February 23, 2018.
  • Montana – If applicant completed a Washington board-approved denturist program, completed the Denturist Qualifying Examinations administered by the Denturist Examination Group and was licensed after February 23, 2018, and was licensed by exam and not by endorsement.
  • Oregon – If applicant completed a Washington board-approved denturist program and the state exams were passed before March 1, 2015.
  • Arizona- If the applicant completed a Washington board approved program, completed the Denturist Qualifying Examinations administered by the Denturists Examination Group and was licensed after 23, 2018.

Process for approving/denying applications

We finish final review for approval after a credentialing specialist verifies that the application is fully complete, and complies with requirements in chapter 18.30 RCW and chapter 246-812 WAC. We complete background checks and make sure applicants have submitted required fees. Credentialing supervisors and lead workers have the authority to approve routine applications. The disciplining authority may conduct further review if the credentialing supervisor can't verify the applicant meets all requirements. We'll formally notify applicants of a denial. Those applicants may request a hearing to appeal the decision.

Renewal requirements

Denturists must renew their license every year. Credentials expire on the credential holder's birthday and may be renewed within 90 days of the expiration date. Note: If you have an alternate location license, you will also need to send in the renewal notice for it. Otherwise, the alternate location license will not be updated.

Continuing education requirements

Denturists are required to verify 15 clock hours of continuing education yearly. Refer to WAC 246-812-020 and WAC 246-12 Part 7.

License Renewals

See renewal information below

Continuing Competency Requirements During the COVID-19 Response (PDF)

Is your contact information current?

In order to serve you better, we must have your correct mailing address in our system. This is especially important because we mail your courtesy renewal notice and updated credential to the address on file. The U.S. Postal Service does not forward Department of Health mail. If your contact information is not current in our system, complete and submit the contact information change form. If you have questions, feel free to contact our staff.

How to renew

Online

By mail

In person

Denturist Alternate Location Renewal

In addition to mail and in-person renewal, Denturist Alternate Location licensees may renew by using the following:

Online Renewals

People with Denturist with Alternate Location license(s) may complete a Denturist Alternate Location Renewal Request. Denturist Alternate Location licensees can electronically submit renewal information to the Department of Health renewal team for processing, if your alternate location has not changed and your denturist license is in active status. You must submit a renewal request for each alternate location. Note: Please allow up to three business days for processing.

You must complete a Denturist Alternate Location License application (PDF) if you have changed locations.

Questions?

If you have questions about the renewal process, see our Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

For more information about continuing competency (CE), denturist inactive license, denturist retired active license, etc, see our frequently asked questions.