Louisiana Dental Association (LDA)
Your guide to organized dentistry in Louisiana: membership, the annual meeting, local component societies, the state dental board, and CE/license-renewal requirements.
About the Louisiana Dental Association
The Louisiana Dental Association (LDA), established in 1878, is the largest professional health organization for dentists in Louisiana and the state's constituent society of the American Dental Association (ADA). LDA members participate in the "tripartite" system: a single application and dues payment makes a dentist a member of the ADA, the LDA, and their local component dental society simultaneously.
The LDA represents nearly 1,900 dentists and is made up of nine component societies covering each major region of the state, each of which holds its own meetings, special events, and seminars. The association provides continuing education, legislative advocacy at the Louisiana Legislature, practice resources, and member services. It is supported administratively by Executive Director Annette Droddy and a membership-development team.
The LDA is governed by a Board of Directors and a House of Delegates (HOD), which meets in conjunction with the annual session. The LDA also operates the Louisiana Dental Association Foundation, a related charitable arm.
Annual Meeting: New Orleans Dental Conference (NODC) & LDA Annual Session
Spring (April), New Orleans — Hilton Riverside New Orleans (2026: April 9-11, 2026; HOD meeting April 11)
The three-day event pairs an extensive continuing-education program with the LDA's professional governance (House of Delegates and Board meetings) and networking, held each spring in New Orleans. The NODC dates back to 1948 and attracts over 1,000 dental professionals annually.
Component & Local Dental Societies
Joining the LDA typically also enrolls a dentist in their local component society.Louisiana has 9 component societies:
Acadiana District Dental Association
Lafayette / Acadiana region
Bayou District Dental Association
Houma/Thibodaux / Bayou region
Central Louisiana Dental Association
Alexandria / Central Louisiana
Greater Baton Rouge Dental Association
Baton Rouge metro
New Orleans Dental Association (NODA)
New Orleans metro
Northeast Louisiana Dental Association
Monroe / Northeast Louisiana
Northlake Dental Association
Northshore (Covington/Mandeville, north of Lake Pontchartrain)
Northwest Louisiana Dental Association
Shreveport/Bossier / Northwest Louisiana
Southwest District Dental Association
Lake Charles / Southwest Louisiana
Licensing Board
Louisiana State Board of Dentistry (LSBD)
The board licenses and regulates dentists — distinct from the LDA, which is a voluntary membership and advocacy body.
www.lsbd.orgCE & License Renewal
- Hours: 40 hours (dentists) over each two-year license period
- Cycle: Biennial — CE must be completed within the two-year license period (January 1 of the first year through December 31 of the second year); CE is reported by December 31
- Mandatory topics: Clinical-course requirements apply (courses pertaining to the actual delivery of dental services to patients). Separately, DEA-registered prescribers must complete a one-time 8-hour training on treatment/management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders (federal MATE Act requirement)
Always verify current requirements with the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry (LSBD) before renewal.
Dental Schools in Louisiana
Louisiana Dental Market Snapshot
- ~1,400+ general-practice dentists plus several hundred specialists licensed (2024 snapshot); total active count not available
- Major metros: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport/Bossier City, Lake Charles, Monroe, Houma
- Roughly three of every four practicing Louisiana dentists are LSU School of Dentistry graduates, giving the state a tight professional network
- Notable French/Creole heritage in Acadiana and growing Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking populations (especially New Orleans metro) are relevant to multilingual front-desk needs
AI Front Desk for Louisiana Practices
Louisiana's roughly 1,900 LDA-member dentists are spread across nine regional component societies from New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Shreveport, Lafayette, and the bayou parishes — many in small independent practices. An AI dental receptionist that answers every call, books appointments, and handles after-hours and overflow inquiries (with multilingual support for New Orleans-area patients) helps these practices capture more new-patient demand without expanding front-desk staff.
Louisiana Dental Association FAQ
How many CE hours do Louisiana dentists need to renew a license?
Louisiana dentists must complete 40 hours (dentists) over each two-year license period, biennial — ce must be completed within the two-year license period (january 1 of the first year through december 31 of the second year); ce is reported by december 31. Mandatory topics include Clinical-course requirements apply (courses pertaining to the actual delivery of dental services to patients). Separately, DEA-registered prescribers must complete a one-time 8-hour training on treatment/management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders (federal MATE Act requirement). Always confirm current rules with the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry (LSBD).
What is the difference between the LDA and the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry (LSBD)?
The Louisiana Dental Association is a voluntary membership and advocacy organization for dentists. The Louisiana State Board of Dentistry (LSBD) is the government body that licenses dentists and enforces regulations. Membership in the association is optional; licensure through the board is mandatory to practice.
Sources
- www.ladental.org/ — founding (1878), 1,900 members, executive director, tripartite/nine-component structure, Baton Rouge phone.
- www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-46-SS-XXXIII-1611 — 40-hour biennial CE, reporting, MATE Act opioid training.
- www.lsbd.org/conted.htm — CE requirements.
- www.lsbd.org/ — Louisiana State Board of Dentistry (licensing body).
- www.ladental.org/componentleaders — names of the nine component dental societies.
- www.lsusd.lsuhsc.edu/ — LSU School of Dentistry (only dental school, est. 1968, ~75% of state dentists).
- doctordatabase.co/database/louisiana-dentists/ — licensed-dentist counts.
- www.nodc.org/ — NODC/LDA Annual Session dates, location, 1,000+ attendees, 1948 origin.
- www.emedevents.com/c/medical-conferences-2026/2026-new-orleans-dental-conference-nodc-louisiana-dental-association-lda-annual-session — NODC/LDA Annual Session details, Metairie address listing.
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