Table 1: Continuing Education Hours Required Type of Licensee and/or Permit Holder CE Units Required*
Distribution of Total CE Units
Dentist
50 units All licensees must complete (1) two units of CE in infection control specific to California regulations, (2) two units of CE in the California Dental Practice Act and related regulations, and (3) a maximum of four units of a course in BLS. Up to 50% of a licensee’s total required units may be obtained through nonlive, noninteractive courses.** All licensees must retain certificates of CE course completion for a period of three renewal periods (6 years) and provide certifications to the Board only upon request for audit purposes.
RDA
25 units 25 units 25 units 25 units 25 units 25 units
Dental sedation assistant permit holder Orthodontic assistant permit holder
RDAEF
RDH
Registered dental hygienist in extended functions (RDHEF)
RDHAP
35 units Additionally Required as Part of Total CE Units
Dentist who holds a general anesthesia permit.
(1) An advanced cardiac life support course that is approved by the AHA; or (2) any other advanced cardiac life support course that is identical in all respects, except for the omission of materials that relate solely to hospital emergencies or neonatology to the “2020 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care.” A minimum of 15 total units of CE related to the administration of conscious sedation and to medical emergencies.
Dentist who holds a conscious sedation permit. Dentist who holds an oral conscious sedation permit for minors. Dentist who holds an oral conscious sedation permit for adults.
A minimum of seven total units of CE related to the subject area.
A minimum of seven total units of CE related to the subject area.
*Per biennial or permit renewal period (Dental Board of California, 2023g; Dental Hygiene Board of California, 2023b).
Under the current regulations, courses are treated differently depending on their allocation into one of four groups: ● Mandatory courses. ● Courses in the actual delivery of dental services. ● Courses primarily for the benefit of the licensee. ● Courses of direct benefit to the licensee or outside the scope of practice. (Dental Board of California, 2022b) Mandatory courses All licensees must complete certain mandatory courses. These courses count toward the total number of units required to renew a license or permit. However, if a licensee fails to complete all the mandatory courses, he or she will not be allowed to renew a license or permit, regardless of the number of total units of CE obtained. Courses required by the Board for license renewal for all dentists and dental auxiliaries are: ● Two units of CE in a Board-approved course on infection control (including all content of Section 1005 and the application of the regulations in the dental environment). ● Two units of CE in a Board-approved course on the California Dental Practice Act. ● Certification in basic life support met by completion of a maximum of four units of a course approved by the AHA or ARC, or offered by a provider approved by the ADA or the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). (Dental Board of California, 2023g)
In addition to stipulating the total number of hours of CE required for license renewal, the Dental Practice Act imposes various requirements or restrictions on course content. Subject matter should be designed to enhance clinical practice. Coursework must be “designed and delivered in a manner that serves to directly enhance the licensee’s knowledge, skill, and competence in the provision of service to patients or the community” (Dental Board of California, 2023g). Licensees holding a special permit are required to include a specified number of CE units related to their permit area as part of (not in addition to) their total CE units. For licensees holding more than one license or permit, fulfilling the license or permit that requires the largest number of CE units will satisfy all of the licensee’s renewal requirements (Dental Board of California, 2023g). Section 1016 defines a “course of study” to mean: An orderly learning experience in an area of study pertaining to dental and medical health, preventive dental services, diagnosis and treatment planning, clinical procedures, basic health sciences, dental practice management and administration, communication, ethics, patient management, or the Dental Practice Act and other laws specifically related to dental practice (Dental Board of California, 2022a). Although the earlier dichotomy of Category I and Category II courses has been eliminated, the CE regulations that became effective on April 8, 2010, continue to restrict or prohibit certain types of CE courses.
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