Dental Board of California Continuing Education Requirements

In order to claim continuing education credit, a licensee or permit holder should ensure a course meets two requirements:

1. Is provided by an entity approved as a continuing education provider by the dental board, American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP) or Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education (PACE).
2. Is primarily focused on the delivery of dental services to the patient or community or on practice management with some benefit to the patient. See below for more information on these courses.

The dental board will consider, upon application, granting credit to a course taken out of state that meets the second criteria above but not the first. The application must be submitted to the board well before the license expiration date.

Units from these types of courses are not restricted:

(A) Preventive services, diagnostic protocols and procedures (including physical evaluation, radiography, dental photography) comprehensive treatment planning, charting of the oral conditions, informed consent protocols and record-keeping.

(B) Nutrition and nutrition counseling of the patient.

(C) Aesthetic, corrective and restorative oral health diagnosis and treatment.

(D) Dentistry’s role in individual and community health emergencies, disasters and disaster recovery.

(E) Legal requirement governing the licensee in the areas of auxiliary employment and delegation of responsibilities; the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); actual delivery of care.

(F) Federal, state and local regulations, guidelines or statutes regarding workplace safety, fire and emergency, environmental safety, waste disposal and management, general office safety, sexual harassment prevention and all training requirements set forth by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal-DOSH) including the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.

(G) Administration of general anesthesia, conscious sedation, oral conscious sedation or medical emergencies.

(H) Evaluation, selection, use and care of dental instruments, sterilization equipment, operatory equipment and personal protective attire.

(I) Dependency issues and substance abuse such as alcohol and drug use as it relates to patient safety, professional misconduct, ethical considerations or malpractice.

(J) Behavioral sciences, behavior guidance and patient management in the delivery of care to all populations including special needs, pediatric and sedation patients when oriented specifically to the clinical care of the patient.

(K) Selection, incorporation and use of current and emerging technologies.

(L) Cultural competencies such as bilingual dental terminology, cross-cultural communication, provision of public health dentistry and the dental professional’s role in the provision of care in nontraditional settings when oriented specifically to the needs of the dental patient and will serve to enhance the patient experience.

(M) Dentistry’s role in individual and community health programs.

(N) Legal and ethical aspects of the insurance industry, including management of third-party payer issues, dental billing practices, patient and provider appeals of payment disputes and patient management of billing matters.

Units from these types of courses may not be more than 20% of the total units required for license or permit renewal because they are considered to be of primary benefit to the licensee (10 units for a DDS, 5 units for RDA/RDH):

(A) To improve recall and scheduling systems, production flow, communication systems and data management.

(B) In organization and management of the dental practice including business planning and operations, office computerization and design, ergonomics and the improvement of practice administration and office operations.

(C) In leadership development and team development.

(D) In teaching methodology and curricula development.

(E) In peer evaluation and case studies that include reviewing clinical evaluation procedures, reviewing diagnostic methods, studying radiographic data, study models and treatment planning procedures.

(F) In human resources management and employee benefits.

Units from these types of courses cannot be earned because they are considered to be of direct benefit to the licensee or outside the scope of dental practice in California:

(A) Money management, the licensee’s personal finances or personal matters such as financial or estate planning and personal investments.

(B) General physical fitness, weight management or the licensee’s personal health.

(C) Presentations by political or public figures or other persons who do not deal primarily with dental practice or issues impacting the dental profession.

(D) To make the licensee a better businessperson or designed to improve the licensee’s personal profitability, including motivation and marketing.

(E) Purchase or sale of a dental practice, business or office; transfer of practice ownership, acquisition of partners and associates, practice valuation, practice transitions or retirement.

(F) Provision of elective facial cosmetic surgery as defined by the Dental Practice Act unless the licensee has an elective facial cosmetic surgery permit issued by the board.