Aug. 16, 2024: Article updated to remove two ADA courses that are no longer available and to add a new ADA course that does satisfy the training requirement for dentists who must renew their DEA registration.
Many dentists, physicians and other authorized prescribers across the U.S. are required under the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act, or MATE Act, passed in the Omnibus Bill of 2022, to complete eight hours of eligible instruction on treating and managing patients with opioid and other substance use disorders prior to renewing or initially obtaining a DEA registration.
Mandated training is a one-time requirement
The following requirements apply to all prescribers as follows, with exception of veterinarians:
- Only prescribers who are renewing their DEA registration or who intend to register with the DEA are required to complete the training.
- The training must be completed before initial DEA registration or by the first renewal of DEA registration occurring on or after June 27, 2023.
- The training is required to be completed only once; it will not need to be repeated nor will additional training be required before subsequent renewals of DEA registration.
- The eight hours of training do not need to be completed through a single course.
- The course must focus on “the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders.”
Beginning June 27, 2023, practitioners will be required to check a box on their online DEA registration form affirming that they have completed the new training requirement regardless of whether they are completing their initial registration application or renewing their registration.
Update: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sent a letter to DEA registrants outlining the training requirements of the MATE Act, including how DEA registrants can satisfy the federal training requirement.
The letter confirms two points not known when CDA first published this article: (1) the CDA course “Responsibilities and Requirements for Prescribing Controlled Substances (Schedule II Opioid Drugs),” in combination with relevant courses offered by ADA and CCEPR-accredited providers can be applied toward the federally required eight hours of training; and (2) dentists who completed the CDA course or other eligible courses prior to the act’s effective date can apply the courses’ hours toward the federally mandated eight hours.
Eligible courses offered by CDA, ADA, CCEPR-accredited providers
The federal law specifies that training provided through the American Dental Association, organizations accredited by the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition (CCEPR) or “any other organization the Secretary determines is appropriate for purposes of this clause” will satisfy the training requirement for dentists.
The DEA’s March 27 letter to prescribers also confirms that, in addition to trainings provided by the ADA, “any other organization approved or accredited by the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, the ACCME, or the CCEPR” will meet the new requirement.
Therefore, dentists can apply CDA’s course “Responsibilities and Requirements for Prescribing Controlled Substances (Schedule II Opioid Drugs),” which already satisfies the Dental Board of California’s opioid-prescribing C.E. requirement, toward the federal training requirement, as the federal law does not prevent a prescriber from using the same training to satisfy the federally required training and training “for another purpose, such as satisfying State licensing requirements.”
Other relevant courses offered by CDA in the future could also be applied toward the federal training requirement.
Additionally, the letter confirms that “past trainings on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders can count towards a practitioner meeting this requirement,” meaning dentists who completed the CDA course or another eligible course from an eligible provider prior to the enactment in December 2022 of the new training are permitted to apply those course hours toward the eight-hour training requirement.
The following courses offered by ADA can also be applied toward the federal training requirement. Most of these courses are free to tripartite members:
- DEA MATE Act Opioid Prescriber Compliance Training (Self-Guided E-Learning Course)
- Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Acute Dental Pain
- Factors Influencing Opioid Prescribing after Tooth Extraction (September 2022, Article 3)
- Patterns of Opioid Prescribing in an Appalachian College of Dentistry (March 2021 Article 3)
Relevant instruction meets training requirement for recent graduates
Relevant dental school coursework will count toward the federally required training for individuals who graduated from dental school fewer than five years ago. All first-time DEA registrants must satisfy the C.E. requirement by the time they register.
Read the DEA letter and find additional information on the Department of Justice website. Learn more about or register for CDA’s course on opioid prescribing and pain management, which is available to CDA members at a significantly discounted price.