CDA encourages dentists to review continuing education course requirements to avoid licensure impacts resulting from C.E. audits conducted by the Dental Board of California. The dental board may suspend a dentist’s license or impose a fine for failure to complete required C.E.
Typically, the dental board mails audit notices to randomly selected licensees. While the odds of being selected for a C.E. audit are low, licensed dentists should ensure their correct address is recorded in BreEZe ― the Department of Consumer Affairs’ online licensing and enforcement system. Licensees who receive an audit notice have 30 days from the date of notice to respond with all requested C.E. documentation.
Mandatory C.E. courses and required minimum units for renewal
Common C.E. deficiencies identified by past dental board audits include:
- Licensee has not completed a mandatory C.E. course.
- Licensee has not completed the minimum required units for renewal.
- Licensee did not take a mandatory C.E. course from a provider approved by the dental board to provide the mandatory C.E.
Currently, California-licensed dentists are required to complete four mandatory courses and a minimum of 50 units to renew their license. Registered dental assistants and RDAs in extended functions must complete three mandatory courses and 25 units for license renewal. Anesthesia and sedation permits have additional minimum C.E. requirements.
The board-required C.E. courses for all licensed dentists are:
- California infection control (2 units)
- California Dental Practice Act (2 units)
- Basic life support (BLS)
- Responsibilities and requirements of prescribing schedule II opioid drugs (2 units)
Credit for mandatory C.E. when taught by approved providers
Dentists will receive certificates for mandatory courses only if they take the course from an approved course provider. The dental board’s continuing education webpage links to approved mandatory course providers, but dentists can also use the BreEZe license search tool. Registered C.E. providers must have a “current-active” (not expired) permit to be valid.
Licensees should also make sure that the course providers used for required C.E. courses have the additional approvals required to provide the infection control, California Dental Practice Act and opioid prescribing courses. These approvals are noted on CE providers’ BreEZe profiles.
A portion of the BLS course may be completed online, but licensees must complete an in-person, hands-on skills test, practice session and written examination to satisfy the mandatory C.E. requirement. BLS courses either must be taken by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association or American Safety and Health Institute or the provider must be CERP- or PACE-certified.
The required course on opioid-prescribing is the newest requirement effective January 2023. (Relatedly, dentists with DEA registration must comply with the federal MATE Act requiring one-time training of eight hours on treating and managing patients with opioid use disorders.)
Required C.E. courses offered at CDA Presents and on-demand
Three sessions of the “California Dental Practice Act” are on the schedule at CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry in Anaheim May 15-17 — one on each day of the convention.
“Infection Control: Are We Safe ‘Enough’?” meets the dental board’s mandatory C.E. requirement for license renewal and will take place on May 15.
“Responsibilities and Requirements for Prescribing Controlled Substances (Schedule II Opioid Drugs)” takes place May 16 and satisfies the dental board’s requirement for license renewal.
Dentists also have the option to take the three courses through CDA’s On-demand Learning. CDA members receive a substantial discount for courses.
Dentists should remember that they are responsible for tracking when their employees’ respective licenses renew and check online to ensure licenses are renewed.
CDA’s member-only resource Continuing Education Requirements FAQ and Tracking Log provides even more details and is an easy way to track completed mandated courses. Also see CDA’s Dental Assisting Categories for dental assistants’ education requirements and allowable duties.