Ala. Admin. Code r. 270-X-4-.04 - Mandatory Continuing Education For Dentists And Dental Hygienists

1. DEFINITIONS

a. Live Training-The primary presenter or instructor is physically present at the same location as the student and is presenting information in real time.

b. Online Training-The primary presenter or instructor is located at a different physical location than the student and is presenting pre-recorded information by means of an internet-based platform or other media. Self-guided, internet-based courses that may or may not have a presenter would also be considered online training.

2. NUMBER OF HOURS

a. Dentists shall complete twenty (20) hours of continuing education every year as a condition of licensure renewal. All continuing education hours earned shall be completed and submitted within the renewal period in which they were earned.

1. A minimum of ten (10) hours shall be live training.

2. A dentist shall maintain a current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) training through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or an equivalent program. This program shall be completed through live training and certified for a minimum of two (2) hours and a maximum of four (4) hours.

3. A dentist shall complete a minimum of one (1) hour of prescribing of controlled substances training.

4. A dentist holding an active sedation or anesthesia related permit (e.g., oral conscious sedation, parenteral sedation, general anesthesia) shall maintain a current certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or an equivalent program. For dentists with a declared pediatric specialty, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) may be substituted for ACLS. The ACLS or PALS program shall be completed through live training.

5. A dentist with an active oral conscious sedation permit shall complete a minimum of two (2) hours of training related to sedation and/or anesthesia annually.

6. A dentist shall complete a minimum of one (1) hour of training in infectious disease control annually.

7. A dentist shall complete a minimum of one (1) hour of ethical considerations in the practice of dentistry training annually.

8. A dentist may earn up to a maximum of four (4) hours for pro bono charitable work performed within the state of Alabama. One (1) hour of continuing education credit shall be awarded for every two (2) hours of documented service.

b. Dental hygienists shall complete twelve (12) hours of continuing education every year as a condition of licensure renewal. All continuing education hours earned shall be completed and submitted within the renewal period in which they were earned.

1. A minimum of six (6) hours shall be live training.

2. A dental hygienist shall maintain a current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) training through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or an equivalent program. This program shall be completed through live training and certified for a minimum of two (2) hours and a maximum of four (4) hours.

3. A dental hygienist shall complete a minimum of one (1) hour of training in infectious disease control annually.

4. A dental hygienist shall complete a minimum of one (1) hour of ethical considerations in the practice of dental hygiene training annually.

5. A dental hygienist may earn up to a maximum of four (4) hours for pro bono charitable work performed within the state of Alabama. One (1) hour of continuing education credit shall be awarded for every two (2) hours of documented service. Any such service must be completed under the direct supervision of a dentist actively licensed in the state of Alabama.

3. LICENSEES EXCUSED FROM CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

a. A dentist enrolled full-time in a post graduate specialty training or residency program at a dental college accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation is excused from the requirements in 2(a). The dentist shall provide documentation of their enrollment during the annual renewal as described in 4(d).

b. A licensee may submit a written request to the Board requesting a waiver or extension of the continuing education requirements for a specific annual cycle. The written request and supporting documentation must be received by the Board no later than September 1^st of the annual continuing education cycle in which the waiver or extension is to apply. Upon review, the Board shall notify the licensee in writing of their approval or denial of the request.

c. A dentist or dental hygienist licensed in the State of Alabama but practicing outside the State of Alabama is excused from the requirements of 2(a) or 2(b). If the dentist or dental hygienist returns to the State of Alabama to practice, they shall submit proof of continuing education for the number of years they practiced outside the State of Alabama up to a maximum of five (5) years.

4. RECORD KEEPING, REPORTING, AND MONITORING

a. Licensees shall document continuing education by uploading proof of completion to their online continuing education account maintained within the board-approved online platform (i.e., CE Broker).

b. Proof of completion documents shall include, at a minimum, the name of the licensee, the date the training occurred, the number of approved continuing education hours, the entity or instructor providing the training, and the location where the training occurred.

c. Documentation regarding pro bono chartable work shall include, at a minimum, the name of the licensee, the date the service was provided, the beginning and ending time the service was provided, the entity the service was provided on behalf of, and the name and phone number of a contact person that can verify the service was provided.

d. A dentist enrolled full-time in a post graduate specialty training or residency program at a dental college accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation, shall upload a letter from their specialty training or residency program indicating the start date and anticipated graduation date of their training. This document is required to renew their dental license with the Board.

e. An applicant applying for a dental or dental hygiene license shall, at a minimum, provide documentation of completion of BLS and Infectious Disease Control training.

f. It is the responsibility of the licensee to maintain continuing education records for a period of two (2) years in a manner prescribed by the Board.

g. A dentist or dental hygienist requesting to reinstate their license after having requested their license be placed inactive or having allowed their license to expire shall show continuing education equal to 2(a) or 2(b) up to a maximum of five (5) years. If the license has been inactive or expired for more than five (5) years, the dentist or dental hygienist shall be required to show continuing education equal to 2(a) or 2(b) and additional continuing education as determined by the Board. The additional continuing education shall include but not limited to live training in hand/instrument skills.

5. AUDIT PROCEDURES

a. The Board shall conduct random audits of the continuing education documents uploaded by licensees into their online continuing education account. The scope of the random audit will be determined by the Board and the Executive Director will be responsible for completing the audit and reporting the results to the Board.

b. Any documented continuing education training that does not appear to be related to the practice of dentistry or fall within the established scope of practice for a licensee shall be reviewed by a designee of the Board prior to being accepted or denied as part of an audit.

c. A licensee chosen for audit shall receive notification of the results of the audit.

d. A licensee that does not successfully pass an audit shall be subject to the provisions of Alabama Administrative Code, r. 270-X-5-.09"Non-disciplinary Administrative Penalties"

6. GENERAL CRITERIA FOR APPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION

a. Continuing education credit shall be awarded at the rate of one (1) hour for every fifty (50) minutes of instruction.

b. Continuing education for licensees should be related to the practice of dentistry and fall within their established scope of practice.

c. Training provided by national, state, district, or local dental or dental hygiene associations shall be recognized as approved training.

d. Training provided by accredited dental or dental hygiene colleges or schools shall be recognized as approved training.

e. A licensee that is the primary presenter or instructor of continuing education training may submit the training for continuing education credit that is eligible to be applied to their individual professional license or permit. The rate of two (2) hours of credit for each one (1) hour of instruction presented shall be awarded. Documentation of this instruction must show the licensee's name as the primary presenter or instructor, the topic, the length of the training, the location, and the date/time of the presentation.

7. CRITERIA FOR SUBMITTING TRAINING FOR BOARD APPROVAL

a. Courses that do not meet the criteria noted in 6 (a,b) above may be submitted to the Board, or designee, for pre-approval. Once approved, the course shall be accepted by the Board when submitted by licensees towards their annual continuing education requirements. Courses should be submitted at least thirty (30) days in advance to ensure approval prior to presentation. The Board reserves the right to approve or deny course submissions. A designee of the Board may attend or audit any approved courses to ensure compliance with this rule.

b. Courses submitted for approval shall have documentation of, at a minimum:

1. Didactic/clinical subject matter;

2. Type of presenter/student participation;

3. Outlined course objectives;

4. Number of requested continuing education credit hours;

5. Primary presenter/instructor's qualifications.

c. Courses submitted for approval as meeting the ethical considerations requirement in Section 2 above should demonstrate the course includes substantial content addressing any combination of one or more of the following topics:

1. The American Dental Association (ADA) Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct (dentists and/or dental hygienists);

2. The American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA) Code of Ethics for Dental Hygienists (dental hygienists only);

3. Abuse, neglect, or human trafficking;

4. Sexual abuse, misconduct, and/or boundary violations;

5. Informed consent;

6. Billing and coding;

7. Mandatory reporting obligations applicable to dentists and/or dental hygienists.

d. Courses presented by the American Society for Dental Ethics or the American College of Dentistry, and any course that satisfies an ethics continuing education requirement of the licensee's professional liability insurance carrier, will also generally be accepted as satisfying the ethics requirement.

Notes

Ala. Admin. Code r. 270-X-4-.04

Filed January 10, 1991; effective October 1, 1991. Amended: Filed April 3, 1997; effective May 8, 1997. Amended: Filed September 4, 1998; effective October 11, 1998. Amended: Filed July 11, 2003; effective August 15, 2003. Amended: Filed August 11, 2004; effective September 15, 2004. Amended: Filed February 14, 2005; effective March 21, 2005. Amended: Filed March 15, 2006; effective April 19, 2006. Amended: Filed July 29, 2008; effective September 2, 2008. Amended: Filed February 22, 2012; effective March 28, 2012. Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIV, Issue No. 08, May 31, 2016, eff. 7/1/2016; operative 10/1/2016. Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVIII, Issue No. 05, February 28, 2020, eff. 3/2/2019. Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVIII, Issue No. 05, February 28, 2020, eff. 4/13/2020. Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XLI, Issue No. 07, April 28, 2023, eff. 6/12/2023; operative 10/1/2023. Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XLI, Issue No. 12, September 29, 2023, eff. 11/13/2023. Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XLIII, Issue No. 03, December 31, 2024, eff. 2/14/2025.

Author: Board of Dental Examiners

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 34-9-2, 34-9-15, 34-9-18, 34-9-43.