Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 16, § 1017 - Continuing Education Units Required for Renewal of License or Permit

(a) As a condition of renewal, all licensees are required to complete continuing education as follows:

(1) Two units of continuing education in Infection Control specific to California regulations as defined in Section 1016(b)(1)(A).

(2) Two units of continuing education in the California Dental Practice Act and its related regulations as defined in Section 1016(b)(1)(B).

(3) A maximum of four units of a course in Basic Life Support as specified in Section 1016(b)(1)(C).

(4) Only dentists shall be required to complete two units of continuing education on the subjects set forth in 1016(b)(1)(D).

(b) Mandatory continuing education units count toward the total units required to renew a license or permit; however, failure to complete the mandatory courses will result in non-renewal of a license or permit.

(c) All licensees shall accumulate the continuing education units equal to the number of units indicated below during the biennial license or permit renewal period assigned by the Board on each license or permit. All licensees shall verify to the Board that he or she who has been issued a license or permit to practice for a period less than two years shall begin accumulating continuing education credits within the next biennial renewal period occurring after the issuance of a new license or permit to practice.

(1) Dentists: 50 units.

(2) Registered dental hygienists: 25 units.

(3) Registered dental assistants: 25 units.

(4) Dental Sedation Assistant Permit Holders: 25 units.

(5) Orthodontic Assistant Permit Holders: 25 units.

(6) Registered dental hygienists in extended functions: 25 units.

(7) Registered dental assistants in extended functions: 25 units.

(8) Registered dental hygienists in alternative practice: 35 units.

(d) Each dentist licensee who holds a general anesthesia permit shall complete, as a condition of permit renewal, continuing education requirements pursuant to Section 1646.5 of the Code at least once every two years, and either

(1) an advanced cardiac life support course which is approved by the American Heart Association and which includes an examination on the materials presented in the course or

(2) any other advanced cardiac life support course which is identical in all respects, except for the omission of materials that relate solely to hospital emergencies or neonatology, to the course entitled "2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care" published by the American Heart Association December 13, 2005 which is incorporated herein by reference.

(e) Each dentist licensee who holds a moderate sedation permit shall complete at least once every two years a minimum of 15 total units of coursework related to the administration of moderate sedation and to medical emergencies, as a condition of permit renewal, in continuing education requirements pursuant to Section 1647.5 of the Code. Refusal to execute the required assurance shall result in non-renewal of the permit.

(f) Each dentist licensee who holds an oral conscious sedation permit for adults, as a condition of permit renewal, shall complete at least once every two years a minimum of 7 total units of coursework related to the subject area in continuing education requirements pursuant to Section 1647.21 of the Code.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, tape recorded courses, home study materials, video courses, and computer courses are considered correspondence courses, and will be accepted for credit up to, but not exceeding, 50% of the licensee's total required units.

(h) In the event that a portion of a licensee's units have been obtained through non-live instruction, as described in subsection (g) above, all remaining units shall be obtained through live interactive course study with the option to obtain 100% of the total required units by way of interactive instruction courses. Such courses are defined as live lecture, live telephone conferencing, live video conferencing, live workshop demonstration, or live classroom study.

(i) Licensees who provide direct patient care as an unpaid volunteer at a free public health care event or non-profit community health clinic shall be issued continuing education credit of one unit per hour of providing unpaid volunteer dental services to patients, for up to three units of their total continuing education unit requirements for license renewal. Units of credit may be issued in half hour increments.

(j) Licensees who participate in the following activities shall be issued continuing education credit for up to 20% of their total continuing education unit requirements for license renewal:

(1) Participation in any Dental Board of California or Western Regional Examination Board (WREB) administered examination including attendance at calibration training, examiner orientation sessions, and examinations.

(2) Participation in any site visit or evaluation relating to issuance and maintenance of a general anesthesia, moderate sedation or oral conscious sedation permit.

(3) Participation in any calibration training and site evaluation training session relating to general anesthesia, moderate sedation or oral conscious sedation permits.

(4) Participation in any site visit or evaluation of an approved dental auxiliary program or dental auxiliary course.

(k) The Board shall issue to participants in the activities listed in subsection (j) a certificate that contains the date, time, location, authorizing signature, 11-digit course registration number, and number of units conferred for each activity consistent with all certificate requirements herein required for the purposes of records retention and auditing.

(l) The license or permit of any person who fails to accumulate the continuing education units set forth in this section or to assure the Board that he or she will accumulate such units, shall not be renewed until such time as the licensee complies with those requirements.

(m) A licensee who has not practiced in California for more than one year because the licensee is disabled need not comply with the continuing education requirements of this article during the renewal period within which such disability falls. Such licensee shall certify in writing that he or she is eligible for waiver of the continuing education requirements. A licensee who ceases to be eligible for such waiver shall notify the Board of such and shall comply with the continuing education requirements for subsequent renewal periods.

(n) A licensee shall retain, for a period of three renewal periods, the certificates of course completion issued to him or her at the time he or she attended a continuing education course and shall forward such certifications to the Board only upon request by the Board for audit purposes. A licensee who fails to retain a certification shall contact the provider and obtain a duplicate certification.

(o) Any licensee who furnishes false or misleading information to the Board regarding his or her continuing education units may be subject to disciplinary action. The Board may audit a licensee continuing education records as it deems necessary to ensure that the continuing education requirements are met.

(p) A licensee who also holds a permit for general anesthesia, moderate sedation, or oral conscious sedation of an adult, may apply the continuing education units required in the specific subject areas to their dental license renewal requirements.

(q) A registered dental assistant or registered dental assistant in extended functions who holds a permit as an orthodontic assistant or a dental sedation assistant shall not be required to complete additional continuing education requirements beyond that which is required for licensure renewal in order to renew either permit.

(r) Pertaining to licensees holding more than one license or permit, the license or permit that requires the largest number of continuing education units for renewal shall equal the licensee's full renewal requirement. Dual licensure, or licensure with permit, shall not require duplication of continuing education requirements.

(s) Current and active licensees enrolled in a full-time educational program in the field of dentistry, including dental school program, residency program, postdoctoral specialty program, dental hygiene school program, dental hygiene in alternative practice program, or registered dental assisting in extended functions program approved by the Board or the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation shall be granted continuing education credits for completed curriculum during that renewal period. In the event of audit, licensees shall be required to present school transcripts to the Board as evidence of enrollment and course completion.

(t) Current and active dental sedation assistant and orthodontic assistant permit holders enrolled in a full-time dental hygiene school program, dental assisting program, or registered dental assisting in extended functions program approved by the Board or the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation shall be granted continuing education credits for completed curriculum during that renewal period. In the event of audit, assisting permit holders shall be required to present school transcripts to the committee or Board as evidence of enrollment and course completion.

(u) Continuing education for retired dentists in only uncompensated practice shall include mandatory courses described at Section 1016(b)(1) and courses directly related to the delivery of dental services to patients described at Section 1016(b)(2) and shall be no less than 30 units.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 16, § 1017

1. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 8-23-85; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 85, No. 34).
2. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 1-22-86; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 86, No. 4).
3. Amendment filed 4-4-88; operative 4-4-88 (Register 88, No. 17).
4. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 6-8-88; operative 7-8-88 (Register 88, No. 25).
5. Amendment filed 4-1-91; operative 5-1-91 (Register 91, No. 18).
6. New subsection (a), subsection relettering, and amendment of newly designated subsections (b) and (d) filed 7-8-96; operative 8-7-96 (Register 96, No. 28).
7. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 2-2-99; operative 3-4-99 (Register 99, No. 6).
8. Amendment of subsection (b)(1), new subsections (b)(4)-(6) and amendment of NOTE filed 7-21-99; operative 8-20-99 (Register 99, No. 30).
9. Amendment of subsections (a) and (e) and amendment of NOTE filed 4-8-2003; operative 5-8-2003 (Register 2003, No. 15).
10. Amendment filed 10-6-2005; operative 11-5-2005 (Register 2005, No. 40).
11. Amendment of section heading and section filed 3-9-2010; operative 3-9-2010 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2010, No. 11).
12. Amendment of subsections (e), (j)(2)-(3) and (p) filed 8-16-2022; operative 8-16-2022 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2022, No. 33).
13. Amendment filed 9-7-2022; operative 1-1-2023 (Register 2022, No. 36).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 1614 and 1645, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 1645, 1646.5 and 1647.5, Business and Professions Code.

1. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 8-23-85; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 85, No. 34).
2. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 1-22-86; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 86, No. 4).
3. Amendment filed 4-4-88; operative 4-4-88 (Register 88, No. 17).
4. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 6-8-88; operative 7-8-88 (Register 88, No. 25).
5. Amendment filed 4-1-91; operative 5-1-91 (Register 91, No. 18).
6. New subsection (a), subsection relettering, and amendment of newly designated subsections (b) and (d) filed 7-8-96; operative 8-7-96 (Register 96, No. 28).
7. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 2-2-99; operative 3-4-99 (Register 99, No. 6).
8. Amendment of subsection (b)(1), new subsections (b)(4)-(6) and amendment of Note filed 7-21-99; operative 8-20-99 (Register 99, No. 30).
9. Amendment of subsections (a) and (e) and amendment of Note filed 4-8-2003; operative 5-8-2003 (Register 2003, No. 15).
10. Amendment filed 10-6-2005; operative 11-5-2005 (Register 2005, No. 40).
11. Amendment of section heading and section filed 3-9-2010; operative 3-9-2010 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(Register 2010, No. 11).
12. Amendment of subsections (e), (j)(2)-(3) and (p) filed 8-16-2022; operative 8/16/2022 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2022, No. 33).
13. Amendment filed 9-7-2022; operative 1/1/2023 (Register 2022, No. 36).