Continuing Education

A Quick Guide to Continuing Education Requirements and Policies

PLEASE NOTE:  This Quick Guide is not a substitute for 234 CMR, the official Rules and Regulations Governing the Practice of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene.  Please consult 234 CMR 5.00 Continuing Education at www.mass.gov/dph/boards/dn

Basic Requirements

• Every licensed dentist and limited licensee must complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education (20 hours for dental hygienists) during every two-year period of licensure.
• The continuing education requirement must be completed by January 1^st of the calendar year of renewal (even years for dentists, odd years for dental hygienists.)
• It is the responsibility of the licensee to 1) maintain a record of all continuing education activity completed for at least three years (7 is recommended), and 2) submit official evidence of  continuing education credits accrued for completion of the requirement when requested by the Board. 

Guidelines for Selecting Activities to Fulfill the CE Requirement

To be accepted for credit, continuing education activities must:

• Have “significant intellectual or practical content which deals primarily with matters directly related to the practice of dentistry, dental auxiliary functions, or the professional responsibilities or ethical obligations of licensees”;
• Have a written description;
• Be at least one class hour (50 minutes) long;
• Be conducted by an instructor qualified by education or experience;
• Be sponsored by an organization that provides an authenticated record of attendance that includes the participant’s name, the title or subject area of the course, the course sponsor; the date and location of the course, the number of lecture and clinical or laboratory participation contact hours,  and keeps all this information for at least 3 years.

Categories of Credit

1. Educational and Scientific Courses, Examinations, and Specialty Boards (up to 100% of requirement)

Includes:

• Courses sponsored or approved by any or all of the following:
  • Accredited educational or service institutions
  • Professional associations and societies
  • Accredited post doctoral programs
  • Local, state, and federal governmental health agencies and institutions
  • Accredited community and teaching hospitals
• Successful completion of Part II of the National Board Examination for dentists or successful completion of the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination for dental hygienists; or
• Successful completion of the North East Regional Board Diagnosis, Oral Medicine, Radiology, and Comprehensive Treatment Planning examination for dentists or successful completion of the North East Regional Board Dental Hygiene Comprehensive examination for dental hygienists; or
• Successful completion of continuing education requirements for maintaining certification of nationally recognized Board Specialties.

2. Papers, Publications, and Scientific Presentations (up to 50% of total requirement) including:

• Up to 10 hours of credit for dentists and 5 hours for dental hygienists for each original scientific paper authored by the licensee and published in a professional journal; and
• Three (3) credits per hour for each original presentation of a paper, essay, or formal lecture to a recognized group of fellow professionals.

3. Teaching and Research Appointments (up to 25% of total requirement) – A dentist involved in teaching or research activities at least one full day/week/academic year AND holds at least a part-time faculty or research appointment shall receive five (5) CEUs annually and a dental hygienist shall receive 2.5 CEUs annually for these activities.    

4. Table Clinics and Scientific Exhibits (up to 20% of total requirement) – A maximum of two (2) credits per original presentation of a table clinic or scientific exhibit at a professional meeting.

5. Self-Instruction Courses (up to 20% of total requirement) – Credit is determined by the sponsor based on the amount of time necessary to cover the material which includes online courses, home study courses, correspondence courses, educational television, and audio cassettes.

6. Other Educational Activity (up to 20% of the total requirement) – by permission of the Board upon petition by the licensee.

Waiver of Continuing Education Requirement

Out-of-State Residency – The Board may, upon written request, waive the CE requirement for a licensee who is not practicing in Massachusetts due to residing outside the Commonwealth.

Disability and Retirement – Upon written proof of disability or retirement, disabled dentists and hygienists may retain their licenses in an inactive status (no practice allowed) without meeting the CE requirement for the period of their disability.

New Graduates – The CE requirement is automatically waived for all new graduates of dental and dental hygiene schools accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation for the licensing period in which they graduate.

Guidance for Providers of Continuing Education

All dentists licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must complete 40 continuing education credits in the two year period prior to the renewal date of their license; dental hygienists must complete 20 continuing education credits in the two year period prior to renewal (234 CMR 5.00).

The Board does not approve either providers or content of continuing education for dentists or dental hygienists.However, for purposes of meeting license renewal requirements, licensees must subscribe to courses which adhere to the following criteria (234 CMR 5.04):

1. Content. All continuing education activities, to be accepted for credit, must have significant intellectual or practical content which deals primarily with matters directly related to the practice of dentistry, or dental auxiliary functions, or with the professional responsibilities or ethical obligations of licensees.

2. Standards. In order to qualify under 234 CMR 5.00 a continuing education program must:

a. Require attendance;
b. Be at least one class hour (50 minutes) in length;
c. Be conducted by an instructor qualified by education and/or experience; and
d. Retain a written course description.

3. Evaluation. Provisions should be made for evaluation of the participants' attainment of the course objectives. Participants should also be given the opportunity to evaluate faculty, learning experiences, instructional methods, facilities and educational resources utilized for the program.

4. Records.

a. Each licensee shall only receive continuing education credit for those courses in which the sponsor, or its agent, keeps the following records for a period of three years:

1. Course description;
2. Faculty;
3. Date of the course;
4. Location of the course;
5. Number of contact hours;

The Board will accept data from a nationally recognized professional registry acting as an agent for a continuing education sponsor. All records shall be furnished to the Board upon request.

b. Each licensee must receive from the continuing education course sponsor, or its agent (i.e. a nationally recognized professional registry), an authenticated record of attendance which shall include:

1. Participant's name;
2. Title or subject area of the course;
3. Course sponsor;
4. Date and location of the course;
5. Number of lecture and clinical or laboratory participation contact hours; and
6. Authorization of the course sponsor.

These records shall be retained by the licensee for a period of three years as noted in 234

CMR 5.01(3) and furnished to the Board upon request as noted in 234 CMR 5.02(2) or until the license has been renewed.