District of Columbia Dentists CE Requirements, Accreditations & Approvals
District Of Columbia Dental Professionals
NetCE is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider. ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to ADA CERP at https://ccepr.ada.org//.
NetCE
Nationally
Approved PACE Program
Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit.
Approval does not
imply acceptance by
any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement.
10/1/2021
to 9/30/2027
Provider ID #217994.
The District of Columbia Board of Dentistry accepts courses from any provider who is ADA approved.
Continuing Education
The District of Columbia Board of Dentistry accepts NetCE courses.
Dentists are required 30 hours every two years. A minimum of 2 hours must be in infection control, 1 hour must be in ethics, and 2 hours must be in cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients/clients who identify as LGBTQ every two years. Beginning with December 31, 2021 licensure renewal, all hours may be completed through approved internet continuing education courses.
Dentists applying for the renewal, activation, or reinstatement of a license, and who are permitted by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the District of Columbia Pharmaceutical Control Division to prescribe controlled substances in the District, must complete 2 hours in the abuse and misuse of controlled substances, and in opioid prescription practices.
Beginning with DEA initial registrations or renewals starting June 27, 2023, all DEA-registered practitioners (with the exception of DVM-only license holders) are required 8 hours on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, including the appropriate clinical use of all FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of a substance use disorder; or the safe pharmacological management of dental pain and screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment of patients with (or at risk of developing) opioid and other substance use disorders, one-time only.
Dental Hygienists are required 20 hours every two years. A minimum of 2 hours must be in infection control, 1 hour must be in ethics, and 2 hours must be in cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients/clients who identify as LGBTQ every two years. Beginning with December 31, 2021 licensure renewal, all hours may be completed through approved internet continuing education courses.
All licensees must complete 10% of the total hours required for renewal on topics
designated by the Director of the DOH as a public health priority. Dentists must
complete 3 hours and dental hygienists must complete 2 hours.
Current topics
include:
- Responsible opioid prescribing and effective pain management;
- Nutrition and obesity prevention;
- Identifying and reporting abuse (child and adult), neglect (child and adult), human trafficking, and violence;
- Sexual health (including sexual history, discussing sexual experiences, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, HPV vaccines, connections to cancer, latent tuberculosis, safe sex, and birth control);
- Ethics and appropriate patient interactions (including boundaries, patient privacy, and telehealth communication);
- Smoking, vaping, and tobacco (including dangers, smoking cessation, and non-smoke tobacco products);
- Preparing patients for an emergency and handling vulnerable populations in an emergency;
- Identifying impairment (physical or mental) in patients and providers (including complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act);
- Vaccinations (including legal requirements and appropriate exemptions); and
- Implicit bias, cultural competence, and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health care.
Effective August 11, 2021, the DC Department of Health now requires all licensees to complete 2 contact hours of continuing education on COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and effectiveness on or before September 30, 2021.
All Accreditations and Approvals
License Renewal Instructions
For More Information
Please contact the Department of Health District of Columbia Board of Dentistry at (202) 442-5955 or (877) 672-2174, and refer to https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Chapter.42.Dentistry.3.26.21.pdf - Dentists; https://dchealth.doc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Chapter.43.Dental.Hygiene.4.9.21.pdf - Dental Hygienists; and https://dchealth.doc.gov/situes/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publications/attachments/Chapter.90.Dental.Assistants.8.6.21.pdf - Dental Assistants, for additional information regarding your continuing education.