Continuing Education - Dentistry - Business & Professions - CA

Section § 1645

If you hold a license to practice dentistry or dental assisting in California, you need to keep learning to renew your license every two years. During this time, you'll need to take continuing education courses that cover new developments in dental practice. The dental board can suspend your license if you don't do this. Some of these credits may have to be in specific topics, such as patient care or drug addiction risks, but won't exceed 15 hours for dentists or 7.5 for dental assistants. If you’re a retired dentist providing free care, you’ll need fewer hours, but they should still focus on actual delivery of dental services. Additionally, courses on mental health, and diversity can count towards your education requirements.

(a)

(1) All holders of licenses under this chapter shall continue their education after receiving a license as a condition to the renewal thereof, and shall obtain evidence satisfactory to the board that they have, during the preceding two-year period, obtained continuing education relevant to developments in the practice of dentistry and dental assisting consistent with regulations established by the board.

(2) The board shall adopt regulations providing for the suspension of the licenses at the end of the two-year period until compliance with this section is accomplished.

(b) The board may also, as a condition of license renewal, require licensees to successfully complete a portion of the required continuing education hours in specific areas adopted in regulations by the board. The board may prescribe this mandatory coursework within the general areas of patient care, health and safety, law and ethics, and the risks of addiction associated with the use of Schedule II drugs. The mandatory coursework prescribed by the board shall not exceed 15 hours per renewal period for dentists, and 7.5 hours per renewal period for dental auxiliaries. Any mandatory coursework required by the board shall be credited toward the continuing education requirements established by the board pursuant to subdivision (a).

(c) For a retired dentist who provides only uncompensated care, the board shall not require more than 60 percent of the hours of continuing education that are required of other licensed dentists. Notwithstanding subdivision (b), all of the hours of continuing education as described in this subdivision shall be gained through courses related to the actual delivery of dental services to the patient or the community, as determined by the board. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to reduce any requirements imposed by the board pursuant to subdivision (b).

(d) Satisfactory completion of courses in the following subjects shall count as continuing education in courses in the actual delivery of dental services to the patient or the community:

(1) Licensee mental health and wellness and its impact on the delivery of dental services.

(2) Diversity, equity, and inclusion and its impact on the delivery of dental services.

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Section § 1645.1

If you want to become a registered dental assistant in California, you need to complete certain board-approved courses, including infection control, dental law, life support, radiation safety, and coronal polishing. If you don't, your license will be suspended automatically until you finish them. Taking these courses also helps with your ongoing education requirements. If your license is inactive and you want to reactivate it, you must meet these same course requirements.

(a) A person who applies for licensure as a registered dental assistant shall provide evidence of having successfully completed board-approved courses in infection control, the Dental Practice Act, basic life support, radiation safety and coronal polishing. The length and content of the courses shall be governed by applicable board regulations. Failure to comply with this section shall result in automatic suspension of the license, which shall be reinstated upon the receipt of evidence that the licensee has successfully completed the required courses. Completion of the courses may be counted toward fulfillment of the continuing education requirements governed by Section 1645.

(b) The holder of an inactive registered dental assistant license is only required to comply with subdivision (a) as a condition of returning the holder’s license to active status.

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Section § 1645.2

This law specifies that any vaccine training programs offered through the CDC or the California Pharmacists Association can be used to satisfy the continuing education requirements for licensed dentists and registered dental hygienists, as long as the training was completed after January 4, 2021. This applies to courses taken under certain public health emergency orders or any new waivers that replace those orders.

Any vaccine training program provided through the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the California Pharmacists Association, including courses that were completed by a licensed dentist or a registered dental hygienist on or after January 4, 2021, pursuant to the Department of Consumer Affairs public health emergency order DCA-20-104, DCA-21-111, DCA-21-113, or any subsequent waivers that supersede these waivers, and Section 1625.6 shall count toward the fulfillment of the continuing education requirements governed by Sections 1645 and 1936.1.

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