Submitting Continuing Education

How do I submit my continuing education to renew my license/certification?

Once logged into the eLicense Portal to renew your license/certificate, you are required to acknowledge that you are aware of the continuing education (CE) requirements to renew your license/certificate; 40 hours for dentists, 24 hours for dental hygienists, and 2 hours for dental x-ray machine operators (formerly dental assistant radiographers). Once you have acknowledged your understanding of the CE requirement, you will then be prompted to upload evidence of your completed CE. Once you have uploaded the requested documentation, completed the rest of the online renewal questions, and paid the appropriate fee, your license/certificate will be automatically renewed and you will receive a confirmation email.  Please note that the Board no longer issues renewal cards.

The Board will accept the following evidence of completion of your CE requirement:

1. Copies of certificates of completion from Board-approved or Board-accepted sponsors which indicate:

a. Name of licensee;
b. Name of sponsor;
c. Title of course;
d. Name of the instructor;
e. Number of acceptable credit hours, and
f. Date of Completion

2. Detailed listings provided by dental organizations or sponsors such as the Academy of General Dentistry of courses verified and completed during the biennium.

If you have not completed the CE requirement for renewal and are not exempt from the requirement (see question on exemptions below), you must answer “No” and upload a document explaining non-compliance with your CE requirement. You will then be permitted to continue the renewal questions and payment process. Please be aware that answering “No” to the CE question will delay renewal of your license/certificate until a review of the material/documentation you have submitted has been completed.

Acceptable Sponsors and Content

How do I know if the sponsor of my continuing education (CE) course is accepted by the Board?

Board-approved CE Sponsors are defined as organizations, schools or other dental-related organizations as follows:

a. "American Dental Association," and constituent and component dental associations and societies affiliated with the "American Dental Association."

b. "National Dental Association," and constituent and component dental associations and societies affiliated with the "National Dental Association."

c. "American Dental Hygienists Association," and its recognized constituents, components and affiliated societies.

d. "National Dental Hygienists' Association" and constituent and component dental hygienists' associations and societies affiliated with the "National Dental Hygienists' Association."

e. National, state, district or local dental specialty organizations affiliated with the "American Dental Association."

f. "Academy of General Dentistry" and its constituent and component organizations.

g. Universities, colleges and community colleges with accredited programs in dentistry or dental hygiene.

h. Colleges and universities accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the United States department of education.

i. Healthcare organizations and institutions accredited by the "Joint Commission (JC)."

j. Other accredited or nationally recognized healthcare organizations (e.g. American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute).

k. American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program (ADA CERP)

l. Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education (AGD PACE)

Co-Sponsors – Beginning January 1, 2022

The Board will accept continuing education courses from former Biennial Sponsors who continue offering CE to Ohio licensees and have partnered or entered into an agreement to provide joint sponsorship of CE with any of the recognized sponsors listed above.

CE course providers must ensure that as a joint program provider they are following those guidelines and policies as set forth by these organizations for continuing education joint providership, as well as the Ohio CE guidelines set forth in Ohio Revised and Administrative Code 4715.  Additionally, any certificates of course completion issued to Ohio licensees must reflect joint provider status.

ADA CERP approved provider listing: http://www.ada.org/en/ccepr/view-ce-providers/national-approval-section

AGD PACE approved provider listing: http://www.agd.org/2/education/pace/findaprovider/alpha.asp?sortby=a

How do I know if my course is acceptable? 

Acceptable CE is two-part; acceptable provider and acceptable content. For Board-approved or Board-accepted Providers see the question on acceptable sponsors. Acceptable continuing education for all Ohio licensees is defined as educational and scientific courses given by board-approved sponsors consisting of activities designed to review existing concepts and techniques, to convey information beyond the basic dental education and to update knowledge on advances in scientific, non-clinical and clinical practice related subject matter, including ethics, regulatory compliance, risk management, nutrition, and evidence-based dentistry wherein the objective is to improve the knowledge, skills and ability of the individual to provide the highest quality of service to the public and the profession. Acceptable Continuing dental education programs include, but are not limited to, programs that address any of the following:

1. Competency in treating patients who are medically compromised or who experience medical emergencies during the course of dental treatment;

2. Knowledge of pharmaceutical products and the protocol of the proper use of medications;

3. Competency to diagnose oral pathology;

4. Awareness of currently accepted methods of infection control;

5. Basic medical and scientific subjects including, but not limited to, biology, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, and pharmacology;

6. Clinical and technological subjects including, but not limited to, clinical techniques and procedures, materials, and equipment;
         
7. Subjects pertinent to health and safety.

Dentists and dental hygienists may earn CE credits at the rate of one-half credit for each twenty-five to thirty contact minutes of instruction and one credit hour for each fifty to sixty contact minutes of instruction.

CE Exemption

Am I exempt from obtaining continuing education?

The Board has the ability by law to excuse licensed dentists and/or dental hygienists, as a group or as individuals, from all or any part of the CE requirements.

Recent Graduates - The Board exempts Licensees/Certificate holders who have completed their training within their first registration biennium of dental school, dental hygiene program, or an initial training program for dental x-ray machine operators. In order to renew you must answer “Yes” to the question regarding completion of your CE and upload documentation/evidence of completion of your school, program, or training. Regardless of your initial licensure/certification with the Board, if you have not completed a program WITHIN the biennium you are required to obtain the minimum hours of CE to renew.

Dental Residents and Dental Hygiene Graduate Students - The Board exempts Licensees/Certificate holders who are furthering their dental/dental hygiene education in Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) approved residency or graduate level dental hygiene programs (i.e. dental hygiene masters degree completion programs). In order to renew you must answer “Yes” to the question regarding completion of your CE and upload documentation/evidence of attendance to your school, program, or training during any portion of the biennium. Regardless of your current status, if you have participated in the program at any time between January 1 to December 31 of the current biennium, you need only submit proof of attendance.

CPR for Renewal

Where can I take my CPR?

CPR for dental hygienists and EFDAs must be completed through one of the following:

American Heart Association

American Red Cross

American Safety and Health Institute

By law the Board cannot accept any other CPR certification for dental hygiene renewal or EFDA registration.

Does my CPR/ACLS/BLS count towards my continuing education?

Dentists and Dental Hygienists may claim the hours completed for CPR/ACLS/BLS certification toward the minimum CE requirement for license renewal at a ratio of 1:1 (one hour of contact = one CE hour). However, a copy of your certification card will not be accepted as evidence of the number of contact hours. In order to “claim” the CE hours, you must provide a signed document from the instructor indicating the same information that is required of a CE certificate of completion; name of sponsor, name of instructor, title of course, date of completion, number of hours, etc.

Can I obtain my CPR online?

You may complete the didactic portion of your CPR online. However, for the Board to accept your CPR certificate, you must complete the clinical portion (compressions) in front of a certified instructor.

CE Hour Requirements & Restrictions

How many hours of continuing education must I have to renew my license?

Dentists: 40 CE hours

Dental Hygienists: 24 CE hours

Dental X-ray Machine Operators (formerly Dental Assistant Radiographers) – 2 CE hours in radiation technology, including but not limited to the following subjects:

1. Radiation physics;
2. Radiation biology
3. Radiation health, safety, and protection;
4. X-ray films and radiographic film quality; and
5. Radiographic techniques, processing and storage.

How many hours of self-study continuing education can I have?

100% of the CE requirement for all licensees/certificate holders may be obtained in a self -study format which includes on-line coursework so long as the coursework is obtained through an approved or accepted sponsor and has a post-test which must be passed by a minimum of 75% or better.

How many hours of practice management can I claim?

Dental and dental hygiene licensees may claim up to six (6) hours of coursework in "Non-clinical dental practice related continuing education" or practice management.

“Non-clinical dental practice related continuing education” means continuing education experiences or courses which may include, but is not limited to the following:

1. aid in the management of a dental practice or clinic;
2. pertaining to the management of third party payer issues;
3. dental billing practices;
4. patient and provider appeals of payment disputes and patient management of billing matters;
5. improve recall and scheduling systems,
6. production flow;
7. communication systems and data management;
8. organization and management of the dental practice;
9. office computerization and design;
10. ergonomics;
11. improvement of practice administration and office operations;
12. leadership development and team development; and,
13. human resource management and employee benefits.

Coursework that will not be considered acceptable are:

1. money management;
2. personal finance or business;
3. retirement planning;
4. basic educational or cultural subjects not related to direct patient care; and
5. teaching of the use of the Internet.

What documentation do I need to have to claim my hours for:  papers, publications, scientific presentations, or volunteer service as a clinician?

Category D: Papers, publications and scientific presentations

A maximum of four (4) continuing education hours may be obtained in this category.

Scientific papers authored by the licensee and published in a scientific professional journal, and/or the original presentation of papers, essays, scientific exhibits or formal lectures to recognized groups of fellow professionals.
In order to claim up to four (4) CE hours in this category you must provide proof of the following:

1. Evidence you authored and published a paper in a scientific journal by submitting copies of the date of the journal and its Table of Contents which indicates the articles publication;  

2. Evidence you provided an original presentation, paper or formal lecture to a group of fellow dental professionals by submission of copies of the certificate of completion indicating the date of the offering and your name as the presenter and/or a copy of the original invitation that lists you as the guest speaker

Category E: Teaching and research appointments

A maximum of four (4) continuing education hours may be obtained in this category.

Dentists and dental hygienists who hold documented teaching or research activities at an accredited institution, at least one-half day per week per academic year, and holding at least a part-time faculty or research appointment may claim this toward their minimum CE requirement. In order to claim up to four (4) CE hours in this category you must provide proof as evidenced by a signed, dated letter of appointment from the chair or director of the accredited institution.

Category F: Volunteer service as a clinician

A maximum of thirteen (13) CE hours for dentists and a maximum of eight (8) CE hours for dental hygienists may be obtained in this category.

Permanent sponsors [Definition of Permanent Sponsors] may award CE hours at a ratio of one continuing education credit for each hour of volunteer clinical services provided through an approved program. An approved program is one that allows licensees to provide substantial pro bono dental and dental hygiene services to indigent and underserved populations, or to persons who reside in areas of critical need in the state of Ohio. No remuneration shall be made to the licensee or the program sponsor for services provided.

Certificates of service indicating the sponsor, name of volunteer program, name of licensee, dates, and number of hours of pro bono services that were provided must be submitted as evidence of completion for acceptable CE.

CE Extension/Waiver Requests

What do I do if I have not completed my required continuing education?

The Board has the ability by law to excuse licensed dentists and/or dental hygienists, as a group or as individuals, from all or any part of the CE requirements because of an unusual circumstance, emergency, or special hardship.

Extension/Waiver Requests – If you have been unable to complete the CE requirement for this renewal period due to an unusual circumstance, emergency, or special hardship, you may submit a Request for Continuing Education Extension/Waiver form including a full explanation of the reasons that necessitate an extension/waiver including the following:

1. If you are currently practicing;
2. Number of hours/week you currently practice;
3. Number of hours of CE already completed during the biennium; and
4. Why course(s)/offerings were not completed during the biennium.

Qualifying reasons for extension/waiver of the CE requirements within the immediate preceding two (2) years may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Compelling causes beyond the control of the individual;
2. Medically compromised health of self or family member;
3. Death of a family member;
4. Other personal circumstance affecting the individual; or
5. Active duty in the military service.

Extension/Waiver requests due to:

1. Medically compromised health must include written verification (on physician’s letterhead) from a physician detailing the illness or condition of self or family member that precluded attendance, the date that the illness or condition occurred, reasons that a correspondence offering or on-site offering could not be attended, and an estimate of the time when recovery may be achieved.

2. Death of a family member must include a copy of the death certificate and/or copy of the obituary indicating relationship to licensee.

3. Other personal circumstances should include documentation if possible (ex. fire, flood, destruction, etc.)

4. Active duty service out of country must include a copy of original deployment orders and/or substantiation from the commanding officer.

Written requests in lieu of the form must contain all information as requested on the form in addition to all supplemental documentation.

Requests for extension/waiver should be as complete and factual as possible, an incomplete request may require additional correspondence which may delay the final decision. Each request will be considered on an individual basis.

Extension/Waiver requests can take two to three (2-3) weeks to process depending on completeness of the request. Requests and all supporting documentation may be submitted via U.S. Mail, e-mail, or by fax. All extension/waiver requests must be received prior to renewal of the license or certificate.

If you have been granted an Extension/Waiver, you must upload a copy of the letter granting the extension/waiver when prompted during renewal of your license.

Continuing Education Extension/Waiver Form

Dental Assistant Certification Renewal

How do I renew my dental assistant certification?

The Board recognizes dental assistants who are examined and receive certification through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), the Commission on Ohio Dental Assistant Certification (CODAC), or the American Medical Technologists (AMT) and we have the authority to define permissible functions or duties of certified assistants. However, the Board has no authority over maintaining individual certification. If you have questions regarding obtaining or maintaining dental assistant certification via CE requirements, please contact:

DANB: Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.
444 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312-642-3368
Toll-free: 1-800-367-3262
Fax: 312-642-8507
Website: www.danb.org

CODAC: Commission on Ohio Dental Assistant Certification
1501 Centerview Drive
Copley, OH 44321
Phone/Fax: 330-668-9985
E-mail: OhioCODAexam@aol.com
Website: www.codacertification.org

AMT: American Medical Technologists
10700 West Higgins Rd, Suite 150
Chicago, IL 60018
Phone: 847-823-5169
E-mail: mail@americanmedtech.org
Website: www.americanmedtech.org 

CE for EFDA Registration

Do I need continuing education to renew my EFDA registration?

No, EFDAs are not required to complete CE to maintain their registration