Welcome to the Committee on Dental Auxiliaries

Continuing Education

  • Continuing Education Requirements
    • Each auxiliary licensee must complete 25 units, of an approved type, during each 2-year renewal cycle, except that RDHAPs must complete 35 units. Units are not required for the very first renewal after a license is first issued.
    • The provider giving the courses must be registered with the Board for the courses to be approved. Each individual course is not approved by the Board. If you have questions about whether the provider has a current registration with the Dental Board, call (916) 263-2300.
    • Following are changes to the CE requirements effective January 1, 2006. Any continuing education units accumulated before January 1, 2006, that meet the requirements in effect on the date the units were accumulated will be accepted by the board for license renewals taking place on or after January 1, 2006.
1. At least 80% of the required units (20 units or more) must be in Category I subjects which are defined as courses in the actual delivery of dental services to the patient or the community, including two units of continuing education in infection control and two units in the California Dental Practice Act (no longer just "California Law"). Such courses shall include:
  1. (A) Mandatory courses required by the Board for license renewal, such as Infection Control, California Dental Practice Act and a course in Basic Life Support as approved by American Red Cross or American Heart Association. At a minimum, course content for Infection Control shall include all content of Section 1005. At a minimum, course content for the Dental Practice Act [Division 2, Chapter 4 of the Code (beginning with Section 1600)] shall instruct on acts in violation of the Dental Practice Act and attending regulations, and other statutory mandates relating to the dental practice. This includes utilization and scope of practice for auxiliaries; scope of practice for dentists; laws governing the prescribing of drugs; citations, fines, revocation, and suspension, and license renewal.
  2. (B) Courses in preventive services, diagnosis (including physical evaluation, radiography, dental photography) and comprehensive treatment planning.
  3. (C) Courses dealing primarily with nutrition counseling of the patient.
  4. (D) Courses in corrective and restorative oral health treatment.
  5. (E) Courses in dentistry's role in individual and community health emergencies and disasters.
  6. (F) Courses that pertain to the legal requirement governing the licensee in the areas of auxiliary employment and delegation of responsibilities; the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); actual delivery of care; and workplace, environmental and general safety.
  7. (G) Courses addressing office instrument sterilization systems.
2. No more than 20% of their required units (5 units or less) may be in Category II subjects. Category II courses include other courses directly related to the practice of dentistry. Such courses shall include:
  1. (A) courses addressing the evaluation, improvement and/or methods of correction for recall and scheduling systems.
  2. (B) courses in organization and management of the dental practice including office design, and ergonomics, and the improvement of office operations for the patient's benefit and/or to improve the continuity of care provided to the patient.
  3. (C) courses addressing the implementation and/or mechanism of alternative delivery systems.
  4. (D) courses addressing patient record keeping.
  5. (E) courses in skills such as communication, behavioral sciences, patient management and motivation when oriented specifically to the needs of the dental practice and will improve the health of the patient.
  6. (F) courses in other subjects of direct concern to dentistry such as dentolegal matters, including but not limited to risk management, liability, and malpractice, employment law and employment practices.
  7. (G) courses in methods of health care delivery and sociopolitical problems directly involving dentistry.
3. Courses considered to be outside the scope of the continuing education program include, but are not limited to, those in the following areas:
  1. (A) money management, the licensee's personal finances or personal business matters;
  2. (B) basic educational or cultural subjects not related to the practice of dentistry;
  3. (C) general physical fitness or the licensee's personal health;
  4. (D) presentations by political or public figures or other persons that do not deal primarily with dental practice;
  5. (E) basic skills such as memory training and speed reading;
  6. (F) courses addressing the computerized dental office when the topic involves record management or new technology designed primarily for the licensee's understanding and benefit;
  7. (G) courses designed to make the licensee a better business person or designed to improve licensee or staff motivation;
  8. (H) courses pertaining to the improvement of office operations, licensee and staff convenience, or profit motive;
  9. (I) courses which address increased office production; financial planning; employee benefits; marketing or motivational topics to increase productivity or profitability;
  10. (J) courses in which the primary beneficiary is the licensee.
4. Tape recorded courses, home study materials, video courses, and computer courses are considered correspondence courses, and if from registered providers, will be accepted for credit up to, but not exceeding, half of the total required credits. Interactive instruction courses, such as live lecture, live telephone conferencing, live video conferencing, or live classroom study from registered providers, will be accepted for full credit.
Each licensee must retain copies of their continuing education certifications for a period of 4 years, and may be audited by the Board during that time. A licensee must NOT send evidence of completion of their required units with their renewal form, UNLESS requested to do so.

For more information, contact (916) 263-2572