Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 150 - RULES OF GEORGIA BOARD OF DENTISTRY
Chapter 150-3 - LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Rule 150-3-.09 - Continuing Education for Dentists

Universal Citation: GA Rules and Regs r 150-3-.09

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024

(1) Dentists licensed to practice in the state of Georgia shall maintain and furnish to the Board, upon request, official documentation of having completed a minimum of forty (40) hours of continuing education during each biennium. Official documentation shall be defined as documentation from an approved provider that verifies a licensee's attendance at a particular continuing education course. Official documentation of course attendance must be maintained by a dentist for at least three (3) years following the end of the biennium during which the course was taken.

(a) Compliance with all continuing education requirements is a condition for license renewal. Failure to complete all hours of mandatory continuing education shall serve as grounds to deny the renewal of a license and may also result in disciplinary action being taken against a licensee.

(b) Upon its own motion, the Board may at any time randomly select a percentage of actively licenses dentists for the purpose of auditing their compliance with the continuing education requirements of the Board. Those licensees selected for an audit shall submit official documentation of their compliance within thirty (30) days of receipt of the audit letter. Failure to respond to an audit request in a timely manner shall be grounds for disciplinary action against a licensee.

(c) The continuing education requirements shall not apply to dentists whose licenses are on inactive status.

(d) The continuing education requirements shall apply within the first biennium that a dentist is licensed in Georgia. However, in order to meet the continuing education requirements during the first biennium, a newly licensed dentist may submit as their continuing education hours proof of dental coursework taken within the previous two (2) years of the date of the renewal application from a university or other institution accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, or its successor agency. Following the first biennium that a dentist is licensed in Georgia such licensees shall comply with the continuing education requirements set forth in Rule 150-3-.09(2) and (3).

(e) The continuing education requirements for dentists holding volunteer licenses may be satisfied by compliance with this rule, or they may alternatively be satisfied by compliance with Rule 150-3-.10.

(2) Coursework, including home study courses, sponsored or approved by the following recognized organizations will be accepted:

(a) American Dental Association/American Dental Hygienists association, and their affiliate associations and societies;

(b) Academy of General Dentistry;

(c) National Dental Association and its affiliate societies;

(d) Colleges, and universities and institutions with programs in dentistry and dental hygiene that are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association when the professional continuing education course is held under the auspices of the school of dentistry or school of dental hygiene;

(e) CPR courses offered in-person by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the American Safety and Health Institute, the National Safety Council, EMS Safety Services, or other such agencies approved by the Board.

(f) National and State Associations and/or societies of all specialties in dentistry recognized under Georgia law;

(g) Veterans Administration Dental Department;

(h) Armed Forces Dental Department;

(i) Georgia Department of Public Health;

(j) American Medical Association, the National Medical Association and its affiliate associations and societies;

(k) Hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations (JCAHO).

(3) Course content:

(a) All courses must reflect the professional needs of the dentist in providing quality dental health care to the public;

(b) At least thirty (30) hours of the minimum requirement shall be clinical courses in the actual delivery of dental services to the patient or to the community;

(c) Four (4) credit hours for successful completion of the in-person CPR course required by Georgia law may be used to satisfy continuing education requirements per renewal period. This requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of an in-person Basic Life Support (BLS) or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) course;

(d) Effective on and after January 1, 2024, two (2) hours of the minimum requirement shall include education and training regarding infection control in the practice of dentistry, which shall include education and training regarding dental unit water lines;

(e) One (1) hour of the minimum requirement shall include the impact of opioid abuse, proper prescription writing, and/or the use of opioids in dental practice;

(f) Effective on and after January 1, 2022, one (1) hour of the minimum requirement shall include legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistry, which shall include, but not be limited to, education and training regarding professional boundaries; unprofessional conduct relating to the commission of acts of sexual intimacy, abuse, misconduct, or exploitation with regard to the practice of dentistry; legislative updates and changes to the laws relating to the practice of dentistry and rules, policies, and advisory opinions and rulings issued by the Board; professional conduct and ethics; proper billing practices; professional liability; and risk management.

(g) Up to fifteen (15) hours of continuing education per year may be obtained by assisting the Board with administering the clinical licensing examination. These hours shall be approved by the Continuing Education Committee of the Georgia Board of Dentistry and need not be sponsored by any agency listed in 150-3-.09(2);

(h) Eight (8) hours per biennium may be obtained by assisting the board with investigations of licensees. This may include consultant review on behalf of the Georgia Board of Dentistry and peer reviews completed by committees of the Georgia Dental Association but shall be limited to two (2) hours for each case reviewed. These hours shall be approved by the Continuing Education Committee of the Georgia Board of Dentistry and need not be sponsored by any agency listed in 150-3-.09(2);

(i) Up to ten (10) hours of continuing education per year may be obtained by teaching clinical dentistry or dental hygiene at any ADA-approved educational facility. These hours shall be awarded in writing by the course director at the facility and approved by the Continuing Education Committee of the Georgia Board of Dentistry;

(j) Up to ten (10) hours of continuing education per biennium may be obtained by providing, uncompensated dental care at a charitable dental event as defined by O.C.G.A § 43-11-53;

(k) Up to twenty (20) hours of continuing education per biennium may be obtained by members of the Georgia Board of Dentistry for member service, where one continuing education hour is credited for each five hours of Board service provided;

(l) Eight (8) hours per biennium may be obtained by assisting the Board with conducting onsite sedation evaluations. This shall be limited to a maximum of four (4) hours per evaluation. These hours shall be approved by the Continuing Education Committee of the Georgia Board of Dentistry and need not be sponsored by any agency listed in 150-3-.09(2).

(4) Criteria for receiving credit for attending an approved continuing education course:

(a) Credit hours are not retroactive or cumulative. All credit hours must be received during the two (2) year period to which they are applied;

(b) One credit hour for each hour of course attendance will be allowed;

(c) Only twelve hours of credit will be accepted per calendar day;

(d) Effective January 1, 2008, at least twenty (20) of the required forty (40) hours of credit must be acquired in person at an on-site course or seminar; you are not allowed to acquire all CE hours through on-line courses, electronic means, journal studies, etc.

(5) Criteria for receiving credit for teaching an approved continuing education course:

(a) Credit hours for teaching an approved course must be obtained and used during the biennium that the approved course is taught;

(b) A dentist who teaches an approved continuing education course is eligible to receive two (2) credit hours for each hour of course work that he or she presents at a particular course. Credit will be given for teaching a particular course on one occasion. A maximum of ten (10) credit hours per biennium may be obtained by a dentist by whom an approved continuing education course is taught;

(c) Only continuing education courses sponsored by organizations designated in Rule 150-3-.09(2) will be considered for credit pursuant to this subsection of the rule.

(d) In the event that an audit is conducted of the continuing education hours of a dentist who has taught a course approved by a recognized organization, the following information shall be required to document the dentist's role in presenting a continuing education course:
(i) Documentation from an approved provider verifying that the dentist presented an approved continuing education course;

(ii) Documentation from an approved provider reflecting the content of the course;

(iii) Documentation from an approved provider specifying the list of materials used as a part of the course; and

(iv) Documentation from an approved provider verifying the hours earned and the dates and times that the course in question was given.

(e) In the event that an approved continuing education course is taught by more than one dentist, continuing education credit will be given for those portions of coursework for which the dentist is directly involved and primarily responsible for the preparation and presentation thereof. Continuing education credit will not be available to a dentist whose participation in preparing and presenting an approved course is not readily identifiable.

(6) Criteria for receiving credit for providing uncompensated indigent dental care.

(a) Up to ten (10) hours of continuing education per biennium may be obtained by providing, uncompensated dental care at a charitable dental event as defined by O.C.G.A § 43-11-53.

(b) Dentists may receive one hour of continuing education for every four hours of indigent dental care the dentist provides, up to ten (10) hours. Such continuing education credits will be applied toward the dentist's clinical courses.

(c) All credit hours must be received during the two (2) year renewal period;

(d) All appropriate medical/dental records must be kept;

(e) Dentists shall at all times be required to meet the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing dental practice in Georgia;

(f) The Board shall have the right to request the following:
1. Documentation from the organization indicating that the dentist provided the dental services;

2. Documentation from the organization that it provided medical and/or dental services to the indigent and/or those making up the underserved populations;

3. Notarized verifications from the organization documenting the dentist's agreement not to receive compensation for the services provided;

4. Documentation from the organization detailing the actual number of hours spent providing said services; and

5. Documentation from the dentist and/or organization verifying the services provided.

(7) Effective January 1, 2012, dentists may receive continuing education credit for dental coursework taken during a residency program from a university or other institution accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Such coursework must have been taken during the current license renewal period.

(1) Submission of a copy of the certificate of completion of program showing dates of completion is sufficient proof of coursework.

(2) One (1) credit hour equals one (1) continuing education credit.

O.C.G.A. §§ 43-11-7, 43-11-40, 43-11-46, 43-11-46.1.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Georgia may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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