18VAC60-20-50. Requirements for continuing education.

A. A dentist or a dental hygienist shall be required to have completed a minimum of 15 hours of approved continuing education for each annual renewal of licensure. A dental assistant II shall be required to maintain current certification from the Dental Assisting National Board or another national credentialing organization recognized by the American Dental Association.

1. A dentist, a dental hygienist, or a dental assistant II shall be required to maintain evidence of successful completion of training in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

2. A dentist who administers or a dental hygienist who monitors patients under general anesthesia, deep sedation or conscious sedation shall complete four hours every two years of approved continuing education directly related to administration or monitoring of such anesthesia or sedation as part of the hours required for licensure renewal.

3. Continuing education hours in excess of the number required for renewal may be transferred or credited to the next renewal year for a total of not more than 15 hours.

B. An approved continuing dental education program shall be relevant to the treatment and care of patients and shall be:

1. Clinical courses in dental practice; or

2. Nonclinical subjects that relate to the skills necessary to provide dental or dental hygiene services and are supportive of clinical services (i.e., patient management, legal and ethical responsibilities, stress management). Courses not acceptable for the purpose of this subsection include, but are not limited to, estate planning, financial planning, investments, and personal health.

C. Continuing education credit may be earned for verifiable attendance at or participation in any courses, to include audio and video presentations, which meet the requirements in subdivision B 1 of this section and which are given by one of the following sponsors:

1. American Dental Association and National Dental Association, their constituent and component/branch associations;

2. American Dental Hygienists' Association and National Dental Hygienists Association, their constituent and component/branch associations;

3. American Dental Assisting Association, its constituent and component/branch associations;

4. American Dental Association specialty organizations, their constituent and component/branch associations;

5. American Medical Association and National Medical Association, their specialty organizations, constituent, and component/branch associations;

6. Academy of General Dentistry, its constituent and component/branch associations;

7. American Academy of Dental Hygiene, its constituent and component/branch associations;

7.8. Community colleges with an accredited dental hygiene program if offered under the auspices of the dental hygienist program;

8.9. A college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education or a hospital or health care institution accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations;

9.10. The American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the American Safety and Health Institute and the American Cancer Society;

10.11. A medical school which is accredited by the American Medical Association's Liaison Committee for Medical Education or a dental school or dental specialty residency program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association;

11.12. State or federal government agencies (i.e., military dental division, Veteran's Administration, etc.);

12.13. The Commonwealth Dental Hygienists' Society;

13.14. The MCV Orthodontic and Research Foundation;

14.15. The Dental Assisting National Board; or

15.16. A regional testing agency (i.e., Central Regional Dental Testing Service, Northeast Regional Board of Dental Examiners, Southern Regional Testing Agency, or Western Regional Examining Board) when serving as an examiner.

D. A licensee is exempt from completing continuing education requirements and considered in compliance on the first renewal date following the licensee's initial licensure.

E. The board may grant an exemption for all or part of the continuing education requirements due to circumstances beyond the control of the licensee, such as temporary disability, mandatory military service, or officially declared disasters.

F. A licensee is required to provide information on compliance with continuing education requirements in his annual license renewal. A dental assistant II is required to attest to current certification by the Dental Assisting National Board or another national credentialing organization recognized by the American Dental Association. Following the renewal period, the board may conduct an audit of licensees or registrants to verify compliance. Licensees or registrants selected for audit must provide original documents certifying that they have fulfilled their continuing education requirements by the deadline date as specified by the board.

G. All licensees or registrants are required to maintain original documents verifying the date and subject of the program or activity. Documentation must be maintained for a period of four years following renewal.

H. A licensee who has allowed his license to lapse, or who has had his license suspended or revoked, must submit evidence of completion of continuing education equal to the requirements for the number of years in which his license has not been active, not to exceed a total of 45 hours. Of the required hours, at least 15 must be earned in the most recent 12 months and the remainder within the 36 months preceding an application for reinstatement. A dental assistant II who has allowed his registration to lapse or who has had his registration suspended or revoked must submit evidence of current certification from a credentialing organization recognized by the American Dental Association to reinstate his registration.

I. Continuing education hours required by board order shall not be used to satisfy the continuing education requirement for license or registration renewal or reinstatement.

J. Failure to comply with continuing education requirements or current certification requirements may subject the licensee or registrant to disciplinary action by the board.