Continuing Education Information

Important notice regarding changes to the law affecting Continuing Education Requirements for Controlled Substance Registrants and Re-registrants:

Effective July 1st, 2019, pursuant to Senate Enrolled Act 225-2018, a practitioner who is licensed by a board and applies for registration or re-registration to distribute or dispense a controlled substance must have completed two (2) hours of continuing education during the previous two (2) years addressing the topic of opioid prescribing and opioid abuse.

For more information and a copy of Senate Enrolled Act 225-2018, please visit the Indiana General Assembly website at iga.in.gov.

Important notice regarding changes to the law affecting Continuing Education Requirements for Controlled Substance Registrants and Re-registrants:

Continuing Education Requirements for Dentists

Dentists are required to have completed twenty (20) hours of continuing education acquired between March 2, 2018 and March 1, 2020.  Dentists are required to complete one-half of their continuing education in live presentations or live workshops.  They are also required to complete a two (2) hour course which covers Ethics, Professional Responsibility and the Indiana Statutes and Administrative Rules per renewal period.  Please see detailed information below.  Dentist's licenses expire on March 1st of even numbered years.  The next renewal date is March 1, 2020.

Continuing education is not required by the dentist if they meet one of the following requirements:

1. A dentist who has held an initial license for less than two (2) years.
   (Example: Initial license was issued between the dates of March 2, 2018 to March 1, 2020)
2. A graduate student or a person in a residency program offered by an approved organization.
3. A person who is determined by the Board as being unable to practice dentistry due to a disability.

Continuing Education Requirements for Dental Hygienists

Dental Hygienists are required to have completed nineteen (19) hours of continuing education acquired between March 2, 2018 and March 1, 2020.  Dental Hygienists are required to complete one-half of their continuing education in live presentations or live workshops.  They are also required to complete a basic life support course and a two (2) hour course which covers Ethics, Professional Responsibility and the Indiana Statutes and Administrative Rules per renewal period.  Please see detailed information below.  Dental Hygienist's licenses expire on March 1st of even numbered years. The next renewal date is MARCH 1, 2020.

Continuing education is not required by the dental hygienists if they meet one of the following requirements:

1. Example: Initial license was issued from March 2, 2018 to March 1, 2020.
2. A graduate student or a person in a residency program offered by an approved organization.
3. A person who is determined by the Board as being unable to practice dental hygiene due to a disability.

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT FOR DENTAL HYGIENIST'S RENEWAL
IC 25-13-2-8(b)(3); IC 25-13-2-6(d); 828 IAC 1-6-1

"Basic Cardiac Life Support" means the successful completion of a course in artificial respiration and cardiac compression which enables the applicant to sustain life in an arrest state.

Dental Hygienists are required to complete a course in basic life support through a program approved by the Board for each renewal period.

Only two (2) hours for basic life support may be applied toward the credit hour requirement during each renewal period.

Waiver of BLS:  The Board may waive the basic life support requirement for licensees who show reasonable cause. A waiver of the requirement to complete a course in basic life support will only be granted for medical conditions or disabilities that prevent the dental hygienist from complying with the basic life support requirement. All requests for waivers of the basic life support requirement must be submitted in writing with the renewal application. A physician’s statement documenting the disability or medical condition must be submitted with the request.

Audits:  If the dental hygienist is audited for compliance with the requirement for completion of a basic life support course, at the time of the audit the dental hygienist must submit any of the following:

1. A copy of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation card showing the date of issuance and the date of expiration or date it is due for renewal.
2. A copy of the attendance sheet for the course that has been signed by the instructor and includes the date the course was given and certifies that the applicant successfully completed the course.
3. Proof of reasonable cause for noncompliance. A waiver will only be granted for medical conditions or disabilities that prevent the dental hygienist from complying with the basic life support requirement. All requests for waivers of the basic life support requirement must be submitted in writing. A physician’s statement documenting the disability or medical condition must be submitted with the request.

*ETHICS, PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND INDIANA STATUTE & ADMINISTRATIVE RULES CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR RENEWAL

828 IAC 1-5-6
(a) Effective for the license period ending March 1, 2006, for dentists and dental hygienists, and every license period thereafter, continuing education credit must include two (2) hours which shall cover each of the following subjects:

1. Ethics.
2. Professional responsibility.
3. Indiana statutes and Indiana administrative rules governing the licensure and practice of dentists and dental hygienists.

(b) Ethics and professional responsibility means the aspirational standards by which a profession decides to regulate its behavior in order to distinguish what is legitimate or acceptable in pursuit of their aims from what is not.
(c) The two (2) hours required under subsection (a) are not considered courses that relate specifically to the area of practice management.

Dentists and Dental Hygienists must complete a two (2) hour program which covers the following subject’s ethics, professional responsibility and the Indiana Statutes and Administrative Rules per renewal period. There is no exception to this rule.

DENTAL ANESTHESIA PERMITS
Dentist - 828 IAC 3-1-7.5

In order to renew a permit to administer general anesthesia, deep sedation, or light parenteral conscious sedation, a dentist shall obtain five (5) hours of continuing education in every license period in the area of anesthesia. The continuing education may include, but its not limited to, a course in advanced cardiac resuscitation protocols. Courses in basic cardiac life support will not be accepted. The five (5) hours of continuing education required under this section counts toward the completion of continuing education requirements under IC 25-1-3.

If a dentist holds a General Anesthesia, Deep Sedation Permit or a Light Parenteral Conscious Sedation Permit they are required to complete five (5) hours of continuing education in the area anesthesia.

APPROVED ORGANIZATIONS 
Approved organizations are also defined in three separate sections of the statute for Dentists and Dental Hygienists. One in the dental hygienists statutes (25-13-2-2); the dental statutes (25-14-3-2) and one in the Professional Licensing Agency statutes (25-1-4-0.2).

IC 25-13-2-2
"Approved organization" means the following:

1. United States Department of Education.
2. Council on Post-Secondary Education.
3. National Dental Association.
4. American Dental Association.
5. Academy of General Dentistry.
6. National Dental Hygiene Association.
7. American Dental Hygiene Association.
8. Council on Hospital Dental Services.
9. American Medical Association.
10. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
11. Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations.
12. Study clubs approved by the board.
13. Federal, state, and local government agencies.
14. International organizations approved by the American Dental Association.
15. A college or other teaching institution accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education.
16. A national, state, district, or local organization that operates as an affiliated entity under the approval of an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (14).
17. An internship or a residency program conducted in a hospital that has been approved by an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (15).
18. Any other organization or individual approved by the board.

IC 25-14-3-2
Approved organization means the following:

1. United States Department of Education.
2. Council on Post-Secondary Education.
3. National Dental Association.
4. American Dental Association.
5. Academy of General Dentistry.
6. National Dental Hygiene Association.
7. American Dental Hygiene Association.
8. Council on Hospital Dental Services.
9. American Medical Association.
10. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
11. Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations.
12. Study clubs approved by the board.
13. Federal, state, and local government agencies.
14. International organizations approved by the American Dental Association.
15. A college or other teaching institution accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education.
16. A national, state, district, or local organization that operates as an affiliated entity under the approval of any organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (14).
17. An internship or a residency program conducted in a hospital that has been approved by an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (15).
18. Any other organization or individual approved by the board.

IC 25-1-4-0.2
"Approved organization" refers to the following:

1. United States Department of Education.
2. Council on Post-Secondary Education.
3. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
4. Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations.
5. Federal, state, and local government agencies.
6. A college or other teaching institution accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education.
7. A national organization of practitioners whose members practicing in Indiana are subject to regulation by a board or agency regulating a profession or occupation under this title or IC15.
8. A national, state, district, or local organization that operates as an affiliated entity under the approval of an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (7).
9. An internship or a residency program conducted in a hospital that has been approved by an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (7).
10. Any other organization or individual approved by the board.

It is the responsibility of the organization, If not specifically listed in the statute as an approved organization, or study club to request approval from the Board. An organization or study club will be able to tell licensees whether it has been approved by the Board. An approved organization or study club must provide participants with verification of course completion. Applications for approval of continuing education organization or study clubs are available at the Board’s website at http://www.in.gov/pla .

Courses given or sponsored by an approved organization regarding infectious diseases, universal precautions, and infection control will be accepted.

CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSE DEFINED

Continuing education is defined in three separate sections of the law. One in the dental hygienist statute (IC 25-13-2-3), the dental statute (IC 25-14-3-3) and one in the Professional Licensing Agency statute (IC 25-1-4-0.5).

IC 25-13-2-3
"Continuing education course" means an orderly process of instruction designed to directly enhance the practicing dental hygienist's knowledge and skill in providing relevant dental hygiene services that is approved by an approved organization.

IC 25-14-3-3
"Continuing education course" means an orderly process of instruction designed to directly enhance the practicing dentist's knowledge and skill in providing relevant dentist services that is approved by an approved organization

IC 25-1-4-0.5
"Continuing education" means an orderly process of instruction:

(1)  that is approved by:

(A)  an approved organization or the board for a profession or occupation other than a real estate appraiser; or

(2)  that is designed to directly enhance the practitioner's knowledge and skill in providing services relevant to the practitioner's profession or occupation.

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT COURSES
Dentist - IC 25-14-3-8(c)
Dental Hygienists - IC 25-13-2-6(c)

A dentist or dental hygienists may not earn more than five (5) credit hours toward the requirements under this section for continuing education courses that relate specifically to the area of practice management.

DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS
Dentist - IC 25-14-3-8(a)
Dental Hygienists - IC 25-13-2-6(e)

Online courses are acceptable to fulfill one-half the continuing education requirement for dentists and dental hygienists. The course must be approved by one of the accrediting bodies. 

HARDSHIP WAIVER
IC 25-1-4-4

A board, a commission, a committee, or an agency regulating a profession or occupation under this title or under IC15, IC16, or IC22 may grant an applicant a waiver from all or part of the continuing education requirement for a renewal period if the applicant was not able to fulfill the requirement due to a hardship that resulted from any of the following:

• Service in the armed forces of the United States during a substantial part of the renewal period.
• An incapacitating illness or injury.
• Other circumstances determined by the board or agency.If a licensee is unable to complete continuing education under the statute listed above, please submit your completed renewal and renewal fee along with written explanation and any other documentation regarding your disability, incapacitating illness or injury, etc. If it is based upon your service in the armed forces please submit copies of your service papers.

RETENTION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CERTIFICATES
IC 25-1-4-3(a)(2)

Practitioners must retain copies of certificates of completion for CE courses for three (3) years from the end of licensing period for which the continuing education applied.

A licensee is not required to submit copies of their continuing education certificates at the time of renewal. By renewing online or signing the renewal application you swear or affirm under the penalties of perjury that you have completed the continuing education requirement. A practitioner shall retain copies of continuing education certificates for three (3) years from the end of the licensing period.

RANDOM CONTINUING EDUCATION AUDITS
IC 25-1-4-3(b)

Following every license renewal period, the Board shall randomly audit for compliance more than one percent (1%) but less than ten percent (10%) of the practitioners required to take continuing education courses.

After the renewal, a percentage of licensees will be chosen in a random audit to submit copies of their continuing education certificates. If the licensee does not comply with the audit the Board will proceed with action as specified IC 25-1-4-5, IC 25-1-4-6, 28 IAC 1-5-4 and 828 IAC 1-5-5.

AWARD OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT
Dentist - IC 25-14-3-9
Dental Hygienists - IC 25-13-2-7

COLLEGE COURSE
A course presented by a college under a regular curriculum is awarded one (1) credit hour for each lecture hour attended.

OTHER COURSES NOT COLLEGE COURSES
If the course does not fall under a college course it is awarded one (1) credit hour for each lecture hour and two (2) credit hours for each participation hour of the course.

SPEECH, LECTURE, OR OTHER PRESENTATION BY A DENTIST
A speech, lecture, or other presentation by a dentist is awarded two (2) credit hours if the following conditions are met:

• The presentation concerns a subject that would be suitable for a continuing education course.
• The subject of the presentation is eligible for credit only once regardless of the number of times it is presented.
• The dentist maintains a record of the time, place, and date of the presentation.
• The presentation is sponsored by an approved organization.
• Not more than four (4) credit hours are awarded to the dentist under this subdivision during a license period.

STUDY CLUB
Attendance at a meeting of a study club that uses films, audio cassettes, live presentations or written materials sponsored by the American Dental Association is awarded one (1) credit hour. However, a dentist may not receive credit under this subdivision for more than four (4) credit hours during a license period.

Attendance at a meeting of a study club featuring a guest speaker whose presentation concerns a subject suitable for a continuing course is awarded one (1) credit hour for each hour attended.

HOME STUDY
A home study course that is presented by an approved organization and meets the requirements under this subdivision is awarded the same number of credit hours given to courses provided by a college. If the approved organization does not assess credit hours to a course under this subdivision, the course is awarded one (1) credit hour for each hour of study material. Subject matter of the course may be presented by written, audio, or video materials.