Subchapter F. CONTINUING DENTAL EDUCATION
Sec.
33.401. Credit-hour requirements.
33.402. Continuing education subject areas.
33.403. Program sponsors.
33.404. Reporting continuing education credit hours.
Authority The provisions of this Subchapter F issued under section 3(j.1) and (j.2) of The Dental Law (63 P. S. § 122(j.1) and (j.2)), unless otherwise noted.
Source The provisions of this Subchapter F adopted August 11, 2000, effective August 12, 2000, 30 Pa.B. 4245, unless otherwise noted.
Cross References This subchapter cited in 49 Pa. Code § 33.105 (relating to biennial renewal of licenses and certificates).
§ 33.401. Credit-hour requirements.
(a) An applicant shall complete the following continuing education credit hours during the preceding biennial period:
(1) Dentists—30 hours.
(2) Dental hygienists—20 hours.
(3) Expanded function dental assistants—10 hours.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (h), the required hours shall be taken in subject areas listed in § 33.402 (relating to continuing education subject areas) from a program sponsor listed in § 33.403 (relating to program sponsors).
(c) At least 50% of the required credit hours shall be taken in lecture or clinical presentations.
(d) A maximum of 50% of the required credit hours, listed in § 33.402, may be taken through individual study, serving as an instructor or author of a book, article or continuing education program.
(1) Instructors will be awarded two additional credit hours as preparation time for each credit hour of instruction, and for actual instruction, up to 50% of the required hours. Additional credit hours for instructors are subject to the limitations of subsection (e).
(2) Authors will be awarded 50% of the required hours for articles published in a peer-reviewed professional journal.
(e) Credit will not be awarded for repeating a program in the same renewal period unless the subject matter has substantially changed during that period.
(f) A licensee or certificate holder suspended for disciplinary reasons is not exempt from the continuing education requirements in subsection (a).
(g) Exceptions are as follows:
(1) An applicant is exempt from the continuing education requirement in subsection (a) for only the biennial period during which the applicant passed the licensure or certification examination.
(2) An applicant who cannot meet the continuing education requirement due to illness, emergency or hardship may apply to the Board in writing for a waiver. The request must explain why compliance is impossible. Waiver requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
(h) All licensees and certificate holders shall complete 2 of the required hours of continuing education in approved courses on child abuse recognition and reporting as set forth in § 33.256 (relating to child abuse recognition and reporting—mandatory training requirement). The Board will not renew a license or certificate unless the bureau has received an electronic report from an approved course provider documenting the attendance/participation by the licensee or certificateholder.
Authority The provisions of this § 33.401 amended under section 3(o) of the Dental Law (63 P.S. § 122(o)); and the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 33.401 amended July 31, 2020, effective August 1, 2020, 50 Pa.B. 3854. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (363517) to (363518).
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 33.336a (relating to requirements for unrestricted permit and restricted permit I); and 49 Pa. Code § 33.341 (relating to duties of dentists who are not permitholders).
§ 33.402. Continuing education subject areas.
(a) Except as provided in subsections (c)—(e), the required credit hours shall be completed in subjects which contribute directly to the maintenance of clinical competence of a dentist, dental hygienist, public health dental hygiene practitioner or expanded function dental assistant. Examples of acceptable subjects include:
(1) Diagnosis and treatment of oral pathosis.
(2) Clinical and technological subjects.
(3) Emergency procedures excluding hours required for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification.
(4) Infection control.
(5) Abuse and neglect.
(6) Medical and scientific subjects.
(7) Laws and regulations pertaining to dentists, dental hygienists and expanded function dental assistants.
(b) Credit hours will not be awarded in nonclinical subjects, including:
(1) Billing.
(2) Office management.
(3) Practice building.
(4) Insurance reimbursement.
(5) Communication skills, except as provided in subsection (c).
(c) A dental hygienist may complete no more than three of the required 20 hours of continuing education in courses relating to communication skills.
(d) A public health dental hygiene practitioner shall complete five of the required 20 hours of continuing education in public health-related courses.
(e) A school dental hygienist who is certified as a public health dental hygiene practitioner and who, as a certified educational specialist is required to obtain continuing professional education under the act and under section 1205.2 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § 12-1205.2) may submit evidence of the completion of education courses approved for certification by the school district to meet the 20-hour continuing education requirement.
(f) A dental hygienist who holds a local anesthesia permit shall complete 3 of the required 20 hours of continuing education in courses related to the administration of local anesthesia, including pharmacology or other related courses.
(g) Expanded function dental assistants shall comply with the following:
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), expanded function dental assistants shall complete 3 of the 10 required hours of continuing education in the area of coronal polishing as follows:
(i) Unless an exemption applies, an expanded function dental assistant certified by the Board by March 31, 2011, shall complete the 3 hours of continuing education in the area of coronal polishing as a condition of renewal for the biennial period which begins on April 1, 2013.
(ii) Unless an exemption applies, an expanded function dental assistant certified by the Board after March 31, 2011, shall complete the 3 hours of continuing education in the area of coronal polishing as a condition of renewal for the first complete biennial renewal period after initial certification.
(2) The following expanded function dental assistants are exempt from the requirement to complete 3 hours of continuing education in coronal polishing in paragraph (1):
(i) Expanded function dental assistants who are also licensed as dental hygienists.
(ii) Expanded function dental assistants who can document that they have completed coursework including coronal polishing as part of their education at a Board-approved EFDA education program at any time after June 28, 2010.
(iii) Expanded function dental assistants who can document that they have completed a course in coronal polishing of at least 3 hours offered by an approved program sponsor at any time after June 28, 2010.
(3) The requirements of this subsection may not be met through video, online or distance education, but shall be completed by physical attendance at a hands-on clinical training course offered by an approved program sponsor or an approved EFDA education program.
Authority The provisions of this § 33.402 amended under section 3 of The Dental Law (63 P. S. § 122; and section 4 of the act of April 29, 2010 (P. L. 176, No. 19).
Source The provisions of this § 33.402 amended December 11, 2009, effective December 12, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 6982; amended September 7, 2012, effective September 8, 2012, 42 Pa.B. 5736. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (346674) to (346675).
Cross References The provisions of this § 33.401 (relating to credit-hour requirements).
§ 33.403. Program sponsors.
(a) The Board has approved the following as program sponsors:
(1) An accredited dental, dental hygiene or expanded function dental assisting school or program.
(2) The medical or osteopathic medical school or college accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine, State Board of Osteopathic Medicine or State Board of Nursing.
(3) The American Dental Association Continuing Education Review Program, the American Dental Association’s specialty associations, the American Dental Hygienists Association and the American Dental Assistants Association.
(4) The National Dental Association and its specialty societies and the National Dental Hygienists Association.
(5) The American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Medical Association and the American Nursing Association.
(6) The Pennsylvania Academy of Dental Hygiene Studies.
(7) The Academy of General Dentistry National Sponsor Approval Program.
(8) The Veterans’ Administration.
(9) The United States military services.
(10) The National Institutes of Health.
(11) The United States Public Health Services.
(b) Program sponsors shall:
(1) Disclose in advance to prospective participants the objectives, prerequisites, experience level, content, required advanced preparation, teaching method and number of continuing education credits involved in the program.
(2) Conduct programs in subjects which contribute directly to the maintenance of clinical competence of a dentist, dental hygienist or expanded function dental assistant.
(3) Provide program materials which are accurate and consistent with currently accepted standards relating to the program’s subject matter.
(4) Provide sufficient and adequate physical facilities for the number and type of participants and the teaching methods to be utilized.
(5) Evaluate the program, through questionnaires of the participants and instructors, to determine its effectiveness.
(6) Retain accurate attendance records and written outlines for a 4-year period.
(7) Provide participants with a continuing education certificate after assuring satisfactory completion and attendance of the program.
(c) The Board may, following notice and hearing under 2 Pa.C.S. § § 501—508 (relating to practice and procedure of Commonwealth agencies), withdraw the approval of a program sponsor for cause and amend subsection (a) accordingly.
(d) A party desiring to be an approved program sponsor shall file a written petition with the Board outlining the party’s qualifications and experience. Upon Board approval, subsection (a) will be amended accordingly.
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 33.401 (relating to credit-hour requirements).
§ 33.404. Reporting continuing education credit hours.
(a) The applicant shall provide the requested information concerning the required hours on an application for biennial renewal.
(b) The applicant shall provide a copy of the documentation supporting the completion of the required credit hours when requested to do so by the Board.
(c) Acceptable documentation consists of any one of the following:
(1) A continuing education certificate or sponsor-generated printouts.
(2) A certified transcript of courses taken for credit in an accredited university or college. For noncredit courses taken, a statement of hours of attendance, signed by the instructor.
(3) Evidence of publication for published articles, books or continuing education programs.
(4) Evidence obtained from the program sponsor of having been an instructor, including an agenda.
(d) The responsibility for documenting the continuing education requirements rests with the applicant. The documentation shall be maintained for 4 years after the completion of the program.
(e) Falsification of information required under subsection (a) constitutes a violation of § 33.212(1) (relating to misleading, deceptive, untrue or fraudulent representations) and section 4.1 of the act (63 P. S. § 123.1(a)(2)).
(f) Failure to comply with subsection (b) may result in disciplinary or corrective action.
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