Continuing Dental Education

PURPOSE: This rule details the board’s minimum requirements for continuing dental education for dentists and dental hygienists. (1) Definitions. (A) Continuing dental education—Instruction for dentists and dental hygienists directly relating to the practice of den tistry and dental hygiene as defined in sections 332.071 and 332.091, RSMo. (B) Time block—A two- (2-) year period with starting dates of December 1, 2002, through November 30, 2004; December 1, 2004, through November 30, 2006; and repeating in this sequence from that date. (C) Board-approved sponsors are— 1. American Dental Association (ADA) and its constituent and component societies; 2. Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and its state and local affiliates; 3. ADA-recognized dental specialty organizations and their state and local affiliates; 4. National Dental Association and its state and local affiliates; 5. American Dental Hygienists’ Association and its constituents and component societies; 6. National Dental Hygienists’ Association and its state and local affiliates; 7. American Medical Association and American Osteopathic Association and their respective state and local societies; 8. American Nurses Association and its state and local affiliates; 9. ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation approved dental, dental hygiene, and dental assisting schools; 10. ADA continuing education recognition program; AND INSURANCE 11. AGD national sponsor approved program; 12. Federal and state government agencies, including any of the branches of the military; 13. Hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; 14. Missouri Public Health Association; 15. American Red Cross; 16. American Heart Association; 17. Any regional clinical testing service accepted by the board for initial licensure; 18. Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB); 19. American Dental Assistants Association and its constituents and component societies; 20. American Association of Dental Boards (AADB); 21. Missouri Coalition for Oral Health; and 22. Any other sponsor approved by the board pursuant to subsection (2)(B). (D) Original licensee—One who obtains licensure by exam ination in accordance with sections 332.181 and 332.251, RSMo. (E) Credential licensee—One who obtains licensure without examination in accordance with sections 332.211 and 332.281, RSMo, respectively. (F) Instructor—One who holds a license to practice and who is a full- or part-time faculty member in a dental or dental hygiene, or both, school or program accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation. (G) Resident or fellow—One who obtains a license to practice during the time block and who participated in a post-grad uate program accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation. (H) Diplomate status—One who holds a license to practice and during the time block has obtained diplomate status in an ADA recognized specialty. (I) Retired licensee—One who neither engages in the active practice of dentistry or dental hygiene nor holds him/herself out as actively practicing as provided in sections 332.071 and 332.091, RSMo. (2) In order to renew a license, each dentist shall submit satisfactory evidence of completion of fifty (50) hours of continuing education during the two- (2-) year period immediately preceding the renewal period, and each dental hygienist shall submit satisfactory evidence of completion of thirty (30) hours of continuing education during the two- (2-) year period immediately preceding the renewal period. Any hours acquired beyond the required number may be carried forward into the next time block not to exceed twenty-five (25) hours for dentists and fifteen (15) hours for dental hygienists. Of the fifty (50) hours required for dentists, not less than forty (40) must be hours directly related to the updating and maintaining of knowledge and skills in the treatment, health, and safety of the individual dental patient. Of the thirty (30) hours required for dental hygienists, not less than twenty-five (25) must be hours directly related to the updating and maintaining of knowledge and skills in the treatment, health, and safety of the individual dental patient. One (1) hour of continuing education shall be granted for every fifty to sixty (50–60) minutes of contact (either academic or clinical) instruction. (A) For the licensure renewal form due November 30, 2004, and each subsequent renewal period after that, the licensee shall report the number of hours obtained for the two- (2-) year period just completed and shall attest to those hours by sign ing the form. Each licensee shall retain records documenting his/her completion of the required hours of continuing educa tion for a minimum of six (6) years after the reporting period in which the continuing education was completed. The records shall document the licensee’s attendance at the continuing ed ucation course including, but not limited to, retaining the titles of the courses taken, dates, locations, receipts, course sponsors, agendas, and number of hours earned. The board may conduct an audit of licensees to verify compliance with the continuing education requirement. Licensees shall assist the board in its audit by providing timely and complete responses to the board’s inquiries. (B) The continuing dental education hours obtained shall be from a board-approved sponsor. Any entity not listed under subsection (1)(C) may become a board-approved sponsor for a specified program(s) by obtaining approval through a sponsor recognized by this rule. Programs which applied for approval and were not granted approval by a board-approved sponsor may appear in person before the board with a request for approval at a regularly scheduled meeting. The board shall review the request and issue a decision in writing within a reasonable time frame. (C) A credential dental licensee will only be required to ob tain twenty-five (25) hours of continuing education in order to renew if the individual became licensed during the second year of the time block. A credential hygiene licensee will only be required to obtain fifteen (15) hours of continuing education in order to renew if the individual became licensed during the second year of the time block. (D) Individuals who obtain a license by competency ex amination shall be exempt from the continuing education requirement for the remainder of the time block in which s/he became licensed. (E) Licensees who are engaged as full-time instructors will receive ten (10) continuing education hours per year. Licensees who are engaged as part-time instructors will receive five (5) continuing education hours per year. (F) Licensees who give presentations through a board-ap proved sponsor relating to dentistry will receive two (2) con tinuing education hours for each hour of the original presenta tion and an hour-for-hour credit for subsequent presentation of the same material up to sixteen (16) hours per year. (G) Residents or fellows are exempt from the continuing education requirement through the end of the time block con taining the date of graduation. (H) A dental licensee who has obtained diplomate sta tus through the ADA-recognized specialty board certification during the reporting period shall be deemed to have obtained fifty (50) hours of continuing education. The licensee shall pro vide the board with documentation evidencing the specialty board certification upon request. (I) Licensees who author an article or paper pertaining to the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene that is published in a dental or dental hygiene professional journal may claim up to seven (7) hours of continuing education hours per reporting period. This excludes op-ed pieces and letters to the editor. (3) The board, solely in its discretion, may grant a waiver or an extension to a licensee who cannot complete the required hours of continuing education because of personal illness, mil itary service, foreign residency, or other circumstances beyond the licensee’s control. The licensee may apply for a waiver or an extension of time to complete the continuing education re quirements by making a written application at least forty-five (45) days before the end of the renewal period. Any licensee seeking a waiver or extension shall provide full and complete written documentation explaining specifically and in detail the nature of the circumstances, why the circumstances were unforeseeable and beyond the licensee’s control, the period during which the circumstances were in existence, the num ber of continuing education hours earned in the reporting period, and the licensee’s plan for completing the balance of the requirements if an extension is granted. The board, in its discretion, shall establish the length of extension granted, not to exceed the next renewal period. (4) Licensees whose license has expired shall comply with the continuing education requirements as established in 20 CSR 2110-2.071(8). (5) Violation of any provision of this rule shall be deemed by the board to constitute misconduct, fraud, misrepresentation, dishonesty, unethical conduct, or unprofessional, or any combination of these, in the performance of the functions, duties, or both, of a dentist or a dental hygienist, depending on the licensee’s conduct. In addition, a licensee who fails to complete and report in a timely fashion the required hours of continuing education and engages in the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene without the express written consent of the board shall be deemed to have engaged in the unauthorized practice of dentistry or dental hygiene. (6) Continuing education required by the board as part of discipline imposed on a licensee shall not count toward compliance with the continuing education requirement of this rule. AUTHORITY: sections 332.031, 332.181, and 332.261, RSMo 2016.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 110-2.240. Original rule filed Aug. 30, 1993, effective April 9, 1994. Amended: Filed June 27, 1995, ef fective Dec. 30, 1995. Amended: Filed Sept. 15, 1998, effective April 30, 1999. Amended: Filed Dec. 14, 2001, effective June 30, 2002. Amended: Filed June 28, 2002, effective Dec. 30, 2002. Amended: Filed March 1, 2005, effective Aug. 30, 2005. Moved to 20 CSR 2110-2.240, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed Dec. 12, 2008, effective June 30, 2009. Amended: Filed July 20, 2010, effective Jan. 30, 2011. Amended: Filed Feb. 28, 2022, effective Sept. 30, 2022. Amended: Filed March 20, 2025, effective Sept. 30, 2025. *Original authority: 332.031, RSMo 1969, amended 1981, 1993, 1995; 332.181, RSMo 1969, amended 1981, 1983, 1993, 2001, 2004; and 332.261, RSMo 1969, amended 1981, 1983, 1993, 2001, 2004.