Article updated in May 2023 and again in April 2025 to include information about (1) the required course on opioid-prescribing, (2) an additional approved provider of the basic life support course and (3) the new required timeline for unlicensed dental assistants to complete the eight-hour infection control course.
Dental board licensees are required to maintain their continuing education certificates for up to three renewal periods (six years). But if you’re a licensee and you receive a C.E. audit in the mail, what happens next?
The dental board conducts C.E. audits on a randomized basis. The board audits just 1% of the active licensing population each year, which equates to approximately 30 licensed dentists and dental assistants per month. Of those 30 licensees, at least one must hold a general anesthesia, conscious sedation, oral conscious sedation, dental sedation assistant or orthodontic assistant permit.
The audits are not punitive, but by requiring proof of licensees’ C.E. compliance, the board states it is “helping to ensure safety for the consumers and emphasizing the importance of educating dental professionals.”
Although the chances of receiving a C.E. audit are low, licensees should keep their mailing addresses updated in BreEZe ― the Department of Consumer Affairs’ online licensing and enforcement system. That way, if the dental board mails a notice requesting proof of mandatory C.E. completion (or any other correspondence, including renewal notices), dentists can respond in a timely manner.
Common C.E. deficiencies: Insufficient units, course not completed
Using compiled data from the past several years, the dental board has identified the following most common deficiencies as revealed through C.E. audits:
- Licensee has not completed the minimum required units for renewal. (See C.E. unit requirements.)
- Licensee has not completed a mandatory C.E. course (Basic Life Support, California Infection Control, California Dental Practice Act and, as of 2023, Prescribing Schedule II Opioids).
- Licensee failed to take a mandatory C.E. course from an entity approved to provide mandatory courses in California.
Licensees will receive certificates of course completion only if they complete mandatory courses from a dental board-approved provider. The board updates the list of monthly. Licensees can also use the BreEZe license search tool to locate approved providers.
Course requirements for unlicensed dental assistants
Dentists are responsible for ensuring that their employees complete any required training by the respective deadlines. They should also track when their employees’ licenses renew and confirm the renewals online.
Unlicensed dental assistants are required to complete:
- prior to initial exposure to blood and saliva
- California Dental Practice Act
- Basic life support
Required C.E. courses offered at CDA Presents and on-demand
Dentists who attend CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry May 15-17 in Anaheim can complete the mandatory courses on the California Dental Practice Act, California Infection Control and controlled substance prescribing. These courses are offered at the convention every year.
The courses are also available year-round through CDA’s On-demand Learning platform at a substantial discount for CDA members.
Dentists may also want to bookmark the Events Calendar for approved courses offered through their local dental society and other providers.
CDA members can log in to access the comprehensive resource Continuing Education Requirements, FAQ and Tracking Log as a benefit of membership.