Updated 11/30/22 to note that the course meets the dental board’s license-renewal requirement.
California dentists can take a new online course that meets the requirements for opioid use disorder training for licensure. “Responsibilities and Requirements for Prescribing Controlled Substances (Schedule II Opioid Drugs),” developed by Western University of Health Sciences in partnership with CDA, is eligible for 2 units of continuing education and is the latest offering from CDA to help dentists maintain compliance with laws and regulations related to prescribing and dispensing controlled substances.
The Dental Board of California approved the course for C.E. credit to satisfy the new opioid-prescribing course requirement for license-renewal. Dentists who completed the course in the current year may use it to comply with their next renewal cycle but can only use the course for one renewal cycle.
As a benefit of membership, CDA members can take the course on-demand for a substantially discounted price. Typically, two sessions are also offered at CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry in Anaheim each May.
Managing pain, understanding risks and legal requirements
The unique and engaging course format follows six fictional patients at six fictional dental practices over the course of a day. Through these six patient consultations, course attendees learn about the very different patient presentations they may encounter in their practice. The course ends with the dentists highlighting key points from the consultations.
The two-hour course is open to all dentists in California, but dentists who have DEA registrations and prescribe controlled substances, including periodontists, oral surgeons and anesthesiologists, will especially benefit from the course material.
Specifically, participants will learn:
- How to manage acute and chronic pain in the dental setting
- The risks and identification of opioid use disorder
- The practices and legal requirements for opioid prescribing and dispensing
The course is available to CDA members at a discounted price of $50. Nonmembers will pay $80. Dentists can register now for the course through CDA’s online learning platform. Attendees can complete the course at their own pace. Dentists attending CDA Presents can also check the schedule for this course title.
Informed consent and other resources from CDA
Opioid use disorder is sometimes referred to as “opioid abuse or dependence” and is a pattern of use that causes significant impairment and distress. The March 2019 issue of the Journal of the California Dental Association is dedicated to the topic of opioid misuse and provides important concepts of substance-abuse disorders, pain management and prescription medication diversion.
CDA also offers informed-consent forms in English and Spanish, FAQs on CURES and prescribing and dispensing and other resources developed by CDA’s compliance analysts. Most CDA resources require member’s account login to access, but opioid-related resources are available to nonmembers too.