A. Purpose: The
Rules in this chapter set forth the requirements and guidelines for minimum
continuing education for dentists and dental hygienists.
B. Definitions: For the purpose of these
rules on continuing education, these definitions shall apply:
Board refers to the Arkansas State Board
of Dental Examiners (ASBDE).
Continuing Education Unit ICEU1 One [1)
continuing education unit equals a minimum of fifty [50) minutes. A one-half
(1/2) contact hours equals a minimum of twenty-five (25) minutes.
Course is a planned educational
experience. License is any person licensed to practice dentistry or dental
hygiene in the state of Arkansas.
Reporting Period is the length of time
in each continuing education cycle; two calendar years.
C. Scope:
Beginning January 1, 1994, each Arkansas licensee shall comply
with these minimum continuing education requirements. To regain an active
license, the licensee must have completed the required CE credits for one
reporting period before regaining an active status license. Said CE credits
must be earned within the immediate two-year period prior to regaining an
active status license.
D.
Minimum Continuing Education Requirements for Licensees: ASBDE shall require
acceptable continuing education as a prerequisite for license renewal. Failure
to comply with the minimum continuing education requirements may result in the
inability to renew a license or revocation of a license.
1. Units required for dentists: The
requirement for minimum continuing education for Arkansas licensed dentists
will be fifty (50) credit units for every two (2) year reporting period. The
first reporting period will begin January 1, 1994 and end December 31,1995.
Each reporting period will start on an even numbered year.
2. Units required for dental hygienists: The
requirement for minimum continuing education for Arkansas licensed dental
hygienists will be forty [40) units for every two (2) year reporting period.
The first reporting period will begin January 1, 1994 and end December 31,
1995. Each reporting period will start on an even numbered year.
3. Requirements for new Licensees: The
requirement for minimum continuing education for new licensees (dentists and
dental hygienists) will begin January 1 of the calendar year following their
licensure and be pro-rated if not at the start of the new reporting
period.
E. Acceptable
Continuing Education: Only those courses directly related to provision of
services and patient care shall be considered for credit. Any course is
acceptable which contributes to updating and maintaining the knowledge and
skills of the dentist or dental hygienist in the treatment of the individual
patient or the management of the dental practice or clinic. Home study courses
which include a post-test and the issuance of a certificate of completion will
be accepted. CE units will be determined by the course sponsor.
At least 1 CE hours in each 2-year reporting period must be on
the subject of infection control. Courses dealing with other subjects of
professional concern are outside the scope of the continuing education
requirements. Such courses or programs which will not qualify for approval are
money management, investments, time spent with professional and/or financial
consultants, and professional organizational business meetings. The Board does
not pre-approve courses.
F.
Procedure for Reporting Continuing Education Units:
1. Reporting: At the end of each two year
reporting period, the licensee will provide a typed list on forms provided by
the Board attesting to the actual number of CE hours earned in the two year
reporting period and confirmed by the licensee's signature. All information
requested on the forms must be properly completed for the hours to be
accepted.
2. Record Keeping: CE
Records must be kept by the licensee in an orderly manner. All records relative
to CE hours must be maintained by the licensee for at least 3 years from the
end of the reporting period. The records or copies of the forms must be
provided to the ASBDE upon request. Audits will be conducted at the end of each
two year reporting period by ASBDE.
3. Hours beyond requirements: Continuing
education units acquired beyond the minimum requirement in each 2 year
reporting period will not be carried forward to the succeeding reporting
period.
G. Advanced
Study - (Graduate Study, Internships, Residencies): Dentists or dental
hygienists engaged in a full-time dental or dental hygiene related program will
fulfill their continuing education requirement for each reporting period in
which they are actively participating in such programs by the nature of these
activities, and will have no additional formal requirements for that period.
However, the licensee enrolled in an advanced program must notify the
Board.
H. Publishing Papers -
Presenting Clinics - Lecturing -Teaching:
1.
Licensees presenting CE courses will be granted six (6) hours of CEU for each
hour of the original presentation, and an hour for hour credit for additional
presentation of the same material.
2. Licensees publishing papers will be
granted six (6) hours of CEU for the first publication only.
3. Full or part-time teaching in dental,
dental hygiene or dental assisting programs that are accredited by CODA will
receive CEU credit equal to the number of hours spent teaching didactic
classroom courses. Extra hours will not be given for lecture preparation. (For
example, teaching a 3 semester hour course for 12 weeks would result in 36 CEU
credits.) The dates of the courses, the names of the courses, the name of the
institution and the number of hours spent teaching the course or clinic
directly to students must be reported on CE forms provided by the board each
license renewal cycle.
4. Clinical
instruction supervision in dental, dental hygiene or dental assisting programs
that are accredited by CODA will receive CEU credit at a rate of 1 CEU for
every 8 hours of clinical supervision or instruction time. Documentation of
clinical instruction and supervision hours will be required on each license
renewal form.
5. Licensed dentists
and dental hygienists who instruct and supervise dental, dental hygiene or
dental assisting students enrolled in CODA accredited programs in off-campus
dental clinic facilities (clinical rotations) will receive 1 CEU hour for every
8 hours the students spend under their supervision. Documentation of
instruction and supervision hours will be required on each license renewal
form.
I. Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation:
Each licensed dentist, dental hygienist, and registered dental
assistant must take a Healthcare Provider level of cardiopulmonary
resuscitation course and submit a photocopy of the cardiopulmonary
resuscitation card or certificate with the renewal form that confirms that he
or she holds at least a current certificate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation of
Healthcare Provider level, effective January 1, 2003.