New York State Education Law requires dentists to complete 60 contact hours of continuing education in each three-year registration period. For dental hygienists, the law requires the completion of 24 contact hours in each three-year registration period. The law that applies to these requirements (Title VIII of Education Law) is available here. The New York State Board for Dentistry does not maintain or have access to the continuing education records of any licensee.
What are the required courses to renew my license registration?
Dentists are required to fulfill the following continuing education requirements under New York State Law:
60 Continuing education credit hours every 3 year registration period. 18 out of the 60 credits can be home study.
NYS Mandated Ethics and jurisprudence course (once in a lifetime)
NYS Mandated Tobacco Cessation Oral Cancer course (once in a lifetime)
NYS Mandated Child abuse course (once in a lifetime). A list of approved providers for this coursework can be foundhere.
NYS Mandated Infection Control course (once every 4 years)A list of approved infection control course providers can be found here.
CPR Course: you must maintain a current certificate. CPR must be taken in person.
**Practice Management courses are not accepted by the NYS Department of Education and can not count toward the 60 credits needed for licensing renewal. Dental hygienists are required to fulfill the following continuing education requirements under New York State Law:
24 continuing education credit hours every 3 year registration period. 10 out of the 24 credits can be home study.
NYS Mandated Child Abuse course (once in a lifetime).
NYS Mandated Infection Control course (once every 4 years).
CPR Course Requirements
Dentists may complete courses sponsored by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the American Heart Saver Institute, the American Safety and Health Institute or the National Safety Council.
All courses must be live and in person. The course must include, but need not be limited to, content in the following:
scene survey;
patient assessment;
one and two rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation;
mouth-to-mask resuscitation;
conscious choking;
unconscious choking;
bag-valve-mask resuscitation;
recovery position;
automated external defibrillator use;
infection control matters;
recognizing a heart attack; and
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator scenarios.
Can I earn continuing education credits completing an approved CPR course?
Yes. Dentists and dental hygienists may count CPR training toward their continuing education requirement. During each triennial registration period, you may count up to a maximum of twelve hours of CPR coursework, including coursework in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and/or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
You may count a CPR course for up to three hours. A copy of your CPR card is proof of completion.
You may count a CPR course which includes training in the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for up to four and one-half hours. A copy of your CPR/AED or BLS card is proof of completion.
You may count an initial ACLS or PALS course for up to twelve hours and an ACLS recertification course for up to six hours. A copy of your ACLS or PALS card is proof of completion.
I am physically unable of performing CPR. Am I still required by law to maintain certification?
No. You may be granted an exemption to the CPR requirement if you are physically incapable of complying with the requirement. Documentation of your incapacity shall include a written statement by a licensed physician describing how your physical incapacity affects performing CPR. You will also be required to submit an application for exception which verifies that another individual or individuals will maintain certification and be present in the dental office while you are treating patients. Contact the Dental Board by phone at 518-474-3817, ext. 550 or by e-mail at dentbd@nysed.gov for more information.
What are appropriate subject areas to earn CE credits?
Appropriate subject areas are those courses that contribute to professional practice in your profession. Appropriate subjects include, but are not limited to, the following areas:
basic and clinical dental sciences;
behavioral science;
pharmacology of new and developing drugs;
drug interactions;
public health issues;
child abuse reporting;
infection control;
sterile procedures;
legal or regulatory issues;
patient counseling;
risk management;
other topics that contribute to the practice of your profession; and
other matters of health care, law, and ethics that contribute to the public's health and welfare.
The key is the subject matter's relationship to professional practice as defined in section 6601 of Education Law. Therefore, courses that are not related, such as PRACTICE MANAGEMENT, accounting, finance, statistics, and how to use the Internet are NOT ACCEPTABLE. If you are unsure whether a course you would like to take will meet the continuing education requirement, feel free to contact the Dental Board by phone at 518-474-3817, ext. 550 or by e-mail at dentbd@nysed.gov.
How many credits are required to be a live lecture?
Dentists are required to complete at least42 of their continuing education hours via live courses (42 of the 60 contact hours required for a three-year registration) Dental hygienists are required to complete at least 14 of their hours via live courses (14 of the 24 contact hours required for a three-year registration).
The balance of the remaining hours may be completed through appropriate self-study courses.
What is considered a live course?
Live courses are those in which you are able to interact with the instructor. For example: a live lecture; a telecourse or teleconference in which you and the instructor can speak directly with each other; a course in which you and other practitioners discuss a taped presentation with a facilitator's assistance; a computerized course in which you are able to interact directly with the instructor. On the other hand, a televised lecture with no means of direct interaction would not be acceptable as a live course even if it is a live telecast.
Are there any other ways to obtain continuing education hours?
Yes. In addition to formal courses offered by approved sponsors in appropriate subject areas, the following courses are acceptable for continuing education.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) programs. You may count an initial EMT Basic course for up to ten hours and an EMT Basic recertification course for up to five hours. (Note: First-aid courses are not acceptable.)
Registered/Accredited residency programs.
Mandatory infection control offered by a New York State approved provider.
Mandatory training in the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment offered by a New York State Education Department approved provider (two hours).
In addition, you may count up to seven (7) hours per triennial registration period for teaching a continuing education course as long as the course is in an appropriate subject area and is offered by an approved sponsor. Credit will NOT be given for life/work experience; informal group "study clubs" of dentists and/or dental hygienists run by an unapproved sponsor; studying on your own; or conducting research, writing for journals, making videos and/or faculty teaching.
What records will I have to keep for continuing education courses I attend?
You will need to keep verification of attendance for each course for six years from the date of completion. Verification should include the following items:
title of the course;
number of hours completed;
the sponsor's name;
the location the course was taken;
the date of the course; and
verification by the sponsor of your attendance.
This information is likely to be provided on a certificate of completion from the sponsor.
Do I send my CE records to the New York State Education Department's State Board for Dentistry?
No. You will be required to certify completion of the required hours on the form to renew your registration by answering the continuing education question and signing the form. However, you are required to make your continuing education records available for inspection by the Education Department upon request. Random audits are conducted each month to insure compliance with these important requirements.
It's time to renew and I cannot complete 60 credit hours. What can I do?
Contact the State Board for Dentistry, New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, 89 Washington Avenue, Second Floor West, Albany, New York 12234-1000, phone 518-474-3817 ext. 550, fax 518-473-0567, e-mail dentbd@nysed.gov
You may request a one-year conditional registration. The Education Department may grant a conditional registration to a licensee who admits to noncompliance with the continuing education requirements. To be granted a conditional registration, you would have to agree to:
complete the hours lacking from your previous registration period;
complete the regular continuing education requirement prorated for the one-year conditional registration;
pay the full triennial registration fee for the conditional registration; and
at the end of the conditional registration year, provide proof of compliance and pay the full triennial registration fee for the remaining two years of your registration
Conditional registrations are valid for no more than one year and are not renewable. This means you MUST meet the requirements by the end of the conditional period. You will not be issued a registration for the remaining two years until you meet the requirements. Remember - if you are not registered you may not practice your profession in New York State.
NYS Department of Health Mandatory Prescriber Education
Pursuant to Public Health Law §3309-a(3), prescribers licensed under Title 8 of the Education Law in New York to treat humans and who have a DEA registration number to prescribe controlled substances, as well as medical residents who prescribe controlled substances under a facility DEA registration number, are required to complete at least three (3) hours of course work or training in pain management, palliative care once every three (3) years.
For more information or questions, please contact the NYSDOH, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, by email at narcotic@health.ny.gov.
New York State Dental Foundation Courses
The New York State Dental Foundation offers courses for both lecture/live credits as well as home study credits. The Foundation's lecture credit courses allow the course participant to contact the instructor in the event they have a question pertaining to the course content. Click herefor our course offerings including NYS mandated courses and NYSDJ's Read, Learn, and Earn online quizzes.
Is the New York State Dental Foundation an ADA-CERP approved provider of continuing education?
Yes, the New York State Dental Foundation is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider. For more information, please consult the current edition of the ADA CERP Recognition Standards and Procedures, or contact the ADA CERP at 800-691-8099 extension 2869.
What do I need to know about adopting a sexual harassment prevention policy?
This is NOT a continuing education requirement, rather a Practice Management/Staff Training requirement.
To obtain the NYS Sexual Harassment Prevention Employer toolkit,click here.
What’s in this Toolkit? 1. Employer Requirement Checklist 2. Sexual Harassment Minimum Policy Standards 3. Employer Step by Step Guide to Adopting Prevention Policy 4. Sexual Harassment Training Standards 5. Step-by-Step Guide to Instituting Annual Employee Training
All employers must provide:
Sexual harassment & workplace discrimination prevention policy
Annual sexual harassment and discrimination prevention training
Copy of sexual harassment policy to employees
One copy must be provided on paper or by email at the time of hiring
A second copy must be provided every year at the annual sexual harassment training
Sexual Harassment Prevention Model Policy and Training modules, videos, and forms can befound here.
OSHA Training
Training is required every year and must be provided by the employer at no charge during regular working hours. The employer must maintain documentation of the training for at least three years.
Must be performed at least once a year. New employees must be trained in the dental office’s privacy practices upon hire. HIPAA training can be performed in-house, through an outside company providing those services, or can access HIPAA training resources on the ADA’s website.
NYSDA's HIPAA Compliance Manual can be found here.
What software is needed to take the Foundation's online continuing education courses?
Access your account directly from the browser of your electronic device. Desktop is preferred over mobile devices. Sound alerts on mobile devices may disrupt learning experience. Avoid VPN/Remote Desktops. VPN streaming restrictions could prohibit you from hearing sound.
Compatible Internet Browsers: Use Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge. Microsoft is no longer supporting Internet Explorer
What are my renewal dates?
For dentists and dental hygienists, the start of the dental renewal dates are 3 years before your license expires. For example: if your license expires on September 30, 2024, go back 3 years to October 1, 2021. You can find your license expiration date directly on the license itself or click here.
