Dentist Continuing Education and Basic Life Support Requirements

WAC 246-817-440 provides requirements for dentist continuing education. The rule was changed in 2019 to require 63 hours every three years. Most dentists will report CE with their annual license renewal in 2022. Subsection (4)(a) allows for live webinar courses for full CE credit. Subsection (4)(b)(i) indicates self-study can be continuing education provided online or through the mail provided by a continuing education provider. Thirty minutes will count for every one hour completed for this activity.

The dental commission determined that no change or exception is necessary for CE at this time for the following reasons:

• CE is not due until 2022;
• The secretary of health has extended health profession license expiration dates for licenses up for renewal between April 1 and September 30, 2020;
• Sedation permit CE hours are different from dentist license CE hours. Online CE for sedation permits are calculate as full credit;
• More live webinars are available during this time;
• A practitioner may request a CE extension if necessary under WAC 246-12-210; and
• The dental commission will revisit the topic before September 30, 2020.

WAC 246-817-720 provides requirements for health care provider basic life support certification for dental practitioners. The dental commission discussed that dental practitioners health care provider BLS certifications may expire during this time when no renewal courses are being offered. The dental commission will honor the American Heart Association and other organizations’ extensions of certifications through September 30, 2020. The dental commission will revisit the topic before September 30, 2020.