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Licensure Requirements

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Licensure Requirements

PA Continuing Education and Training Requirements

Pennsylvania dental licenses renew April 1 of each odd-numbered year. Licensees have the two-year period prior to renewal (period is April 1 of the odd-numbered year to March 31 of the next odd-numbered year) to earn the required continuing education (CE) credits. CE credit hours must be completed in subject areas directly related to the maintenance of the clinical competence of a dentist, dental hygienist or expanded function dental assistant (EFDA).
 
In June of each odd-numbered year, PDA distributes a CE tracking folder to all active PDA member dentists. This folder helps members track the CE credits they have earned toward re-licensure.
ACLS / PALS / BLS

ACLS / PALS / BLS

  • Unrestricted and restricted permit I anesthesia permit holders are required to maintain certification in ACLS (if treating adults) and PALS (if treating anyone under the age of 18).
  • Appropriately trained auxiliary personnel working directly with an anesthesia permit holder must maintain certification in BLS.

Act 124

Opioids

Act 124 of 2016 requires dentists, who have a current DEA registration or use another DEA number (as permitted by law) to prescribe controlled substances, to complete at least two hours of CE in pain management, identification of addiction or the practice of prescribing or dispensing opioids as part of the 30 credit hours required for license renewal.

The Department of State’s Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA) confirmed that there are two exemptions:

  • Licensees who are exempt from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) requirements for a registration number.
  • Licensees who do not use the registration number of another person or entity, as permitted by law, to prescribe controlled substances in any manner.

Applicants for an initial license must obtain at least two hours of education in pain management or identification of addiction, and at least two hours of education in the practice of prescribing or dispensing opioids for a total of four hours. They may complete this requirement as part of their professional degree educational program or from a continuing education (CE) program taken within 12 months of obtaining an initial license or certificate.

Act 31

Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting

  • Under Act 31 of 2014, dentists, hygienists and EFDAs must complete two hours of approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting from an approved program provider every two-year period preceding licensure renewal.
  • The two hours of child abuse recognition and reporting will count toward the total hours required to renew a dental license.
  • A licensee will not be permitted to renew their license until electronic verification is received from the approved course provider and processed by the Department of State/State Board of Dentistry (SBOD).
  • Processing can take up to 14 days from the date you take the child abuse recognition and reporting CE course.
  • Applicants applying for issuance of an initial license are required to complete 3 hours of PA SBOD approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting.

Anesthesia

  • Dentists with an unrestricted or restricted permit I are required to have 15 of their 30 hours in anesthesia-related courses.
  • Anesthesia courses are not required for restricted permit II holders. But, dentists, including non-permit holders, who use the services of an anesthesia provider with an unrestricted or restricted permit I must have five hours of CE in the same level of anesthesia offered by the anesthesia provider. For example, a non-permitholder who uses an itinerant provider administering general anesthesia must obtain five hours of CE in coursework related to general anesthesia.
  • The five hours are part of the 30 hours.

CE Credit Hours

    • 30 hours for dentists
    • 15 hours in anesthesia (part of the 30 hours) for unrestricted or restricted permit I holders
    • 20 hours for hygienists (a dental hygienist may complete no more than three of the required 20 hours of continuing education in courses relating to communication skills) 5 hours in public health-related courses (part of the 20 hours) for public health dental hygienists 3 hours in local anesthesia (part of the 20 hours) for hygienists with a local anesthesia permit
    • 10 hours for EFDAs A maximum of 50 percent of the required credit hours may be taken through individual study or by serving as an instructor or author of a book, article, or CE program.

 

    The remaining credit hours must be earned through attendance at lectures, hands-on programs or live webcasts that allow attendees to communicate with the presenter and the other attendees. However, up to 100 percent of the requirement may be earned in this manner.

 

CPR

Licensees must have current certification in infant, child, and adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). PDA suggests the American Heart Association’s “Healthcare Provider” course or a course offering a certification card that states “Infant, Child and Adult CPR.”

The CPR requirement is a separate requirement and is in addition to the CE required for license renewal. The credit hours earned for CPR certification CANNOT be counted toward the required credit hours. This includes hours earned for certification in ACLS and PALS.

DEA MATE Act

DEA Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act

Under the federal MATE Act of 2022, all practitioners applying for or renewing a DEA registration must have a minimum of eight hours training on:

  • the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, or
  • safe pharmacological management of dental pain.

PDA has added four complimentary, online, self-study CE courses to help you fulfill this requirement.

Beginning June 27, 2023, practitioners will be required to affirm on their initial or renewal DEA application whether they have completed the one-time training. The date in which practitioners must complete the one-time training depends on each practitioner’s renewal deadline or date they initially apply.

According to the DEA:

  • Training can occur in multiple sessions.
  • Previous training from a qualified entity before the law’s effective date of December 22, 2022, will count.
  • Previous training can include courses completed with PDA to fulfill the Act 124 CE requirement for dentists with a current DEA registration or who use another DEA registration (as permitted by law) renewing their PA license to practice dentistry.
  • Training may take place in-person or virtually.
  • Practitioners who completed eight hours of relevant coursework at an accredited dental school within five years of June 27, 2023, automatically satisfy the requirement.
  • Dentists who took courses with PDA for the renewal periods ending in March 2019, 2021 and 2023 already have six of the eight hours needed to fulfill the one-time, eight-hour training. It pays to be a PDA member!

 

It is also important to note that Pennsylvania’s own requirement for dentists to obtain two hours of opioid-related CE will count toward the DEA’s new one-time eight-hour training requirement.