4715.25 Continuing education.

(A) Every person licensed to practice as a dental hygienist and required to register with the state dental board shall certify to the board at the time of applying for a renewal of registration that in the preceding two years the registrant has completed a minimum of twelve hours of continuing dental hygiene education. Certification shall be made upon the application for registration prescribed by the board pursuant to section 4715.24 of the Revised Code.

Continuing education programs may be developed and offered to dental hygienists by any of the following agencies or organizations:

(1) National, state, district, or local dental hygienists’ associations affiliated with the American dental hygienists’ association;

(2) National, state, district, or local dental associations affiliated with the American dental association or national dental association;

(3) Accredited dental hygiene colleges or schools;

(4) Accredited dental colleges or schools;

(5) Other organizations, schools, paraprofessional programs, or agencies approved by the state dental board.

(B) A licensed dental hygienist shall retain in his records for a period of at least three years such receipts, vouchers, or certificates as may be necessary to document completion of continuing education programs. With cause, the board may request such documentation from licensed dental hygienists, and the board may request such documentation from licensed dental hygienists at random without cause.

(C) The board may excuse licensed dental hygienists, as a group or as individuals, from all or any part of the requirements of this section because of an unusual circumstance, emergency, or special hardship.

(D) Failure to comply with the requirements of this section constitutes a failure to renew registration pursuant to section 4715.24 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 01-01-1992