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This website publishes administrative rules on their effective dates, as designated by the adopting state agencies, colleges, and universities.

Chapter 4715-8 | Continuing Education

 
 
 
Rule
Rule 4715-8-01 | Continuing education requirements.
 

(A)

Except as provided in paragraph (B)(3) of this rule, acceptable continuing education for all Ohio licensees is defined as educational and scientific courses given by board-approved or board accepted sponsors. Continuing education experiences to fulfill renewal requirements for board licensure, registration and/or certification may be obtained in the following formats, including but not limited to:

(1) "Directly interactive presentation format" means a presentation format in which each participant is able to provide direct feedback and have interaction with the instructor through a question and answer format in real time.

(2) "Supervised self-instruction" means the coursework is provided in a self-instruction format which must include a testing mechanism supplied by a board-approved sponsor. The licensee must complete a test with a passing score of not less than seventy-five per cent and demonstrate a level of comprehension before credit is awarded. Tests must be graded by the sponsor and results returned to the licensee. Supervised self-instruction includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Graded audio/video courses.

(b) Graded correspondence courses.

(c) Graded internet, online, or webinar computer courses.

(B)

Categories of credit With the exception of the requirement in paragraph (B)(2) of this rule, to fulfill the minimum requirements set forth in sections 4715.141 and 4715.25 of the Revised Code, the licensee must select areas of study within the stated categories. Licensees shall not receive credit for hours that exceed the maximum number set forth in the following categories:

(1) Dental education and scientific courses - activities designed to review existing concepts and techniques, to convey information beyond the basic dental education and to update knowledge on advances in scientific, non-clinical and clinical practice related subject matter, including ethics, regulatory compliance, risk management, nutrition, and evidence-based dentistry wherein the objective is to improve the knowledge, skills and ability of the individual to provide the highest quality of service to the public and the profession. No maximum number of hours exist for this category.

(2) Mandatory opioid prescribing education continuing education experiences pertaining to the prescribing of opioids for acute, subacute and chronic pain. The licensee must obtain a minimum of two hours of continuing education in this category. No maximum number of hours exist for this category.

(a) Course content may include, but is not limited to the following:

(i) The prescribing guidelines set forth in board rules 4715-6-02 and 4715-6-03 of the Administrative Code.

(ii) Patient history and clinical assessments.

(iii) Consideration of treatment options to include:

(a) Non-pharmacologic therapy;

(b) Non-opioid pharmacologic therapy; and

(c) Opioid therapy.

(iv) Treatment goals.

(v) Risks and benefits of opioid therapy.

(vi) Pain management.

(vii) Addiction treatment.

(viii) Prescribing methodology.

(ix) Medication-assisted treatment for addiction.

(b) Sunset clause The requirement that a licensee obtain a minimum of two hours of opioid prescribing education shall cease to exist for the biennium beginning January 1, 2024.

(3) Non-clinical dental practice related continuing education - continuing education experiences which may include, but is not limited to, those courses which aid in the management of a dental practice or clinic, including those courses pertaining to the management of third party payer issues, dental billing practices, patient and provider appeals of payment disputes and patient management of billing matters; courses to improve recall and scheduling systems, production flow, communication systems and data management; courses in organization and management of the dental practice including office computerization and design, ergonomics, and the improvement of practice administration and office operations; courses in leadership development and team development; and, courses in human resource management and employee benefits. The licensee may obtain a maximum of six hours of continuing education in this category.

(C) Papers, publications and scientific presentations - scientific papers authored by the licensee and published in a scientific professional journal, and/or the original presentation of papers, essays, scientific exhibits or formal lectures to recognized groups of fellow professionals. The licensee may obtain a maximum of four hours of continuing education in this category.

(D) Teaching and research appointments - documented teaching or research activities at an accredited institution, at least one-half day per week per academic year, and holding at least a part-time faculty or research appointment as evidenced by a signed, dated letter of appointment from the chair or director of the accredited institution. The licensee may obtain a maximum of four hours of continuing education in this category.

(E) Volunteer service as a clinician - documented substantial pro bono dental and dental hygiene services to indigent and underserved populations, or to persons who reside in areas of critical need in the state of Ohio. No remuneration shall be made to the licensee or the program sponsor for services provided under this rule. The licensee may obtain up to one-third of their continuing education requirement in this category.

(F) Table clinics - original presentation of or documented viewing of a table clinic at a professional meeting. The licensee may obtain a maximum of two hours of continuing education in this category.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4715.03
Amplifies: 4715.141, 4715.25
Five Year Review Date: 11/25/2024
Rule 4715-8-02 | Sponsors of continuing education.
 

The sponsor is the individual, organization or educational institution or other entity conducting the professional education course. Sponsors shall be as follows:

(A) An organization, school or other agency as set forth in division (B) of section 4715.141 and division (C) of section 4715.25 of the Revised Code whose continuing education courses comply with rule 4715-8-01 of the Administrative Code. Other organizations, schools, or agencies recognized as sponsors and approved by the board are:

(1) "American Dental Association," and constituent and component dental associations and societies affiliated with the "American Dental Association."

(2) "National Dental Association," and constituent and component dental associations and societies affiliated with the "National Dental Association."

(3) "American Dental Hygienists Association," and its recognized constituents, components and affiliated societies.

(4) "National Dental Hygienists' Association" and constituent and component dental hygienists' associations and societies affiliated with the "National Dental Hygienists' Association."

(5) National, state, district or local dental specialty organizations affiliated with the "American Dental Association."

(6) "Academy of General Dentistry" and its constituent and component organizations.

(7) Universities, colleges and community colleges with accredited programs in dentistry or dental hygiene.

(8) Colleges and universities accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the United States department of education.

(9) Healthcare organizations and institutions accredited by the "Joint Commission (JC)."

(10) Other accredited or nationally recognized healthcare organizations (e.g. American heart association, American red cross, American safety and health institute).

(11) "American Dental Associations Continuing Education Recognition Program (ADA CERP)" - providers of continuing education that have comleted the application review process by the "Commission of Continuing Education Provider Recognition (CCEPR)" and have been granted approval status and remain in good standing.

(12) "Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education (AGD PACE)" - providers of continuing education that have completed the application and review process by the "AGD PACE Council" and have been granted approval status and remain in good standing.

(13) Study clubs, dental-related organizations, schools, agencies, araprofessional groups, and other organizations who partner with or co-sponsor continuing educaion courses and programs with any sponsor listed in paragraphs (A)(1) to (A)(12) of this rule.

(B) Biennial sponsor - Individuals, trade corporations, institutions, study clubs, dental research clinics, and nondental-related entities or groups that have applied and been approved by the board as sponsors for the current biennium. Sponsor approval shall be based upon the criteria identified in rule 4715-8-03 of the Administrative Code. Approval as a biennial sponsor automatically expires at the end of the biennium. Biennial sponsors will no longer be recognized by the board as sponsors after December 31, 2021.

Last updated April 19, 2022 at 8:39 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4715.03, 4715.141
Amplifies: 4715.141, 4715.16, 4715.25, 4715.53
Five Year Review Date: 4/1/2027
Prior Effective Dates: 5/11/1989, 9/12/2016
Rule 4715-8-03 | Standards for approval of biennial sponsors.
 

No biennial sponsor shall be approved by the board as a sponsor after December 31, 2021. In order to obtain approval as a biennial sponsor, a sponsor shall:

(A) Make application by completion of an application form provided by the board.

(B) Submit evidence to the board demonstrating adherence to the following standards:

(1) Participant objectives shall state the expected outcomes for the participant and be used as a basis for determining content and learning experiences. Explicit written educational objectives identifying the expected learner outcomes must be developed for each activity. The program planner must be ultimately responsible for ensuring that appropriate objectives are developed for each activity. The educational objectives may however, be prepared by the instructor, course director or program planner.

(2) Curriculum offerings shall reflect appropriate didactic and clinical training for the subject matter. The teaching methods shall be appropriate to achieve the stated objective of the course and the time allotted is sufficient for the participants to meet the stated objectives. When a course includes clinical dental hygiene or dental assistant radiographer practice on patients, an Ohio licensed dentist shall provide supervision.

(3) Continuing education sponsors must ensure that providers/instructors chosen to teach courses are qualified by education and/or experience to provide instruction in the relevant subject matter.

(4) Facilities and equipment shall be specifically designed for instruction in each subject offered.

(5) Award partial credit for participants failing to complete the total number of hours for which a specific offering planned, if appropriate, in view of the subject matter and the instruction method of the course.

(C) Designate a person who assumes responsibility for each continuing education offering. The contact person shall:

(1) Completely file all information necessary for provider approval.

(2) Ensure that continuing education offerings that are to receive hours of credit acceptable towards Ohio licensure renewal comply with sections 4715.141 and 4715.25 of the Revised Code, and all rules of the board.

(3) Provide written certification that the course has been satisfactorily completed only to those attendees who have completed the course. The certification shall contain the sponsor's name, title of course, instructor(s), date of course, location, and number of hours of credit acceptable towards Ohio licensure renewal and category of credit in rule 4715-8-01 of the Administrative Code. Validation by the sponsor of a document furnished by the attendee shall satisfy this requirement.

(4) Notify the board of any significant changes relative to the maintenance of standards as set forth in this chapter.

(D) Maintain records of individual course offerings. Records shall include:

(1) Name of CE sponsor, instructor(s) and their qualifications;

(2) The date(s), location and number of continuing education hours of acceptable towards Ohio licensure renewal;

(3) The title of the offering and/or specific subjects;

(4) Category of credit hours acceptable towards Ohio licensure renewal as set forth in rule 4715-8-01 of the Administrative Code.

(5) Sponsors must maintain records of the individual participants at each educational offering, including their names and addresses, for a period of at least four years.

Last updated April 19, 2022 at 8:39 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4715.03, 4715.141
Amplifies: 4715.141, 4715.16, 4715.25, 4715.53
Five Year Review Date: 4/1/2027
Prior Effective Dates: 4/5/2001, 4/4/2002, 9/12/2016
Rule 4715-8-04 | Continuing education requirements for renewal or reinstatement.
 

(A) Each applicant for biennial license registration or license reinstatement shall certify that the applicant has completed the requisite hours of continuing dental education (hereinafter "CE") since the start of the registration period. This certification shall be evidence of completion of the CE requirement as set forth in sections 4715.141, 4715.25, and 4715.53 of the Revised Code, provided that:

(1) The board may annually select applications for biennial license registration or license reinstatement for verification that all CE requirements have been met. Licensees whose applications are selected shall submit additional documentation of compliance with CE requirements as the board may require, within thirty days.

(2) Applicants shall keep detailed records of CE hours taken. Records of all CE undertaken shall be retained by the applicant for the period of at least four years after the completion of the CE activity, and shall be kept available for agents of the board for review. At a minimum, the following information must be retained:

(a) Description of the CE activity;

(b) The location of the CE activity;

(c) The dates of attendance

(d) The hours of each CE activity; and

(e) A certificate or letter of completion in a written or digital format issued by the presenter of the CE activity, if available, or any other available documentation of the completion of the CE activity, acceptable to the board, which shall include at a minimum the following:

(i) Name of the attendee;

(ii) Name(s) of the sponsor;

(iii) Name(s) of the instructor(s);

(iv) Course title; and

(v) Number of credit hours of continuing education acceptable towards Ohio licensure renewal.

It is the licensees responsibility to ensure that courses taken fulfill the requirements set forth in sections 4715.141, 4715.25 and 4715.53 of the Revised Code and rules 4715-8-01 to 4715-8-04 of the Administrative Code.

(B) Failure to maintain adequate records of CE activity rebuts the presumption established in paragraph (A) of this rule that the CE requirements have been completed.

(C) Pursuant to sections 4715.141 and 4715.25 of the Revised Code, the board may excuse licensed dentists and dental hygienists, as a group or as individuals, from all or any part of the continuing education requirements because of an unusual circumstance, emergency, or special hardship. Licensees may seek to be excused from continuing education requirements if they submit a request to the board with supporting records, documentation, and statements. Continuing education requirements may be excused for the following reasons:

(1) Exemptions

(a) Recent graduates - licensees who have completed their initial dental doctoral education or dental hygiene undergraduate education within their first registration.

(b) Dental and dental hygiene students - licensees who are enrolled as students in a full-time dental or dental hygiene program in an accredited educational institution.

(2) Extensions

(a) Military personnel - service members, veterans, or spouses of service members or veterans pursuant to rule 4715-14-03 of the Administrative Code.

(b) Health - documented illness or condition that prevents licensees from obtaining coninuing education requirements. Length of extension granted shall not exceed one year.

(c) Other - documented loss of records due to emergency or natural disasters.

(3) Waivers - definitive reasons which preclude the licensee from active practice.

(D) Nothing in this rule shall limit the board's authority to investigate and take action pursuant Chapter 4715. of the Revised Code.

Last updated April 19, 2022 at 8:39 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4715.03, 4715.141
Amplifies: 4715.141, 4715.25, 4715.53
Five Year Review Date: 4/1/2027
Prior Effective Dates: 9/12/2016