Dental Continuing Education Requirements in California
General CE Requirements for Dentists
California dentists are required to complete 50 units of continuing education for each two-year license renewal period. However, dentists renewing for the first time after initial licensure are exempt from CE requirements for that first renewal.
Additional Requirements for Anesthesia/Sedation Permits
- General Anesthesia Permit: 24 units
- Moderate Sedation Permit: 15 units
- Oral Conscious Sedation Permit: 7 units
Mandatory Courses
All dentists, including those with anesthesia/sedation permits, must complete the following mandatory courses:
1
A two-unit Board-approved Infection Control course
2
A two-unit Board-approved California Dental Practice Act course
3
A maximum of four units in Basic Life Support (BLS)
4
A two-unit Board-approved course on Responsibilities and Requirements of Prescribing
Course Providers and Format
CE courses must be taken from providers approved by the Dental Board of California (DBC), the American Dental Association’s Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP), or the Academy of General Dentistry’s Program Approval for Continuing Education (PACE).
The California Dental Society of Anesthesiology (CDSA) is a DBC approved continuing education provider.
CDSA holds an annual event where dentists can earn CE units for their anesthesia or sedation permit requirements.
No more than 50% of the total required units may be taken as non-live or correspondence courses. Interactive courses using live video conferencing, webinars, lectures, or workshop demonstrations may be considered live courses.
Record Keeping
Dentists must retain CE certificates for a minimum of three renewal periods and produce them if audited by the board. By fulfilling these requirements, dentists in California can maintain their licenses and anesthesia/sedation permits in good standing.