Continuing Education FAQs

Dentists must complete 63 hours of continuing education every three years. The three-year continuing education reporting period for a dentist licensed in Washington before 2019 begins January 1, 2019. Verification of completion of continuing education hours will be due on the dentist’s annual license renewal date in 2022, and every three years thereafter.

The three-year continuing education reporting period for a dentist initially licensed in Washington in 2019 or later begins upon date of licensure and every three years thereafter.

The 63 hours of continuing education can be obtained any time during the required three-year reporting period.

To find out when your CE hours are due, you can look on your courtesy renewal card and the due date will be listed under the fees section. You can also use the Provider/Facility Search to look up your license and it will reference your CE due date.

Continuing education completed after a dentist’s birthdate in 2018 through December 31, 2018, may be counted for the new three year reporting period that ends in 2022.

To find out when your CE hours are due, you can look on your courtesy renewal card and the due date will be listed under the fees section. You can also use the Department of Health Provider Credential Search to look up your license and it will reference your CE due date.

In addition to dentists and dental hygienists, dental staff providing direct patient care in an in-office or out-patient setting must hold a current and valid health care provider basic life support (BLS) certification. BLS training can be counted toward CE hours. 

Additionally, there are CE requirements associated with using varying degrees of anesthesia (see below for more information).

All dentists and hygienists must sign an affidavit of compliance every three years that they have fulfilled their CE requirement. You will find the affidavit in your renewal materials. You do not need to send copies of continuing education certificates to the Department of Health. You must keep your documentation for four years.

The DOH has the authority to audit CE records but they will contact you if this is needed.

As required by WAC 246-817-909, dentists who prescribe opioids must complete a one-time CE requirement regarding best practices in the prescribing of opioids and the adopted opioid prescribing rules. This CE must be at least three hours in length and can count toward license renewal requirements. Prescribers must complete the required hours by the end of the full continuing education reporting period ending on the licensee’s annual license renewal date in 2022.

As required by RCW 43.70.442 both dentists and dental hygienists must complete a one-time training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. Dentists and dental hygienists must complete the training from an approved provider by the end of the full continuing education reporting period ending on the licensee’s annual license renewal date in 2022. The training must be at least three hours in length. 

As required by WAC 246-817-740 dentists who administer minimal sedation by inhalation (nitrous oxide) must complete seven hours of continuing education in one or more of the following subjects:

• Sedation
• Physiology
• Pharmacology
• Inhalation analgesia
• Patient evaluation
• Patient monitoring
• Medical emergencies

The required hours must be completed every five years and must be in addition to continuing education needed for license renewal requirements.

Please Note: WSDA is waiting on further guidance from the Dental Quality Assurance Commission on whether requirements will be extended or if additional measures will be taken due to COVID-19 to address licensees whose CE requirement for any level of sedation is due this year.

As required by WAC 246-817-745 dentists who administer minimal sedation must complete seven hours of continuing education in one or more of the following subjects:

• Sedation
• Physiology
• Pharmacology
• Nitrous oxide analgesia
• Patient evaluation
• Patient monitoring
• Medical emergencies

The required hours must be completed every five years and must be in addition to continuing education needed for license renewal requirements.

Please Note: WSDA is waiting on further guidance from the Dental Quality Assurance Commission on whether requirements will be extended or if additional measures will be taken due to COVID-19 to address licensees whose CE requirement for any level of sedation is due this year.

As required by WAC 246-817-755 dentists who hold a moderate sedation permit must complete seven hours of continuing education in one or more of the following subjects:

• Sedation
• Physiology
• Pharmacology
• Nitrous oxide analgesia
• Patient evaluation
• Patient monitoring
• Medical emergencies

The required hours must be completed every five years and must be in addition to continuing education needed for license renewal requirements.

Please Note: WSDA is waiting on further guidance from the Dental Quality Assurance Commission on whether requirements will be extended or if additional measures will be taken due to COVID-19 to address licensees whose CE requirement for any level of sedation is due this year.

Volunteer services can count toward continuing education if dentists are providing care to target populations. DQAC determined that if a dentist obtains some specialized training or education, prior to providing services to a specific population, up to 21 continuing education hours could be accumulated per three-year reporting cycle. Ex: ABCD, Smilemobile, Special Olympics.

Study club hours are an acceptable source of continuing education, provided that the coursework is designed to enhance the professional knowledge and development of the practitioner or enhance services provided to the patients.

Self-study can be continuing education provided online or through the mail provided by a continuing education provider. 30 minutes will count for every hour completed for this activity. Self-study can be reading a book that contributes to the professional knowledge and development of the licensed dentist, or enhance services provided to patients. A two-page synopsis of what was learned written by the licensed dentist is required. Two hours of continuing education for each book and synopsis will be granted. A licensed dentist may not count more than six hours every three years for this activity. 

Teaching a seminar or clinical course, authored by the dentist claiming CE, is acceptable but may not exceed 21 hours per three-year reporting cycle.

BLS, CPR, ACLS, OSHA/WISHA or emergency-related training can also be counted toward continuing education hours.

As a membership benefit, WSDA will track your credits through the CE Tracker. 

For local dental society meetings and participating study clubs, scan/swipe your WSDA membership card and your CE will be uploaded to your record. 

For the Pacific Northwest Dental Conference, enter your CE course codes online or in the PNDC Mobile App following the conference and those courses will be uploaded to your record. 

You may also manually add any other CE you have taken into the CE Tracker.

The Pacific Northwest Dental Conference (PNDC) is an excellent way for both dentists and dental hygienists to earn CE credits as well as for the entire dental team to become BLS certified. 

The WSDA Academy ​offers free, in-person CE courses for dentists 0-10 years out of dental school or a specialty program​.

The Department of Health states that you must keep documentation of your CE hours for four years. If audited, dental practitioners must prove compliance through course or program certificates of training or transcripts.

Dentists can be excused or granted an extension on their continuing education requirement due to sickness or extenuating circumstances. Extension requests should be made several weeks prior to your license renewal date.

Yes. Continuing education course work must contribute to the professional knowledge and development of the practitioner, or enhance services provided to patients. Learn more about continuing education requirements.

You may not count the same course twice in one CE reporting period, except for basic life support which may be taken once each year. You may count three hours every three years.

The Commission doesn't approve or accredit continuing education courses. Law indicates that a credit hour for time actually spent in a course cannot be less than fifty (50) minutes (WAC 246-12, Part 7). All courses must be designed to enhance the professional development of the dentist or improve the care provided to patients. You may provide a document to the dentists attending your course, stating the name of the course, the date(s) taken and the total number of continuing education hours completed. Other organizations, such as the American Dental Association, accredit continuing education courses.

Estate planning, financial planning, investments, and personal health courses are not acceptable.

No. Live interactive webinars are specifically indicated as allowable (WAC 246-817-440 (4)(a)). There is no limit on the number of hours for live webinars. 

No. Study club hours are an acceptable source of continuing education, provided the coursework is designed to enhance the professional knowledge and development of the practitioner or enhance services provided to patients. DQAC does realize there are various types of study clubs and that some are more social in nature, while others are offered, authorized or accredited by various professional organizations.

The dental jurisprudence exam must be taken once every three-year reporting cycle. 

The jurisprudence exam is a free, open-book examination online. You receive one hour of continuing education for this activity.

If you completed the exam after your birthdate in 2018 through December 31, 2018, it may be counted for the new three year reporting period that ends in 2022.

Learn More
Take the Exam

As required by WAC 246-817-760 dentists who hold a moderate sedation with parenteral agents permit must complete eighteen hours of continuing education in one or more of the following subjects:

• Venipuncture
• Intravenous sedation
• Physiology
• Pharmacology
• Nitrous oxide analgesia
• Patient evaluation
• Patient monitoring
• Medical emergencies

The required hours must be completed every three years and must be in addition to continuing education needed for license renewal requirements.

Please Note: WSDA is waiting on further guidance from the Dental Quality Assurance Commission on whether requirements will be extended or if additional measures will be taken due to COVID-19 to address licensees whose CE requirement for any level of sedation is due this year.

As required by WAC 246-817-770 dentists who hold a general anesthesia permit must complete eighteen hours of continuing education in one or more of the following subjects:

• General anesthesia
• Conscious sedation
• Physical evaluation
• Medical emergencies
• Pediatric advanced life support (PALS)
• Monitoring and use of monitoring equipment
• Pharmacology of drugs
• Agents used in sedation and anesthesia

The required hours must be completed every three years and must be in addition to continuing education needed for license renewal requirements.

Please Note: WSDA is waiting on further guidance from the Dental Quality Assurance Commission on whether requirements will be extended or if additional measures will be taken due to COVID-19 to address licensees whose CE requirement for any level of sedation is due this year.