Section 4715.141. Continuing education

(A) Each licensed dentist shall complete biennially not less than forty hours of continuing dental education, which may include, but is not limited to, attendance at lectures, study clubs, college and postgraduate courses, or scientific sessions of conventions, research, graduate study, teaching, service as a clinician, or correspondence courses. Continuing dental education programs include, but are not limited to, programs that address any of the following:

(1) Competency in treating patients who are medically compromised or who experience medical emergencies during the course of dental treatment;

(2) Knowledge of pharmaceutical products and the protocol of the proper use of medications;

(3) Competency to diagnose oral pathology;

(4) Awareness of currently accepted methods of infection control;

(5) Basic medical and scientific subjects including, but not limited to, biology, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, and pharmacology;

(6) Clinical and technological subjects including, but not limited to, clinical techniques and procedures, materials, and equipment;

(7) Subjects pertinent to health and safety.

Dentists shall earn continuing education credits at the rate of one-half credit for each twenty-five to thirty contact minutes of instruction and one credit hour for each fifty to sixty contact minutes of instruction.

(B) Programs meeting the general requirements of division (A) of this section may be developed and offered to dentists by any of the following agencies or organizations:

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

(2) Accredited dental colleges or schools;

(3) Other organizations, schools, or agencies approved by the state dental board.

(C) Each licensed dentist shall submit to the board at the time of biennial registration pursuant to section 4715.14 of the Revised Code a sworn affidavit, on a form acceptable to the state dental board, attesting that the dentist has completed continuing education programs in compliance with this section and listing the date, location, sponsor, subject matter, and hours completed of the programs.

A licensed dentist shall retain in the dentist's 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 dentists, and the board may request such documentation from licensed dentists selected at random without cause.

(D) The board may excuse licensed dentists, 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.

(E) The board shall notify a dentist who fails to submit the affidavit required by division (C) of this section of both of the following:

(1) That the board has not received the affidavit;

(2) That unless the board receives the affidavit before the first day of April following the last day of December by which the dentist was required to submit the affidavit, the board may, on or after the relevant first day of April, initiate disciplinary action against the dentist pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.44, HB 215, §1, eff. 9/13/2010.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.34, HB 190, §1, eff. 8/31/2010.

Effective Date: 01-01-1992