Continuing Education Required in Georgia

Dentists and dental staff are also required to have annual training and, in some cases, additional education beyond the standard CE requirements listed below.
This article should clear things up if you read it in its entirety.

CE Requirements for Dentists

At least 40 Hours of Continuing Education obtained in 2024 and 2025
Further Requisites – Of the 40 hours:
  • 30 hours must be clinical in nature (pertaining to patient care)
  • 20 hours can be from webinars and other forms of online CE
  • 20 hours must be obtained in-person (the Board of Dentistry has allowed live webinars and other forms of live virtual CE for the 2022-2023 license renewal period) This is no longer applicable for the 24-25 license renewal period.
  • 2 hours of CE regarding infection control in dentistry, including education and training regarding dental unit water lines
  • 1 hour of CE on “the impact of opioid abuse and/or the proper prescription writing and use of opioids in dental practice per renewal period” - Register Here 
  • 1 hour of CE in legal, ethic and professionalism in dentistry (see more here or download an on-demand webinar here)
  • Proof of CPR certification (CE obtained in the renewal of the certification may apply toward your 40-hour requirement)
Other CE Hours Can Be Obtained Through Volunteering (visit http://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/150-3 for more)
 

CE Requirements for Dental Hygienists

At least 22 Hours of Continuing Education obtained in 2024 and 2025
Further Requisites – Of the 22 hours:
  • 15 hours must be clinical in nature (pertaining to patient care)
  • 11 hours can be from webinars and other forms of online CE
  • 11 hours must be obtained in-person (the Board of Dentistry has allowed live webinars and other forms of live virtual CE for the 2022-2023 license renewal period) 
  • Proof of CPR certification (CE obtained in the renewal of the certification may apply toward your 22-hour requirement)
  • 1 hour of CE in legal, ethic and professionalism in dentistry (see more here or download an on-demand webinar here)
  • 2 hours of CE regarding infection control in dentistry, including education and training regarding dental unit water lines

CE Required in Georgia

MATE DEA Training (8 hours)
Required for: DEA-registered practitioners
Date Required: Next DEA registration submission

To satisfy the new 8-hour requirement from the DEA click here.

Required CE: Opioid CE - 1 hour of CE on “the impact of opioid abuse and/or the proper prescription writing and use of opioids in dental practice” 
Required For: All licensed Georgia dentists (no exceptions)
Date Required: For license renewal – end of 2025

Download an On-Demand Opioid Webinar Here

Required CE: LEAP CE - 1 hour of continuing education requirements for dentists and hygenists shall include legal ethics and professionalism in the practice of dentistry.  (see more here)
Required For: All licensed Georgia dentists (no exceptions)
Date Required: For license renewal – end of 2025
Download an On-Demand LEAP Webinar 
 
Required CE: CPR Certification
Required For: All licensed Georgia dentists and hygienists (no exceptions)
Date Required: For license renewal – end of 2025
 
Required Training: OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Training (Visit gadental.org/education/osha-requirements for the complete set of rules on OSHA training)
Required For: Any staff that may come in contact with blood (nearly all dental staff)
Date Required: Annually
 
Required Training: HIPAA Training
Required For: All staff, new hires
Date Required: Code of Federal Regulation (CFR § 164.530) requires HIPAA training for all staff, new hires within a reasonable period of time after hire, and any time “functions are affected by a material change in the policies or procedures”
 
Required CE: Radiation Safety Training – 6 hours
Required For: Dental Assistants or anyone that did not get radiation safety training in their dental education
Date Required: Prior to the use of x-ray equipment
 
Required CE: Phlebotomy Training – 6 hours
Required For: Dental Assistants, licensed Dental Hygienists or Dentists before they perform phlebotomy or venipuncture
Date Required: Prior to the performing phlebotomy or venipuncture
 
Required CE: Pharmacology, Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine or Sedation – 4 hours
Required For: Dentists in practices with a sedation permit
Date Required: For license renewal – end of 2025
 

Renewing Your License

For those dentists ready to renew their license, please visit the Georgia Board of Dentistry’s (Board) website at http://gbd.georgia.gov and click on the “Renew Online” option on the right side of the screen. Please share this information with any dental hygienists in your office so that these individuals will also be in compliance. Please note that online renewals can often be processed within hours of submission.

Helpful Tips: 
 
• The Georgia Board of Dentistry provides blanket approval for all CE provided by GDA and affiliated associations and societies. For a full list of approved CE providers see Board Rule 150-3-.09.
 
• Both dentists and dental hygienists may earn up to four credit hours for completion of the CPR course required by Georgia law. CPR courses offered by the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, the American Safety and Health Institute, National Safety Council, or EMS Safety Services are acceptable to the Board.

• Activities such as assisting the Board with investigations, teaching clinical dentistry, or administering clinical licensing exams may qualify for hours. Check Board Rule 150-3-.09 for details.

• Remember to maintain official documentation of course attendance for at least three years after the biennium during which the courses were taken. The Board is authorized to conduct audits to verify compliance with the continuing education requirements. If you are selected to undergo an audit, you will need to produce official documentation of course attendance.

• Licenses expire after December 31, 2025. If a licensee fails to renew by that date, the renewal fee increases.  

• If a licensee has submitted a complete renewal application by December 31, 2021, the licensee’s license status online will change from “active” to “active-renewal pending.” This does not mean that the license has lapsed, is inactive, is deficient, or invalid in any way. This reflects that the licensee has submitted a timely renewal application. Please save the receipt generated after submission of a timely and complete application as additional proof of renewal during the period in which the application is reviewed.

• All dentists and dental hygienists seeking renewal this year are again required to submit census data with their renewal application. This was first required with the 2013 renewal cycle. All dentists and dental hygienists must complete and provide a census questionnaire and submit the completed questionnaire to the Board’s email address: dentistry@dch.ga.gov. The census form is available in the “Forms” section of the Board of Dentistry website. Completion of an Affidavit of Citizenship is not required unless a dentist or dental hygienist did not submit this affidavit previously.

• CE requirements do apply within the first two years that a dentist is licensed in Georgia. However, a newly licensed dentist may submit as their CE hours proof of dental coursework taken within the previous two years of the date of the renewal application from their accredited dental educational institution.

Should you have questions about licensure renewal, please contact the Board of Dentistry at (404) 651-8000.

View our course offerings and register online.

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