Maine
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Updated: 5/23/2018
Summary Dentist
Renewal Deadline: December 31st per year of license expiration
Renewal Period: 2 Years
Required Hours: 40
State Mandated CE Courses: 3 hrs opioid medication, up to 3 hrs CPR
Limits on Courses: Category 1 (30 hours) Category 2 (10 hrs) - see below
Summary RDH
Renewal Deadline: December 31st per year of license expiration
Renewal Period: 2 Years
Required Hours: 20
State Mandated CE Courses: 3 hrs opioid medication, up to 3 hrs CPR
Limits on Courses: Category 1 (30 hours) Category 2 (10 hrs) - see below
Maine Board of Dental Practice
Maine Rule Chapters 02-313-13
02 DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCIAL REGULATION
313 BOARD OF DENTAL EXAMINERS
Chapter 13: CONTINUING EDUCATION
Summary: This rule establishes the continuing education required for licensed dentists, dental hygienists, independent practice dental hygienists, denturists, dental radiographers, and certified expanded function dental assistants in order to qualify for re-licensure and/or re-certification.
I. GENERAL – To meet the continuing dental/dental hygiene/denturism education requirement for license renewal each biennium, the education must relate to professional competency and to those aspects of the profession in which the applicant/licensee is currently licensed and engaged.
A. Dentists. Every dentist licensed by the Board shall complete a minimum of forty (40) hours of Board-approved continuing dental education per biennium. This requirement must be completed during the two calendar years preceding December 31 of the year of expiration of the license.
The forty (40) hours of continuing dental education may consist entirely of Category 1 credits. However, a licensee/applicant must complete at least 30 hours of Category 1 credits. (Examples of approved Category I credits are provided below.)
A licensee/applicant may claim no more than ten (10) hours of Category 2 continuing dental education credits per biennium. (Examples of approved Category II credits are provided below.)
A licensee/applicant must complete CPR certification or re-certification prior to initial licensure and prior to the biennial renewal of his/her dental license. A licensee/applicant may claim up to three (3) category 1 credits per biennium for CPR re-certification.
B. Dental Hygienists. Every registered dental hygienist and independent practice dental hygienist licensed by the Board shall complete a minimum of thirty (30) hours of Board-approved continuing dental hygiene education per biennium. This requirement must be completed during the two calendar years preceding December 31 of the year of expiration of the license.
The thirty (30) hours of continuing dental hygiene education may consist entirely of Category 1 credits. However, a licensee/applicant must complete at least 20 hours of Category 1 credits. (Examples of approved Category I credits are provided below.)
A licensee/applicant may claim No more than ten (10) hours of Category 2 continuing dental hygiene education credits per biennium. (Examples of approved Category II credits are provided below.)
A licensee/applicant must complete CPR certification or re-certification prior to initial licensure and prior to the biennial renewal of his/her dental hygiene license. A licensee/applicant may claim up to three (3) Category 1 credits per biennium for CPR re-certification.
C. Denturists. Every denturist licensed by the Board shall complete a minimum of twenty (20) hours of Board-approved denturism continuing education per biennium. This requirement must be completed during the two calendar years preceding December 31 of the year of expiration of the license.
The twenty (20) hours of continuing denturism education may consist entirely of Category 1 credits. However, a licensee/applicant must complete at least fifteen (15) hours of Category 1 credits. (Examples of approved Category I credits are provided below.)
A licensee/applicant may claim no more than five (5) hours of Category 2 continuing denturism credits per biennium. (Examples of approved Category II credits are provided below.)
A licensee/applicant must complete CPR certification or re-certification prior to initial licensure and prior to the renewal of his/her denturist license. A licensee/applicant may claim up to three (3) Category 1 credits per biennium for CPR re-certification.
D. Dental Radiographers. Every dental radiographer licensed by the Board shall complete CPR certification or re-certification prior to initial licensure and prior to the renewal of his/her dental radiographer license.
E. Expanded Function Dental Assistants. Every EFDA certified by the Board shall complete fifty (50) hours of Board-approved continuing education. This requirement must be completed during the five (5) calendar years preceding the date on which the certification is due to expire.
The fifty (50) hours of continuing education may consist entirely of Category 1 credits. However, a certified EFDA/applicant must complete at least forty (40) hours of Category 1 credits during each five (5) year certification period. (Examples of acceptable Category I credits are provided below.)
A certified EFDA/applicant may claim no more than ten (10) hours of Category 2 continuing education during each five (5) year certification period. (Examples of acceptable Category II credits are provided below.)
A certified EFDA/applicant must complete CPR certification or re-certification prior to initial certification and prior to the renewal of his/her EFDA certification. A certified EFDA/applicant may claim up to three (3) Category 1 credits per five year certification period.
II. CONTINUING EDUCATION CATEGORIES
A. Category 1 Credits
General. All category 1 CDE programs will be properly identified as such by the approved sponsoring organization. One credit hour may be claimed for each hour of participation.
Category 1 Credits Defined: Board-approved Category 1 credits will be awarded for the following:
Planned Continuing Dental Education (CDE) or Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs that are:
Directly related to the clinical practice of the licensed dental profession; and
Sponsored or co-sponsored by an organization or institution accredited by: (a) The American Dental Association (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA); (b) The Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association (AMA); (c) The ADA and its constituent and component societies; (d) The American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA) and its constituent and component societies; (e) The Academy of General Dentistry; (f) The International Federation of Denturists; or (g) The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) or succeeding body.
b. Any other Continuing Dental Education (CDE) or Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs approved by the Board, including but not limited to the following:
(i) Dentists may claim up to ten (10) Category I credits per biennium for successful completion of a Board Specialty Certification or Recertification;
(ii) Dental hygienists who have completed an Expanded Function Dental Assistant course within the previous two year licensing period may apply the total course hours toward his/her license renewal;
(iii) Table clinics if clinically related;
(iv) Dental hygienists who have completed a local anesthesia course within the previous two year licensing period may claim one (1) credit per hour toward his/her license renewal;
(v) Dental hygienists who have completed a nitrous oxide course within the previous two year licensing period may claim one (1) credit per hour toward his/her license renewal, not to exceed ten (10) CEU’s;
(vi) Dentists may claim up to twenty (20) category I credits for successful completion of a Residency Program;
(vii) Each Full-Year of completed CODA-approved post-graduate training in a related dental, medical, denturism, or dental hygiene program will be considered the equivalent of the annual CEU requirement: (i.e. 20 for dentists; 15 for dental hygienists; and 10 for denturists);
(viii) A completed semester-long post-graduate training course within a related dental or medical degree program will be considered for half (½) of a full years credit: (i.e. 10 for dentists; 7.5 for dental hygienists; and 5 for denturists);
(ix) Dentists and dental hygienists who do clinical teaching in a dental professional program, or volunteer their services at either of the two Maine dental hygiene schools can receive one (1) category I credit for each hour of clinical supervision. The maximum allowable per biennium would be one-fourth (¼) of the total requirements per biennium;
(x) Dentists, dental hygienists, denturists, and EFDA’s may claim up to seven (7) category I credits per biennium for the preparation of a course or presentation that is clinically based;
(xi) Completion of fellowship or mastership level in Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) within the previous two year licensing period may be considered as equivalent to the requirements for license renewal.
(xii) Clinically applied home study courses that include an examination will be accepted for category 1 credit. Up to 10 credits for dentists, dental hygienists and independent practice dental hygienists, 5 credits for denturists per biennium, and 10 credits for expanded function dental assistants per renewal period may be earned in this manner.
B. Category 2 Credits
General. All Category 2 CDE programs will be properly identified as such by the approved sponsoring organization. One credit hour may be claimed for each hour of participation. All requests for consideration of Category 2 credit must be submitted to the Board in writing no later than 90 days prior to date of expiration of license.
Category 2 Credits Defined: Board-approved Category 2 credits will be awarded for the following:
Table clinics if not clinically related;
b. Dentists and dental hygienists who do didactic teaching in a dental professional program at either of the two Maine dental hygiene schools can receive one (1) category II credit for each hour of teaching. The maximum allowable per biennium would be one-fourth (¼) of the total requirements per biennium;
Those courses that are not directly related to the clinical practice of the dental professions, such as business management, financial planning, or other topics not directly related to the clinical practice of the dental professions are limited to category 2 status,
General attendance at multi-day convention type meetings sponsored by medical or dental organizations shall be given a maximum of 5 credit hours per renewal period. (You must be in attendance more than one day.)
e. Presentations or exhibits presented to a professional audience, including allied health professionals. Five (5) hours maximum credit for a minimum of one (1) hour presentation.
f. CDE programs with non-accredited sponsorship, those dental and dental hygiene meetings and CDE programs not within the definition of Category 1: Value one (1) credit for each hour of participation.
g. Non-supervised individual CDE/CME activities in non-clinical topic areas. One (1) credit for each hour of activity, maximum of ten (10) credits for dentists, five (5) credits for hygienists per biennium, and ten (10) credits for expanded function dental assistants per renewal period. Credit will be given in an amount to be determined by the Board for these self-instructional activities, provided they are sponsored by an approved organization and incorporate an approved testing mechanism.
(i) Home study or correspondence courses; self-assessment tests.
(ii) Educational television, audio-tape cassettes, and other audio-visual materials accompanied by a testing mechanism provided by the sponsor.
h. Papers, publications, books as described below are acceptable. Credit may be claimed only for the first time the material is presented and should be claimed as of the date the materials were presented or published. Ten (10) credits for each:
(i) A paper published in a recognized professional journal.
Each chapter of a book that is authorized and published in the Dental/Medical field.
Teaching of Dental/Medical students, interns, residents, practicing dentists, dental hygienists and physicians and allied health professionals. One (1) credit for each hour of participation.
j. The Board may, at its discretion, approve programs other than those specified above for Category 2 credit.
3. Examples of Unacceptable Continuing Education for License Renewal:
a. You cannot claim double credits for hands-on continuing education;
b. Grand Rounds are not acceptable continuing education;
c. Clinical examinations taken in order to obtain a license in another state is unacceptable continuing education;
d.. Repetition of the same continuing education course during the same licensing period is unacceptable.
III. EVIDENCE OF COMPLETION
Each individual licensed or certified by the Board shall, prior to the renewal of his/her license/certification, submit on a form provided by the Board, evidence of successful completion of the CDE/CME requirements as required by this rule. The individual licensed or certified by the Board shall be ultimately responsible for record keeping and proof of attendance and satisfactory completion of all continuing education courses and credit for the same. A licensee must maintain his/her continuing education records for a minimum of one (1) year following license renewal. Please see Appendix A for an example of a completed continuing education log.
IV. MONITORING PROCEDURE
For each renewal period, the Continuing Education Activity of some individuals licensed and/or certified by the Board will be audited by the Board. If the data submitted to the Board pursuant to the audit does not fulfill the requirements of this rule, the individual licensed or certified by the Board shall be notified and may be called before the Board for an adjudicatory hearing. Following hearing, the Board may impose discipline, including but not limited to: additional continuing educational requirements to be completed by the licensee, suspension of license or certification, revocation of license or certification, and non-renewal of license or certification. In addition, the Board may, without hearing, enter into a consent agreement with an individual licensed or certified by the Board who has not met the continuing education requirements of this rule.
V. EXCEPTIONS/WAIVERS TO CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
A. Waiver/Extension. The Board may, upon receipt of a written request prior to license expiration, at its discretion grant an extension of time or other waiver to an individual licensed or certified by the Board who, because of prolonged illness or other extenuating circumstances, e.g. military deployment, has been unable to meet his/her continuing educational requirements under this rule.
First Calendar Year of Licensure. When granted a dental, dental hygiene or denturist license in the first year of the biennial registration, the licensee shall complete one half of the required continuing education hours, and must maintain a current CPR certification. When granted a dental, dental hygiene, or denturist license in the second year of the biennial registration the licensee is not required to fulfill the continuing education hours, but must maintain current CPR certification.
Inactive Licenses/Certifications. Any individual who is licensed or certified by the Board and who is not actively practicing under his/her license and/or certification may be excused from completing the continuing education required by this rule by submitting to the Board an affidavit certifying that he/she will render no dental services during the term of the registration biennium. Upon receipt of such an affidavit, the Board may convert the individual’s license and/or certification to “inactive status.” An individual with an “inactive status” may not practice or perform any dental services under his/her “inactive status” license or certification. An individual whose license status is “inactive” may attempt to convert the license to “active status” by filing a written request to the Board. Upon receipt of such a request, the Board may grant or deny the request and may require the individual to undergo examinations, interviews and/or other requirements based upon the individual’s particular factual situation.