Continuing dental education for dental assistants.

20-03-01-06. Continuing dental education for dental assistants. Dental assistants shall provide evidence of attendance or participation in continuing clinical dental education in accordance with the following conditions: 1. Continuing education activities include publications, seminars, symposiums, lectures, college courses, and online education. 2. The continuing education hours accumulate on the basis of one hour of credit for each hour spent in education. Subject matter directly related to clinical dentistry will be accepted by the board without limit. 3. The minimum number of hours required within a two-year cycle is sixteen. Of these hours, a qualified or registered dental assistant may earn no more than eight hours from self-study. Self-study is an educational process designed to permit a participant to learn a given subject without involvement of a proctor or without the opportunity to interact in real-time with the proctor. A qualified professional may act as a proctor who oversees a clinical continuing education course which may be used for classroom style continuing education credits. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation courses must provide hands-on training. All other continuing education requirements may be satisfied from webinars or classroom style learning that allows 10 for real-time interaction between attendees and the proctor. The continuing education must include: a. Two hours of ethics or jurisprudence. Passing the laws and rules examination is the equivalent of two hours of ethics or jurisprudence. b. Two hours of infection control. This requirement may be met by attending a federal occupational and safety and health administration course for dental providers. c. A cardiopulmonary resuscitation course. d. For registered dental assistants or qualified dental assistants that hold a dental anesthesia assistant permit, at least two hours related to sedation or anesthesia. e. For registered dental restorative assistant permitholders, two hours related to restorative dentistry. f. No more than one hour related to practice management or administration. 4. For qualified dental assistant-limited radiology registrants, the continuing education must include: a. At least two hours related to infection control. This requirement may be met by attending a federal occupational and safety and health administration course for dental providers. b. A cardiopulmonary resuscitation course. 5. For individuals whose sole registration with the board is that of a dental anesthesia assistant, the continuing education must include: a. At least two hours related to sedation or anesthesia. b. A cardiopulmonary resuscitation course. 6. Mere registration at a dental convention without specific attendance at continuing education presentations will not be creditable toward the continuing dental education requirement. Certificates awarded for continuing education must indicate the name of the continuing education provider, date, and number of hours of continuing education. Certificates obtained from webinar courses must indicate the course was a webinar. For continuing education courses utilizing a proctor, the certificate of attendance must be signed by the proctor. 7. All dental assistants registered with the board shall hold a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificate. 8. The board may audit continuing education credits of any dental assistant that is registered with the board. Proof of continuing education must be maintained from the previous renewal cycle. Upon receiving notice of an audit from the board, the audited dental assistant shall provide satisfactory documentation of attendance at, or participation in, the continuing education activities. Failure to comply with the audit is grounds for nonrenewal of or disciplinary action against the registration. History: Effective January 1, 2011; amended effective April 1, 2015; July 1, 2017; July 1, 2022; October 1, 2024; April 1, 2026. General Authority: NDCC 43-20-10 Law Implemented: NDCC 43-20-13.1, 43-51.1-03 11