3.1 Continuing Education Hours and Mandatory Components (Den 406.01–406.03)
Key Takeaways
- New Hampshire dentists must complete at least 40 CEUs per biennium, including at least 30 CEUs in clinical dental care subjects (Den 406.03(b)).
- New Hampshire dental hygienists must complete at least 20 CEUs per biennium, including at least 15 CEUs in clinical dental care subjects (Den 406.03(a)).
- Both dentists and hygienists need a hands-on BLS-HCP course, at least 2 CEUs in infection control covering CDC guidelines, and at least 2 CEUs in medical emergency training each biennium.
- Licensees registered with the PDMP who hold a DEA number must complete 3 CEUs in pain management or addiction disorder, or an online exam in those areas, for each biennial renewal (Den 406.03(c)).
- Excess CEUs do not carry forward, and first-time licensees are exempt from CE for their first biennial renewal after graduation (Den 406.03(f), (h)).
Continuing Education Requirements
Continuing education (CE) is a condition of renewal. RSA 317-A:12, XI directs the Board to adopt CE rules, and Den 406.01 says the purpose of Part Den 406 is to set the minimum CE requirements.
Definitions — Den 406.02
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | Dental education designed to maintain professional competence, improve skills, and preserve dental standards to protect the public |
| Continuing education unit (CEU) | One hour of attendance at lectures, seminars, and meetings, or 20 minutes as the presenter of an original paper, essay, or formal lecture to a group of professionals. Certification in a specialty does not count |
| Clinical dental care or dental hygiene care subjects | Study dealing with performing dental or dental hygiene services for patients |
| Non-clinical subjects | Personal development or practice management related to dentistry or dental hygiene |
| Certificate of CEU credit | A provider-issued document certifying that a named licensee completed a program |
The biennial requirement — Den 406.03
| Component | Dentist (406.03(b)) | Dental hygienist (406.03(a)) |
|---|---|---|
| Total CEUs per biennium | 40 | 20 |
| Minimum clinical CEUs | 30 | 15 |
| Maximum non-clinical, by arithmetic | 10 | 5 |
| BLS-HCP course with a hands-on component | Required | Required |
| Infection control (course syllabus must include CDC Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines and Recommendations) | At least 2 CEUs | At least 2 CEUs |
| Medical emergency training | At least 2 CEUs | At least 2 CEUs |
| EFDA-qualified | — | At least 10 CEUs in restorative dentistry, in addition to the 20 |
The rule sets a clinical minimum, not a non-clinical cap. The "maximum 10 non-clinical" figure for dentists is simply 40 minus the 30 clinical hours. A dentist may earn all 40 hours in clinical subjects.
Den 302.07(b)(6) repeats the EFDA requirement: every EFDA, whether a hygienist or a certified or graduate dental assistant, completes 10 CEUs each biennium in restorative dentistry.
Opioid and pain-management CE — Den 406.03(c)
Licensees who must register with the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and who hold a valid DEA number must show, as part of each biennial renewal (implementing RSA 318-B:41, VI), either:
- 3 CEUs in pain management, addiction disorder, or a combination of both; or
- an online examination in pain management, addiction disorder, or a combination.
This applies because of the DEA registration, not because of prescribing volume. A dentist who holds a DEA number but rarely prescribes opioids still needs it.
How credit is counted — Den 406.03(d)–(h)
- One CEU per hour of attendance, or per 20 minutes as a presenter of original work. A 1-hour original lecture therefore earns 3 CEUs for the presenter.
- Whole courses only: credit requires completing the entire course or course segment.
- Record retention: keep certificates or documents for 3 years from the program date. Verifying attendance is the licensee's responsibility, and records must be produced on Board request for random audit (Den 406.03(e)).
- No carry-forward: excess CEUs from one renewal period cannot count toward the next (Den 406.03(f)).
- Specialty courses: up to 3 CEUs for courses taken when first obtaining a specialty (Den 406.03(g)).
- First-renewal exemption: dentists and hygienists who obtained their first license after graduating from an accredited college or university are exempt for the first biennial renewal after licensure (Den 406.03(h)).
BLS-HCP counts toward the clinical minimum
Under Den 406.06(c), a qualifying BLS-HCP course earns 3 CEUs per biennium and is a clinical care subject. All BLS-HCP, ACLS, and PALS courses must include a hands-on component. A dentist's BLS renewal therefore supplies 3 of the 30 clinical CEUs.
Other CE-style obligations
- Volunteer licensees: BLS-HCP plus 2 CEUs in infection control each biennium, with no other CE (Den 301.05(g)).
- Activation and reinstatement: CE proof is required to return to active status (Den 301.04, 301.08, 401.06).
- Sedation permit holders: RSA 317-A:20, II(c) directs the Board to require CE as a condition of issuing or reissuing a sedation permit. The current renewal rules require current ACLS and/or PALS certificates (Den 401.02(a)(3)).
Worked example: auditing a dentist's biennium
Dr. Ortiz reports 40 CEUs:
| Course | CEUs | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Endodontic retreatment lecture series | 14 | Clinical |
| Implant restorative hands-on | 8 | Clinical |
| BLS-HCP renewal (AHA, hands-on) | 3 | Clinical (Den 406.06(c)) |
| Infection control with CDC guidelines | 2 | Clinical |
| Medical emergencies in the dental office | 2 | Clinical |
| Practice marketing and scheduling | 11 | Non-clinical |
Clinical total: 14 + 8 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 29 CEUs. The total is 40, but the dentist is 1 clinical CEU short of the 30-CEU minimum. One of the 11 practice-management hours cannot substitute. If Dr. Ortiz holds a DEA number, the 3 pain-management CEUs (or the online exam) are an additional required element.
A dentist delivers a 60-minute original lecture on endodontic diagnosis to a study club of dental professionals. How many CEUs may the presenter claim under the Den 406.02(d) definition?
A dental hygienist is qualified as an expanded function dental auxiliary. How many CEUs must she complete in a biennium, and with what restorative content?
A dentist was first licensed after graduating from an accredited dental school and is completing her first biennial renewal. What does Den 406.03(h) provide?