Continuing Education Requirements

Continuing education (CE) is a requirement of renewal per S.C. Regulation 39-5(F). Licensees renewing for the first time are exempt from the CE requirements. Current CE cycle is January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022. Per S.C. Regulation 39-5(F), of the required fourteen (14) hours completed for biennial renewal, two (2) hours must be in sterilization and infection control. CPR recertification must be completed once every two years. Yearly recertification is not required, but can be used as CE hours. All licensees must have, at a minimum, Level II CPR; however, Level III CPR is recommended for all licensed healthcare providers by the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. Licensees working in practices that hold sedation permits must possess current advanced or pediatric advanced life support certification (ACLS/PALS) in accordance with S.C. Code of Law §40-15-400.
Licensees shall earn CE credits at the rate of one (1) CE credit hour for each one (1) contact hour of instruction.
  • CE Course Criteria CE courses may be attained through combination of any of the following:
  • 1. Attendance at lectures, study clubs, college and post-graduate courses, or scientific sessions of conventions
  • 2. Research, graduate study, or teaching
  • 3. Online or computerized courses
  • Of the required fourteen (14) hours, no more than half of the required CE hours can be attained through online or computerized courses. Interactive webinars are considered live or in-person CE hours and not subject to the fifty percent (50%) restriction. CE course subject matter must relate to the procedures approved for each licensee. Approved course subject matter for dental hygienists include:
  • - Medical emergencies
  • - Addition to controlled substances, alcohol or nicotine
  • - Anesthesia and pain control
  • - Basic science
  • - CPR, diet and nutrition
  • - Conscious sedation
  • - General anesthesia
  • - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • - Child abuse identification and reporting
  • - Dentistry for the handicapped
  • - Infection control
  • - Pharmacology
  • - Practice management and patient relations
  • - Preventative dentistry
  • - Problems with the Temporomandibular Joint
  • - Radiology and diagnosis
  • - Risk Management
  • - Treating medically compromised
  • - Endodontics; Fixed Prosthodontics; Removable Prosthodontics; Forensic Dentistry; Geriatric Dentistry; Hospital Dentistry; Occlusion; Operative Dentistry; Oral Surgery; Orthodontics; Pediatric Dentistry; Periodontics
  • CPR Requirement CPR recertification must be completed once every two years. Yearly recertification is not required, but can be used as CE hours. All licensees must have, at a minimum, Level II CPR; however, Level III CPR is recommended for all licensed healthcare providers by the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. Licensees working in offices holding a sedation permit must hold active CPR-BLS Certification.
  • Board approved CPR courses include:
  • - American Red Cross “Community CPR;”
  • - American Red Cross “CPR for the Professional Rescuer;”
  • - American Heart Association “Heartsaver CPR,”
  • - American Heart Association “BLS Healthcare Provider,”
  • - American Safety & Health Institute,
  • - Emergency Care & Safety Institute (ECSI)
  • - Health Education Solutions,
  • - National Safety Council, and
  • - ProCPR Trainings LLC dba ProCPR
  • - EMS Safety Services, Inc.
  • - Pacific Medical Training BLS Recertification Course
  • Sedation Permitted Practice Per S.C. Code of Law §40-15-420, Licensees who provide direct hands on patient care in a practice permitted for sedation must hold current CPR and basic life support certification. Approved courses may be used as CE hours. CE Course Providers
  • CE courses that meet the general requirements as outline above, may be developed and/or endorsed by organizations and agencies such as:
  • - the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, American Dental Hygienists' Association, American Dental Assistants' Association, National Association of Dental Laboratories, or their local societies and associations;
  • - National, state, local, district dental specialty organizations recognized by the American Dental Association;
  • - Dental colleges or schools accredited by the American Dental Association;
  • other organizations, schools, and agencies approved by the State Board of Dentistry.
  • - Providers seeking Board approval to provide courses, must submit their request via CE Broker at https://cebroker.com/providers. Once approved, CE Providers may submit courses for Board approval and upload CE course attendance rosters. CE Reporting
  • All licensees are provided a free CE Broker Basic Account and may activate the account by visiting https://cebroker.com/sc/plans. Licensees are responsible for ensuring their courses are reported accurately and maintain tracking of their CE completion.

  • CE Providers utilizing CE Broker may upload course attendance which will auto populate in licensees accounts. Please check with the CE Provider to see if this option is available prior to signing up for a course.
  • Courses not registered in the CE Broker system may still be submitted by the licensee in the CE Broker system. CE Course verifications must include the date of the course, provider’s name, subject matter covered, and CE hours earned. A formal certificate or documentation of attendance is required for approval. A handwritten list of courses does not suffice as ‘official documentation of attendance,’ nor does a copy of a registration badge, a meeting program, or a cancelled check.

  • Audit The Board may, at any time, randomly audit an individual or a percentage of the licensees to determine compliance with CE requirements. Upon notice of such audit, licensee will be given thirty (30) days in which to provide satisfactory proof of compliance. A licensee who fails to
  • provide satisfactory proof of compliance or fails to respond to an audit request is deemed noncompliant and may result in disciplinary action by the Board. The Board may, in its discretion, grant licensee an extension in which to comply. A CE audit conducted during the course of an investigation is considered part of the investigation and does not fall under this policy. Waiver and Extension Request Requirements
  • Per S.C. Regulation 39-5(F)(7), the Board, on a case-by-case basis, may waive, modify or extend all or any part of the CE requirements for those involving extraordinary hardship or extenuating circumstances, disability or illness. Any applicant shall be eligible for waiver or extension who, upon written application to the Board and for good cause shown, demonstrates that they are unable to participate in a sufficient number of regular CE programs for licensure/registration. Waiver: A licensee may request a waiver of CE and/or CPR if
  • - licensee is fully retired from active practice
  • - temporarily or permanently disabled and unable to practice.
  • The Board has determined that licensees who have retired from active practice, but who wish to maintain an active license, should be granted a waiver of the CE and CPR requirements provided an agreement is executed to provide assurance that the licensee will not resume active practice without first fulfilling all CE and other requirements owed during the period of retirement. Waivers due to temporary or permanent disability may be granted provided
  • 1. licensee provides documentation from a licensed physician of physical disability; and
  • 2. licensee maintains presence of an individual certified in CPR at all times when patient care is rendered in the dental office

  • Extension: A licensee may request an extension of the CE and/or CPR requirements provided licensee is able to demonstrate that he/she is unable to participate in a sufficient number of regular CE programs for licensure/registration. Waiver and Extension Request Procedures
  • A licensee who wishes to request a waiver or extension of the CE or CPR requirements shall:
  • - Request an Application for Waiver or Extension of CE and CPR Requirements from the board staff and mark the appropriate box on the license renewal form.
  • - Submit a completed application prior to renewal date (December 31, 2020).
  • Applications postmarked after December 31, 2020 will not be considered. The Board, in its discretion, shall determine whether a licensee qualifies for a waiver or extension under the Regulation and will be notified of the Board’s decision. If a waiver is granted, the licensee will be so notified in writing and required to sign an “Agreement” affirming that he/she will not resume active practice without first fulfilling all CE and other requirements owed. Further, the licensee will acknowledge that his/her license will be automatically temporarily suspended if the Agreement is violated. A copy of the fully executed Agreement shall be sent to the licensee for his/her records, along with a cover letter explaining the terms and conditions of the Agreement. A licensee
  • granted a waiver of CE and CPR requirements is not exempt from all other renewal requirements, including the payment of the renewal of license fee.

  • If an extension is granted, the licensee will be so notified in writing. The extension will specify a date by which documentation of completion of CE and/or CPR requirements must be submitted and approved by the Board. Failure to comply may result in
  • disciplinary action being taken by the Board. Non-Compliance: If a licensee fails to meet the continuing education requirements, he/she will not be eligible to apply for the renewal of licensure. In lieu of a renewal application, licensee will receive official notice from the Board office that the license is place in ‘Pending’ status until completion of the required CE hours. Licensee may continue to practice while earning the continuing education hours in accordance with the requirements below:
  • If documentation of completion of continuing education requirements is provided before December 31st, licensee will be allowed to renew by completing a current reregistration application form, and paying the current reregistration fee before December 31st.
  • If documentation of completion of continuing education requirements is provided during the month of January, licensee will be allowed to renew by completing a current reregistration application form, and paying a doubled reregistration fee.
  • If documentation of completion of continuing education requirements is provided during the month of February, licensee will be allowed to renew by completing a current reregistration application form, and paying a doubled reregistration fee plus $5.00 per day until paid.
  • If a licensee fails to provide documentation of completion of continuing education requirements by midnight February 28th, the license will be lapsed and practice must cease.
  • An individual whose license is lapsed, must submit an Application for Reinstatement. Licensees must to the Board a completed application, applicable fees and required documents. Once a competed application is approved, the license will be notified of the requirement to appearance before the Board along with any other conditions set forth by the Board.
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