Section 20-04-01-08 - [Effective 10/1/2024] Continuing dental education for dental hygienistsEach dental hygienist 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 dental education hours accumulate on the basis of one hour of credit for each hour spent in education. Subject matter directly related to clinical dentistry must 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 dental hygienist 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 for realtime interaction between attendees and the proctor. The continuing education must include:a. At least two hours of ethics or jurisprudence. Passing the laws and rules examination is the equivalent of two hours of ethics or jurisprudence.b. At least two hours of infection control.c. A cardiopulmonary resuscitation course.d. For registered dental anesthesia hygienist permitholders, at least two hours related to sedation or anesthesia, not including local anesthesia.e. For registered dental restorative hygienist permitholders, at least two hours related to restorative dentistry.f. For a dental hygienist practicing under general supervision, two hours related to medical emergencies.g. No more than one hour related to practice management or administration.4. 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.5. All dental hygienists must hold a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificate.6. A dental hygienist who maintains a license on inactive status is not subject to continuing education requirements.7. The board may audit the continuing education credits of a dental hygienist. Each licensee shall maintain certificates or records of continuing education activities from the previous renewal cycle. Upon receiving notice of an audit from the board, a licensee shall provide satisfactory documentation of attendance at, or participation in the continuing education activities listed. Failure to comply with the audit is grounds for nonrenewal of or disciplinary action against the license.N.D. Admin Code 20-04-01-08
Effective January 1, 2011.Amended by Administrative Rules Supplement 2015-355, January 2015, effective 1/1/2015.Amended by Administrative Rules Supplement 2015-356, April 2015, effective 4/1/2015.Amended by Administrative Rules Supplement 2017-365, July 2017, effective 7/1/2017.Amended by Administrative Rules Supplement 2021-380, April 2021, effective 4/1/2021.Amended by Administrative Rules Supplement 2022-385, July 2022, effective 7/1/2022.Amended by Administrative Rules Supplement 2024-394, October 2024, effective 10/1/2024.General Authority: NDCC 43-20-10
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-20-01.4