Dental Assistant Training Class

Fulfilling Dental Hygiene Continuing Education Requirements

Almost all states have continuing education requirements in place for dental hygienists in order to continue to be licensed. These requirements vary from state to state in terms of the number of hours one must complete in each two year cycle as well as when the requirements are to be met. However, fulfilling dental hygiene continuing education requirements is relatively easy to accomplish and makes one more proficient at the job.

Virtually all states that require CE hours also require that at least two of them be fulfilled by becoming certified or recertifying in CPR. This is a requirement for anyone who works in a health care field, including doctors, nurses, dentists, and in some places, even dental assistants. This course must be taken in a classroom environment because of the practical portion of the class in which one practices on a CPR dummy.

Most states allow at least a portion of CE hours to be taken online or via correspondence. This makes it possible to complete the training at one’s own pace and in a time frame that is convenient to the student. There are several accredited schools that offer CE classes online, so one should do some research to find which classes are being offered and which will be of the most benefit in the immediate future.

Other classes must be taken in person. This can be accomplished by attending seminars in many cases. These seminars will cover a certain amount of theory and will then progress to practical demonstrations of the lessons being taught. In some cases, hands on practice will be possible in a controlled environment.

In some cases, one may be required to take courses on a college campus in order to satisfy the continuing education requirements for the position of dental hygienist. CE hours awarded may differ from the number of credit hours one can attain if listed as a degree seeking student. In most cases, it is advisable to have courses count toward a higher degree than that already earned if possible. The cost of such classes varies from one college to another, but should be tax deductible as a work related expense.

Fulfilling the dental hygiene continuing education requirements for one’s state is the only way to be able to renew one’s license when it expires. Records must be kept of each class taken and any certifications earned along the way so that these can be submitted for review when renewing one’s license. Having these requirements in place assures patients of receiving the most up to date and thorough care possible.