For renewals beginning in 2001 and thereafter, as a prerequisite to
the annual renewal of a dental or dental hygiene license, proof of completion
of 12 hours of acceptable continuing education is required.
(1) A licensee may carry forward continuing education hours
earned prior to a renewal period which are in excess of the 12-hour requirement
and such excess hours may be applied to subsequent years' requirements. Excess
hours to be carried forward must have been earned in a classroom setting and
within the three years immediately preceding the renewal period. A maximum
of 24 total excess credit hours may be carried forward.
(2) All dentists and dental hygienists will begin a one
year continuing education period on their renewal dates in the year 2000.
For licensees whose three year period ends in 2000, or would have ended in
2001 or 2002, the amount of CE due for that three year period, or portion
of a three year period, shall be calculated on the basis of one hour of CE
for each month of the period that has passed on the 2000 renewal date. No
more than 36 hours of CE will be due for any three year period described herein.
In the event that a licensee has CE hours in excess of the amounts required
hereby, the excess may be carried forward pursuant to paragraph (1) of this
section.
(3) Each licensee shall select and participate in the
continuing education courses endorsed by the providers identified in §104.2
of this title (relating to Continuing Education Providers). A licensee who
is unable to meet education course requirements may request that alternative
courses or procedures be approved by the Continuing Education Committee.
(A) Such requests must be in writing and submitted to and approved
by the Continuing Education Committee prior to the expiration of the annual
period for which the alternative is being requested.
(B) A licensee must provide supporting documentation detailing
the reason why the continuing education requirements set forth in paragraph
(5) of this section cannot be met and must submit a proposal for alternative
education procedures.
(C) Acceptable causes may include residence outside the United
States, unanticipated financial or medical hardships, or other extraordinary
circumstances that are documented.
(D) Should the request be denied, the licensee must complete
requirements as cited in paragraph (5) of this section.
(4) Examiners for the Western Regional Examining
Board (WREB) will be allowed credit for no more than 6 hours annually, obtained
from WREB's calibration and standardization exercise. This provision shall
not apply to active board members.
(5) All 12 hours must be either technical or scientific
as related to clinical care. The terms "technical" and "scientific" as applied
to continuing education shall mean that courses have significant intellectual
or practical content and are designed to directly enhance the practitioner's
knowledge and skill in providing clinical care to the individual patient.
(6) Hours in the standards of the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) or in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
may not be considered in the 12-hour requirement.
(7) No more than 4 hours in any 12-hour accumulation may
be in self-study. These self-study hours must be provided by those entities
cited in §104.2. Examples of self-study courses include correspondence
courses, video courses, audio courses, and reading courses.
(8) Any individual or entity may petition one of the providers
listed in §104.2 of this title (relating to Providers) to offer continuing
education.
(9) No more than 4 hours in a 12-hour accumulation may
be interactive computerized courses. These interactive computerized courses
must be provided by those entities cited in §104.2 of this title. Examples
of interactive computer courses include those that involve interactive dialogue
through electronic linkage with an instructor in which manipulation of text
or data by the licensee occurs.
(10) Providers cited in §104.2 of this title (relating
or Providers) will approve individual courses and/or instructors.
|
Source Note: The provisions of this §104.1 adopted to be effective March 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 1422; amended to be effective April 19, 1998, 23 TexReg 3830; amended to be effective June 28, 1998, 23 TexReg 6440; amended to be effective November 30, 1999, 24 TexReg 10539; amended to be effective April 16, 2000, 25 TexReg 3250 |