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) 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.
(3) 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.
(4) 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.
(5) 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.
(6) 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 of this title (relating to Providers). Examples of self-study
courses include correspondence courses, video courses, audio courses, and
reading courses.
(7) Any individual or entity may petition one of the providers
listed in §104.2 of this title to offer continuing education.
(8) 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.
(9) Providers cited in §104.2 of this title will approve
individual courses and/or instructors.
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| 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; amended to be effective July 1, 2002, 27 TexReg 5782 |
