Continuous Professional Development for general dental practitioners ensures that they maintain and enhance their knowledge, skills, and professionalism throughout their careers. By fulfilling CPD requirements, GDPs can stay up-to-date with advancements in dental technology, improve patient care, meet ethical and legal standards, and continue providing high-quality service to their patients.

Hi,

Continuing Education (CE) requirements for general dentists vary by state, as each state's dental board sets its own regulations. The number of required CE hours, renewal periods, and specific course requirements (such as infection control, opioid prescribing, and ethics) depend on the state where the provider is licensed. To ensure compliance, providers should refer to their state dental board’s website for the most up-to-date requirements. I hope this helps!

CPD and professionalism Keeping skills and knowledge up to date throughout your career is at the heart of what it means to be a dental professional. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) can support dentists and dental care professionals in maintaining and updating their skills, knowledge and behaviour throughout their working life. It may also contribute to the delivery of good quality care and service provision, that patients and the public trust is safe and the best it can be. As a registered dental professional you have a duty to maintain, develop and work within your professional knowledge and skills and make sure your personal behaviour maintains patients’ confidence in you and the dental profession, so you can provide the best possible treatment and care.SEE

1National Institutes of Health. “Oral Health In America: Advances and Challenges.” Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, 2021.

2Tiwari, Tamanna, and Julie Franstve-Hawley. “Addressing Oral Health of Low-Income Populations—A Call to Action.” JAMA Network Open, vol. 4, no. 9, 2021, p. e2125263. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.25263.

3Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, “2023 Medicaid & CHIP Beneficiaries at a Glance: Oral Health,” March 2023. Available at https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/downloads/2023-oral-health-at-a-glance.pdf.

4National Institutes of Health. “Oral Health In America: Advances and Challenges.” Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, 2021.

5Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, “May 2023 Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment Data Highlights,” May 2023. Available at https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/program-information/medicaid-and-chip-enrollment data/report-highlights/index.html.