CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR DENTIST AND DENTAL HYGIENIST

(a) The board shall develop a mandatory continuing education program for licensed dentists and dental hygienists. The board by rule shall establish the minimum number of hours of continuing education a license holder is required to complete for each registration period to renew the license for a subsequent registration period. (b) The board may: (1) assess the continuing education needs of license holders; and (2) require license holders to attend continuing education courses specified by the board. (b-1) The board shall require a licensed dentist whose practice includes direct patient care to complete not less than two hours of board-approved continuing education annually regarding safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled substances, including education regarding: (1) reasonable standards of care; (2) the identification of drug-seeking behavior in patients; and (3) effectively communicating with patients regarding the prescription of an opioid or other controlled substance. (c) The board by rule shall: (1) identify the key factors required for competent performance of professional duties under this subtitle; (2) develop a process to evaluate and approve continuing education courses; and (3) develop a process to assess a license holder's participation and performance in continuing education courses to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program.