Continuing Education

All members of the College are required to obtain 90 credit points every three years. The three-year cycle begins and ends on September 15. Dentists may choose a variety of educational experiences for the benefit of both their practices and their patients. Specialists must obtain at least half of their credits from programs related to their specialty.

Dentists are asked to keep on file in their offices proof of participation in continuing education programs or attendance at dental conventions to be able to report to the College when asked to do so.

Credit Point System

Full Day Program	6 credit points
Half Day or Full Evening Program (2.5 or more hours in duration, excluding meals)	3 credit points
Dental Society Combined Evening Business/Scientific Meeting	2 credit points
New Product/New Technique Meeting	1 credit points
Short Duration Study Club Meetings (1 to 2 hours in duration)	2 credit points
Dental Conventions (including lectures and other scientific programs)	6 credit points for each day attended

Self-Study Programs

• Without Independent Assessment 20 points maximum per 3 year cycle
• With Independent Assessment 30 point maximum per 3 year cycle
• Reading of Dental Journals 5 credit points per journal 10 credits per year maximum
• Reading of Textbooks 10 credits per textbook

Full time Dental Faculty Members	20 credit points per academic term
Part time Dental Faculty Members	10 credit points per academic term
Other Teaching/Preparation Time 5 credit points for programs 1/2 day or less in duration and 10 credit points per full day. You can claim 5 and/or 10 credit points only once for the same lecture even if given multiple times.
Authorship of Practice-Related/Scientific Articles in Dental Journals	10 credit points per article

Important Program Information

1. Credit points are available for participation in non-dental education programs such as practice management, personal development, general nutrition and other general interest topics. There is, however, 20 point limit per 3 year cycle for such topics. Dental topics that do not meet the approved sponsor criteria listed below would fall under this category.
2. Bonus credit points will be awarded for hands-on clinical programs sponsored by accredited North American dental faculties/schools of dentistry. In addition, the Quality Assurance Committee had approved bonus points for specific courses. Members may wish to contact the Professional Practice department at the College to verify that the College has approved bonus points for the hands-on courses they wish to attend. Bonus points will be calculated at one point for every two hours of actual hands-on experience that the participant is involved in. Half points will be rounded-up.
3. The College does not approve specific continuing education programs.

Approved Sponsors
To be eligible for credit, dental programs must be sponsored by:

• a faculty or school of dentistry or medicine
• a body that has been approved by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) or CERP (the ADA/CDA recognition program)
• a national or international dental association (e.g. CDA, ADA, FDI)
• a provincial or state dental association (e.g. ODA, New York State Dental Society) or their component dental societies
• local, provincial, state, national or international dental or medical specialty associations
• Canadian dental or medical regulating authorities (e.g. RCDSO)
• study clubs approved by the Quality Assurance Committee
• an accredited hospital
• a government agency (e.g. public health unit)
• the military
• qualified providers of emergency procedure programs such as CPR, ACLS, and First Aid
• approved sponsors — hands-on courses that received approval for the awarding of bonus points by the Quality Assurance Committee in 2000 or later

Have A Question?
If you have any questions about continuing education credits or your points, please contact:

Joanne Loy
Professional Practice
phone: 416-961-6555, ext. 4703
toll-free: 1-800-565-4591
e-mail: jloy@rcdso.org