Colorado CE Requirements Verbiage
Below are the CE requirements for the State of Colorado. To confirm that you meet these requirements or if you have any questions, please reach out to the Colorado dental board.
Disclaimer: This data is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.”
Renewal Period: May 1, 2025
License Period: 2 years
Dentist
- Dentists, academic dentists, and dental therapists must complete at least 30 hours of CE during each two-year license period.
- A..Clinical/Science-Based: At least 16 of the required 30 CE hours must be clinical or science-based, or eight (8) of the required 15 if licensed outside of one (1) year of the license date.
- B. Live and Interactive: At least 50% of the required CE hours must be live and interactive. This may include web-based courses. Interaction meeting this requirement includes the opportunity and ability for course participants to ask questions in real-time, and for the instructor to answer participant questions in real-time.
- C. Presenting: A presenter of courses may submit course hours he/she presented, up to six (6) total credits, towards his/her CE requirement. The presenter may receive credit one (1) time for each course presented in a renewal period, up to six (6) total credits for that license period.
- D. Basic Life Support (BLS): Current Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers is required of all licensees, and all licensees will receive a maximum of 2 hours of continuing education credit (not to be applied towards the renewal of an anesthesia permit) for successful completion.
- E. Basic Life Support (BLS) generally refers to the type of care that first responders, healthcare providers, and public safety professionals provide to anyone experiencing cardiac arrest, respiratory distress, or an obstructed airway. It requires knowledge and skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using automated external defibrillators (AED), and relieving airway obstructions in patients of every age.
- F. Basic Life Support (BLS) training courses shall be consistent with the most current science and treatment recommendations from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), Consensus on Science and Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR), and the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC):
- G. Initial training shall include a minimum of three (3) hours of training, including skills practice and skills testing.
- H. Renewal courses shall include a minimum of two (2) hours of training, including skills practice and testing.
- Substance Use Prevention Training: Every Dentist and Academic Dentist, regardless of the date of licensure, is required to complete at least one (1) hour of training per license period to demonstrate competency pertaining to:
- Best practices for opioid prescribing Potential harm of inappropriately limiting prescriptions to chronic pain patients Best practices for prescribing benzodiazepines Recognition of substance use disorders Referral of patients with substance use disorders for treatment Use of the electronic prescription drug monitoring program
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Substance Use Prevention Training includes but is not limited to relevant continuing education courses, self-study of relevant scholarly articles or relevant policies/guidelines, peer review proceedings that involve opioid prescribing, attendance at a relevant conference (or portion of a conference), teaching a relevant class/course, or participation in a relevant presentation, such as with your practice.
All substance use prevention training that also meets the continuing education requirements specified above may be applied to a licensee’s continuing education renewal requirements. Dentists and Academic Dentists who meet one of the following conditions may be exempt from Substance Use Prevention Training:
Maintain a national board certification that requires equivalent substance use prevention training Attest to the Board that they do not prescribe opioids.
- Documentation and Audits of Compliance: A licensee must maintain copies of all completed Board-approved coursework, including any certificates of completion, for at least two (2) license periods after the continuing education was completed. The records shall document the licensee's course attendance and participation, and shall include at a minimum the licensee's name, course sponsor, title, date(s), hours, and the course verification of completion certificate or form.
Dental Hygienist
- Dental hygienists must also complete at least 30 hours of CE during each two-year license period
- A. Clinical/Science-Based: At least 16 of the required 30 CE hours must be clinical or science-based, or eight (8) of the required 15 if licensed outside of one (1) year of the license date.
- B. Live and Interactive: At least 50% of the required CE hours must be live and interactive. This may include web-based courses. Interaction meeting this requirement includes the opportunity and ability for course participants to ask questions in real-time, and for the instructor to answer participant questions in real-time.
- C. Presenting: A presenter of courses may submit course hours he/she presented, up to six (6) total credits, towards his/her CE requirement. The presenter may receive credit one (1) time for each course presented in a renewal period, up to six (6) total credits for that license period.
- D. Basic Life Support (BLS): Current Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers is required of all licensees, and all licensees will receive a maximum of 2 hours of continuing education credit (not to be applied towards the renewal of an anesthesia permit) for successful completion.
- E. Basic Life Support (BLS) generally refers to the type of care that first responders, healthcare providers, and public safety professionals provide to anyone who is experiencing cardiac arrest, respiratory distress, or an obstructed airway. It requires knowledge and skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using automated external defibrillators (AED), and relieving airway obstructions in patients of every age.
- F. Basic Life Support (BLS) training courses shall be consistent with the most current science and treatment recommendations from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), Consensus on Science and Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR), and the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC):
- G. Initial training shall include a minimum of three (3) hours of training, including skills practice and skills testing.
- H. Renewal courses shall include a minimum of two (2) hours of training, including skills practice and testing.
- Documentation and Audits of Compliance:
- A licensee must maintain copies of all completed Board-approved coursework, including any certificates of completion, for at least two (2) license periods after the continuing education was completed. The records shall document the licensee's course attendance and participation and shall include at a minimum the licensee's name, course sponsor, title, date(s), hours, and the course verification of completion certificate or form.
Recommended Courses
Armed Intruder - 1 CEU
Domestic Violence- 3 CEU
Bloodborne Pathogens Training- 2 CEU
Resource Links
Frequently Asked Questions
All dentists in the state of Colorado are required to have CPR, Anesthesia and Sedation, Substance Use Prevention, opioid prescribing.
All dental hygienist in the state of Colorado are required to have CPR and renewal courses shall include a minimum of 2 hours of training, including skills practice and testing.
A total of 30 CEs is required for each license renewal period.
A total of 30 CEs is required for each license renewal period.
Dental AssistEd offers CE courses which are PACEÂ certified through the Academy of General Dentistry.
Dental AssistEd offers an OSHA certification course Here
Dental AssistEd offers a HIPAA certification course Here
Dental AssistEd offers a sexual harassment prevention training certification course Here
Dental AssistEd offers a Bloodborne pathogens certification course  Here
Dental AssistEd offers an opioid training certification course Here
Dental AssistEd offers an Equity for & Bias against LGBTQ certification course Here
Dental AssistEd offers an Armed Intruder certification course Here