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How can CDE be earned?
Are CDE credits good for more than one year?
What type of documentation is acceptable for proof of CDE participation?
Why is there mandatory CPR? And what happens if my CPR certification is good for two years?
Will DANB accept a stress management course or practice management course?
Why are there annual maximums for number of credits earned in many of the CDE categories?
How should Certificants complete the CDE Recording Form?
When will I receive my renewal certificate and wallet card?
Why am I being audited?
How does the audit process work?
Why would a Certificant fail an audit?
How do I reinstate my DANB Certification if I allowed it to lapse?
For more information, call 1-800-FOR-DANB or Click Here to email the Assistant Director of Recertification .
How can CDE be earned?
DANB's Recertification Requirements offer many options to earn CDE, such as college courses, conventions, teaching CDE, taking/passing a DANB exam, reading dental journals, home study courses, or online courses. Please see DANB's 2010 Recertification Requirements for CDE categories and credit maximums.
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Are CDE credits good for more than one year?
Yes. Any credits that are earned in excess of the number required in that year can be carried over to the next renewal period. When you are carrying over credits, proof of participation must be provided for the year the credits were earned and the year being audited.
For example, a CDA has 18 credits (all of which comply with the Recertification Requirements and credits maximums). Twelve (12) would be acceptable for 2009. The remaining 6 are applied toward 2010. If the CDA is audited for 2009, only 12 credits must be submitted. If the CDA is audited in 2010, the 12 credits counted in 2009 plus the 6 carried over from 2009 and the other 6 earned in 2010 must be submitted because credits were carried from one renewal period to another.
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What type of documentation is acceptable for proof of CDE participation?
Acceptable proof of participation is a certificate or letter from the sponsor of the program, a DANB approval number for the course, or college transcript. For courses attended at a convention, send the CDE printout from the meeting. If the meeting does not provide printouts, note the course completion number given at the end of the presentation next to the entry in the program guide. A copy of your name badge serves as proof of attendance at courses or exhibits.
Some Certificants continue to remit the 3x5 CDE Recording Cards. These cards are no longer valid–DANB eliminated the cards many years ago. Certificants should discard these CDE cards. DANB does not record, retain, or return any unsolicited proof of CDE credits earned (a policy that has been in effect and in print since 1997 as part of the Recertification Requirements).
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Why is there mandatory CPR? And what happens if my CPR certification is good for two years?
Dental assistants are responsible for patient care and in an emergency, perhaps the only ones that can attend to the patient immediately. For example, an emergency occurs while the dentist is with a patient in exam room 2 while the CDA is attending to the patient in exam room 1. The CDA is closest to the patient and can administer care or CPR as appropriate.
Two-(2) year CPR card holders can only apply the credits to DANB recertification in the year CPR is earned. In the second year, CPR credits will not count and the Certificant must earn the full number of credits from other categories. For example, a COA earned 2-year CPR Certification in 2009 through a 4-credit course. The COA would only need to earn 8 additional credits to meet the 2009 CDE requirements.
However, in 2010 the COA would need to earn the full 12 CDE credits to meet the requirement; DANB would not accept the credits for CPR earned in 2009. It is important to note that if the Certificant is audited, proof of a current CPR card, earned through participation in a DANB-accepted CPR course, must be provided.
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Will DANB accept a stress management course or practice management course?
DANB will accept the course under the non-clinical category (Category #3 formerly Electives). DANB allows three (3) credits of CDE in Category #3 for CDAs, COAs, or COMSAs. For CDPMAs, DANB allows up to six (6) credits of CDE in this category.
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Why are there annual maximums for number of credits earned in many of the CDE categories?
DANB hears “Why can’t I earn all of my credits in practice management? Front desk duties are part of my job.” or “I don’t chairside anymore, I run the front desk.” or “I went on an international mission and volunteered for 2 weeks, how come I can’t earn 12 credits for that?”
The DANB CDA and COA exams (and formerly the COMSA exam) focus on clinical duties. Therefore, it is important that knowledge in all areas of dentistry, not just one, is obtained. While a CDA’s, COA’s, or COMSA’s tasks may include administrative duties, the primary role of a CDA, COA or COMSA is direct clinical patient care. ONLY CDPMA’s are allowed to earn six (6) credits annually in Category 3 non-clinical courses because management, computer software training, insurance courses, etc. are certification-specific.
Technology in dentistry changes every day and responsible dental assistants should educate themselves about those changes in order to continue to be an effective, valuable member to the profession and the dental care team.
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How should Certificants complete the CDE Recording Form?
The CDE Recording Form is on the last page (page 12) of DANB's 2010 Recertification Requirements booklet.
Information should be itemized as follows:- Column 1 (date) - Enter the date that the DANB Certificant attended or completed a course, seminar, etc.
- Column 2 (credits) - Enter the number of credits earned in compliance with DANB's Recertification Requirements.
- Column 3 (category) - Enter the category number that corresponds with DANB's Recertification Requirements.
- Column 4 (sponsor) - Enter the name of the person or company that presented or provided the course.
- Column 5 (program title) - Enter the title of the course.
Refer to the DANB Recertification Requirements while completing your CDE Recording Form to ensure that the credits you are submitting are in compliance. Keep in mind, certain CDE categories have annual maximums. Proof of participation (copies of certificates, attendance forms, etc.) must be provided to earn credit when audited. Do not send proof unless you receive notification from DANB.
Be sure to review the DANB Recertification Requirements each year. The DANB Certificant Services Committee reviews DANB's Recertification Requirements annually to determine if changes should be made due to changes in the profession, from Certificant feedback, and trends in the dental community.
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When will I receive my renewal certificate or wallet card?
The entire process from DANB’s receipt of payment to the Certificant’s receipt of certificate takes approximately 4-6 weeks. This time frame includes processing, data entry, and certificate printing and mailing. The 4-6 week time frame still applies if a renewal payment is made at the end of the 3-month grace period.
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Why am I being audited?
DANB randomly selects Certificants for Verification (audit) of CDE. Although the renewal fee has been paid and the Certificant has attested to earning CPR and CDE, DANB performs an audit to verify the signed statement. The 3-month grace period applies to those being audited.
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How does the audit process work?
A randomly selected group of Certificants receives letters requesting proof of CDE. Certificants simply submit proof of education/attendance in compliance with the Recertification Requirements (see accepted documentation under each category) with a completed CDE form for DANB review.
Once DANB has reviewed and approved the audit, the Certificant receives a new certificate within 3-4 weeks.
If the submitted credits do not comply with the appropriate number of credits per category/meet DANB Recertification Requirements, or proof is not provided, the Certificant receives a Non-Compliance letter indicating the deficiency in the audit. The Certificant is encouraged to submit additional proof or in some cases use the grace period to earn additional credits to comply. Once the audit is approved, a new certificate is processed.
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Why would a Certificant fail an audit?
There are many reasons a Certificant might fail a DANB audit:- Failure to include proof of CDE participation.
- Submitting credits earned outside of the renewal period being audited.
- Earning too many credits in a category that has a maximum.
- Not submitting enough credits.
- Submitting proof of attending courses not compliant with the current DANB Recertification Requirements.
If a Certificant “fails” the audit, materials will be returned with a letter indicating what steps are to be taken in order to pass the audit. Certificants may use their three-month grace period (past the expiration date) to earn credits, provide proof, etc. in order to comply (and pass) the audit.
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How do I reinstate my DANB Certification if I allowed it to lapse?
Lapsed DANB Certificants can become recertified, depending on how long certification has been expired. If your DANB Certification has lapsed and you would like to recertify, please contact DANB's Assistant Director, Recertification at 1-800-FOR-DANB x445 (1-800-367-3262 x445).
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