ADA commission adopts revised CE standards
The Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition reduced the number of standards a continuing education provider needs to meet to receive ADA CERP approval.
Commission members believe this change, adopted at its Sept. 26-27 meeting, will allow CE providers greater latitude in demonstrating how their unique programs meet the core requirements. In reducing the number of standards, the commission focused on criteria essential for the delivery of effective CE.
“This change is a new emphasis on evaluating the effectiveness of CE programs,” said Kecia Leary, CCERP chair and an associate dean of clinics and clinical professor of pediatric dentistry at the University of Iowa. “CE providers have always sought to evaluate their return on investment for CE programming. Incorporating measures of the knowledge, skills or practices achieved by learners in their CE activities can yield valuable information on the impact a provider’s CE programming might have on professional practice or potentially on patient care.”
The new framework consists of five standards instead of the current 14, and the number of individual criteria a provider must meet has been reduced from 104 to 17. The commission’s action is the culmination of several years’ work where they received feedback from CE providers and other stakeholders who emphasized the need for streamlining and reducing complexity in recognition processes. The commission also learned from CE accrediting agencies in other health professions, including the Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education and Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, identifying commonalities and best practices in accreditation and continuing professional education.
“The commission is made of member dentists that comprises representatives appointed by the Association and all the ADA recognized specialty organizations,” said Dr. Leary. “The goal of the commission is to maintain the highest standards for continuing education. This ensures the public and our patients that dentists and allied oral health providers that receive continuing education from CERP recognized providers receive this education from organizations that strive for quality in their educational endeavors”
Through an application and review process, organizations that offer continuing dental education may apply for ADA CERP recognition. Providers are evaluated for their compliance with the ADA CERP standards. Those that demonstrate that they meet the requirements are designated as ADA CERP recognized providers.
CE credits issued by ADA CERP recognized providers are accepted by the boards of dentistry in the United States and in several Canadian provinces towards CE requirements in those licensing jurisdictions. There are currently 487 ADA CERP approved providers of CE.
The revised ADA CERP standards will take effect on June 1, 2026, giving CE providers time to familiarize themselves with the new standards and bring their programs into compliance. The commission will host a series of webinars and informational sessions leading up to the implementation date to help educators and planners navigate the new requirements.
The commission is also redesigning the ADA CERP application process to reflect the revised standards, which will debut in January 2027.
For more information about the revised ADA CERP Standards, professionals can visit the CCEPR website at CCEPR.ADA.org.
