Dear Mr. Crepon,



I am responding to your email to Commissioner Pino regarding continuing education requirements for dentists and other dental professionals.



A dentists must complete continuing education in three of the 10 mandatory topics prescribed by the Commissioner in consultation with the Dental Commission pursuant to Section 20-126c of the Connecticut General Statutes.  Cultural competency is one of 10 mandatory topics for continuing education prescribed.     Therefore, a dentist may or may not choose cultural competency as one of the three topics required to fulfill continuing education requirements.



Cultural competency is a required continuing education topic for dental hygienists pursuant to Section 20-126l of the Connecticut General Statutes.



Connecticut General Statutes Sec 20-126c outline the continuing education requirements for dentists:

https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_379.htm#sec_20-126c



Connecticut General Statutes Sec 20-126l outline the continuing education requirements for dental hygienists:

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2018/sup/chap_379a.htm



Here is a link to the DPH website that describes dentist continuing education requirements:

https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Practitioner-Licensing--Investigations/Dentist/Dentist-Continuing-Education-Information



The Department and the Dental Commission do not select specific courses that a dentist must take to fulfill continuing education requirements.   Per the statute, “Qualifying continuing education activities include, but are not limited to, courses, including on-line courses, offered or approved by the American Dental Association or state, district or local dental associations and societies affiliated with the American Dental Association; national, state, district or local dental specialty organizations or the American Academy of General Dentistry; a hospital or other health care institution; dental schools and other schools of higher education accredited or recognized by the Council on Dental Accreditation or a regional accrediting organization; agencies or businesses whose programs are accredited or recognized by the Council on Dental Accreditation; local, state or national medical associations; a state or local health department; or the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education”.  This language says “include, but are not limited to” and therefore a licensee can identify potential courses from other sources.



Here is a link to the Department’s Office of Health Equity web page: https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Workforce--Professional-Development/Office-of-Health-Equity/Office-of-Health-Equity



There may be information here that can assists in gaining an understanding of how a culturally competent health care work force can help in addressing the ongoing health disparities that generally impact racial and ethnic minorities as well as other populations such as those with lower socioeconomic status, sexual minorities, immigrants, and those living with mental illness.



I hope this information is helpful.



Sincerely,

Chris



Christian D. Andresen, Section Chief

Practitioner Licensing & Investigations

Connecticut Department of Public Health

410 Capitol Avenue

Hartford, CT 06134

Phone - 860-509-7414

Fax - 860-707-1984

Chris.andresen@ct.gov