Most people think that once they start working fulltime their formal education is over. However, for many professions this is not the case. Continued education is especially important in fields where technology changes rapidly such as medicine. For example a Dentist’s education continues throughout his entire professional lifetime. Continuing one’s dental education is important because new procedures and technologies are constantly being developed. In order to offer the best patient care, knowing the latest technology is necessary.
While it would be nice if all dentists wanted to continue their dental education, interest does not matter as the state mandates that education continues throughout their careers. All dentists must achieve a set amount of CE credits. In the state of NY dentists must complete 60 hours of continuing education every three years. The state also mandates that all dentists take the following classes; oral health effects of tobacco and tobacco products, dental jurisprudence and ethics, and CPR. These classes help ensure that all dentists are kept up-to-date.
While these three classes are important they do not add up to 60 hours. There are many ways to continue your dental education and receive CE credits from lectures and seminars to online classes. The Academy of General Dentistry offers users different ways to achieve CE credits. It even has a section on the website so that dentists can manage their credits while continuing their dental education.
As you can see continuing education is important to the dentistry community as well as the medical community at large. Dentists who take these requirements seriously not only benefit themselves but also the standard of care they are able to offer their patients.
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