CE regulations in our state require that credits are reported in increments of one hour. How can our program comply with the revised CERP Standard?
If you offer CE activities primarily within one state, and that state specifies that CE must be reported in specific increments (whether it be 0.5 hour or 1 hour), you may wish to design courses that meet the minimum length requirement in that state. The revised CERP Standard does not require providers to offer CE activities that are shorter than one hour; it is intended to offer providers greater flexibility in developing a range of CE activities when applicable. Providers must always select educational methodologies and course duration appropriate to an activity’s learning objectives.
If you offer CE activities to an audience from multiple jurisdictions with diverse CE regulations, and you offer activities of various lengths, you may wish to explore options permitting participants to bundle several activities. Credits earned by completing multiple CE activities could be reported in a transcript format.
Providers should also advise potential participants to check with their licensing boards regarding CE requirements. As with any other limits on CE subject matter or format established by local regulation, it is the responsibility of the individual dentist to report CE activities that satisfy those requirements.
Is an evaluation quiz required for a 15-minute video?
CERP Standards require that all CE activities, whether 15 minutes or multiple days in length, must include a mechanism that permits participants to assess mastery of the material, whether the educational objectives were met, and the overall effectiveness of the activity. For self-study activities, it is especially important to include a content-based assessment.
If a CE activity is 10 minutes long, can this activity be designated for 0.25 credits?
No. CE activities must be a minimum of 15 minutes. For live activities this means the instructional time must be at least 15 minutes, not counting registration periods, introductions or breaks. For self-study activities, it must take the average participant 15 minutes to complete all required elements of the activity, for example: watching a video and completing a quiz.
If a CE activity is 50 minutes long, can this activity be designated for 1 CE credit?
In most cases, the provider should round to the nearest quarter hour. For example, if an activity is 95 minutes long, it would be designated for 1.5 CE credits.
An exception to this is when a state’s CE regulations define a credit hour as 50 minutes of instruction. A provider offering CE activities in that state may designate a 50-minute activity for one CE credit.
Are there any unique requirements for short format CE activities?
All CE activities must meet the CERP Recognition Standards and Criteria, including short format activities. For example, all CE activities must include published educational objectives, an evaluation/assessment instrument, disclosure of any commercial support, and disclosure of the instructors’/authors’ relevant financial relationships. No CE activity, including short format activities, may promote proprietary products or services. Videos may not include advertising breaks; self-study publications may not include ads within the content pages of the activity.
