Washington CE Requirements

• Registered Dental Assistant

• Expanded Function Dental Assistant

CE Required: Complete one hour of current infection prevention standards education annually provided by a qualified individual or organization.

Infection prevention standards education must include:

(a) Standard precautions and prevention of disease transmission;

(b) Prevention of cross-contamination;

(c) Practitioner safety and personal protection equipment;

(d) Hand hygiene;

(e) Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette;

(f) Sharps safety and safe injection practices;

(g) Sterilization and disinfection of patient care items and devices;

(h) Environmental infection prevention and control;

(i) Dental unit water quality; and

(j) The requirements in the infection control rules found in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 246-817-601 through 246-817-660).

Dental Anesthesia Assistant

CE Required: 14 hours every three years

Required Topics: Continuing education must include a minimum of two hours of approved health equity training. Two hours of health equity training will be granted towards the 14 hour continuing education requirement. Additional continuing education must involve direct application of dental anesthesia assistant knowledge and skills in one or more of the following categories:

(a) General anesthesia

(b) Moderate sedation

(c) Physical evaluation

(d) Medical emergencies

(e) Health care provider basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), or pediatric advanced life support (PALS);

(f) Monitoring and use of monitoring equipment

(g) Pharmacology of drugs; and agents used in sedation and anesthesia

Limitations:

• A maximum of two hours may be obtained through self-study using books, research materials, and other publications.
• A maximum of two hours may be obtained through self-study using multimedia devices.
• A maximum of four hours may be obtained through distance learning, which includes, but is not limited to, correspondence courses, webinars, print, audio/video broadcasting, audio/video teleconferencing, computer aided instruction, e-learning/online learning, or computer broadcasting/webcasting.
  

Additional Requirement: A dental anesthesia assistant must complete one hour of current infection prevention standards education annually provided by a qualified individual or organization (see list under “Registered Dental Assistant” and “Expanded Function Dental Assistant” above for required content of educational program).