2023
Continuing Education Resources { Act 124 of 2016 }
Pennsylvania enacted a new law requiring all licensees considered to be“ prescribers” or“ dispensers” of controlled substances to complete at least two hours of board-approved continuing education credits in pain management or identification of addiction or the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids, as a condition of renewal every two years.
There are two exemptions for licensees:
• Licensees who are exempt from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency ' s( DEA) requirements for a registration number.
• Licensees who do not use the registration number of another person or entity, as permitted by law, to prescribe controlled substances in any manner.
The continuing education( CE) requirement does apply to all licensees who have a current DEA registration or use another DEA number( as permitted by law) to prescribe controlled substances. The CE requirement is in effect with the 2019-2020 renewal period.
DEA Medication Access and Training Expansion( MATE) Act
Under the federal MATE Act of 2022, all practitioners applying for or renewing a DEA registration must have a minimum of eight hours training on:
• the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, or
• safe pharmacological management of dental pain.
Beginning June 27, 2023, practitioners will be required to affirm on their initial or renewal DEA application whether they have completed the one-time training. The date in which practitioners must complete the one-time training depends on each practitioner’ s renewal deadline or date they initially apply.
According to the DEA:
• Training can occur in multiple sessions.
• Previous training from a qualified entity before the law’ s effective date of December 22, 2022, will count.
• Training may take place in-person or virtually.
• Practitioners who completed eight hours of relevant coursework at an accredited dental school within five years of June 27, 2023, automatically satisfy the requirement.
It is also important to note that Pennsylvania’ s own requirement for dentists to obtain two hours of opioidrelated CE will count toward the DEA’ s new one-time eight-hour training requirement.
PDA offers CE courses that meet the state’ s requirements. Visit padental. org / availableCE
2023