It doesn’t have to be a mentally draining process to obtain continuing education credits. The evolution of technology within our dental careers has allowed for easier access to continuing education opportunities, including blended learning experiences.
Many states allow dental hygienists to receive CE via reading, online education, and home-study platforms. Live seminars remain an excellent way to enhance your knowledge and obtain those necessary CE, but let’s review some of the options available.
Attend a Dental Conference
Although attending a dental conference may not be available to everyone, it is a worthwhile mention. A dental conference allows for the completion of several continuing education credits in a single day or weekend.
In addition to obtaining a multitude of CE credits, attending a dental conference has the potential to reignite motivation and inspiration within your career. An additional bonus to attending a conference is networking among dental professionals with the potential of making new friends.
Online
In today’s world, a dental hygienist could obtain the majority of their continuing education credits fully online. Numerous websites, such as CE Zoom, offer online continuing education credits. CE Zoom, for example, has features that allow dental hygienists to track their progress and save their cumulative number of credits.
There is no shortage of credible websites that offer numerous webinars throughout a calendar year. Many of these courses are completely free. These online courses allow enhanced flexibility in that they can be accessed anywhere and at any time.
In some states, it may be a requirement to obtain a certain number of live CE credits. It’s important to fully understand the requirements of the state in which you’re practicing. Keep updated with your state’s requirements by checking your state dental board’s website and your state’s dental practice act.
Corporate Connections
Scheduling lunch & learns is a great way to obtain continuing education credits. Connect with local representatives and line up products you may be interested in learning more about. A multitude of options are available, including whitening product companies, toothbrushes, and oral care companies, and various instrument companies.
Corporate seminars are great opportunity to broaden your knowledge of the latest trends and products as it’s an ever-evolving aspect of dentistry. Several dental companies are aware of the continuing education requirements for dental hygienists and cater their courses to those needs such as offering an infection control course. Many of these corporations present live, in-person, but some may offer video or audio presentations.
Podcasts
A trailblazing trend for oral health-care providers is the introduction of educational podcasts. Consider listening to a podcast such as “A Tale of Two Hygienists,” which will provide continuing education credits just for listening!
It’s an efficient and effective way to enhance your knowledge and stay up to date on the latest oral health protocols and products. At the end of the podcast, you’ll be required to complete a simple test prior to being awarded your certificate of completion for your credits.
Networking
Staying connected to your local community of dental hygienists may provide an opportunity for many local educational events. Dental hygiene communities have offered yoga classes designed for the dental hygienist, wine and painting classes with continuing education incorporated, and nature hikes that end with an outdoor lecture.
Another great outlet to check for is local events of the dental hygiene program in your area. Contacting their office is a great resource as they are often well connected to volunteering opportunities and have a constant rotation of dental company representatives that present to their students.
Another element of networking that has been introduced is the wonderful world of social media. Joining one of the positive dental hygiene Facebook pages or groups could allow opportunity to stay well-informed about a variety of continuing education opportunities across the nation.
