Continuing Education

Now Available: Continuing Education Credits

Click On Titles for Details and Links

Authored by: James J. Crall, DDS, ScD

Value considerations are taking on growing importance in efforts to reform and improve the U.S. health care system, including oral health care. As a result, there is increasing interest in understanding the concept of value as it relates to dental care and its application to clinical practice and third-party benefits. This Quality Resource Guide (QRG) provides a foundation and overview of current major initiatives being pursued to advance increased value in health care, including oral health care. The dynamic and profound changes that are occurring throughout the U.S. health care system are discussed, “value” as it pertains to healthcare is defined, current understanding of consumer’s perspectives of value in their healthcare is considered and current efforts to increase value in healthcare are discussed in detail. The potential implications of current directions to dental practice and health care payment plans are explored. The QRG will serve as an important resource for members of the dental team as they consider the foundation of value decisions in health care and their potential impact on care delivery for their patients in the future.

Click Here To View Guide

Authored by: Stanley F. Malamed, D.D.S.

Local anesthetics form the backbone of pain control techniques in dentistry. Used properly, local anesthetics are the safest and most effective drugs for the prevention and management of peri- and post-operative pain. This Quality Resource Guide (QRG) provides an evidence-based review of the evolution and clinical characteristics of local anesthetic solutions available in North America and discusses their differences in metabolism. An in-depth discussion of local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST), its prevention, recognition and management provide guidance that should be periodically reviewed by all dental practitioners. Recent advances in local anesthetics, including articaine, the use of buffering solutions and the role of phentolamine in reversing local anesthesia are thoroughly assessed. The QRG will serve as an important update resource for practitioners administering local anesthetics and a useful periodic review.

Click Here To View Guide

Authored by: Rachel C. Kearney, BDH, MS

National standards to provide security for a patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI) result from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Since the law was passed, there have been many updates to define the standards for healthcare providers and others with access to people’s health information. This Quality Resource Guide (QRG) is designed to be an introduction to HIPAA for dental office staff members new to the environment of health care. It explains the relationship of HIPAA to dental practices, describes what health information is considered to be protected, presents the HIPAA policies and procedures required for a dental office, and illustrates violations that may occur along with actions that must be taken if a breach of information is discovered. The QRG includes a comprehensive Privacy Compliance Checklist to assist the office in determining whether they are compliant with HIPAA Privacy Rules. A FAQ section provides answers to HIPAA questions that often arise. The QRG will serve as an essential part of a new staff member’s orientation as well as a resource supporting periodic office updates regarding patient information security.

Click Here To View Guide

Authored by: Maria T. Fluent, DDS, CDIPC

The U.S.Center for Disease Control Guidelines state that each dental office should assign at least one person as an infection control coordinator (ICC). The ICC should understand the modes of cross-contamination in dentistry, current infection prevention policies, products/equipment available to maintain staff and patient safety, and agencies' policies/guidelines that impact infection prevention and safety in dental practice. While the ICC is responsible for coordinating the infection prevention program, the entire dental team must be committed and accountable to comply with the office’s written infection control program. This Quality Resource Guide (QRG) discusses regulatory and advisory agencies that impact infection prevention in dentistry, the role and responsibilities of the infection control coordinator, the precautions needed to prevent disease transmission in the dental setting and provides current updates for infection prevention policies and protocols. This QRG will serve as an essential resource for the dental office ICC and all office team members during new staff members’ orientation, as well as periodic office updates regarding infection control.

Click Here To View Guide

The MetLife Quality Initiatives Program is recognized by the following organizations to award continuing education credits for its educational offerings:

American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP) 05/01/21 - 06/30/25
Academy of General Dentistry

In addition, dentists in the states of California and Florida have unique requirements for licensure purposes. The MetLife Quality Initiatives Program is recognized by the Dental Board of California (RP4331) and Florida Board of Dentistry (50-37446).

Dentists and allied health care professionals can earn continuing education credits by participating in educational offerings sponsored by the MetLife Quality Initiatives Program.

Continuing education is an integral part of staying current on clinical and professional developments. Practicing and Academic dentists who serve on the MetLife Dental Advisory Council meet regularly to review quality data and the educational needs identified by dentists participating in the Preferred Dentist Program. Educational offerings are developed as a result of this needs assessment.

You can participate in the needs assessment by completing the evaluation form that accompanies the guide(s) you review. You will be asked about topics for future guides. Your comments are shared with the guide's author. Guides are updated every three years, and more often when changes in dentistry indicate.

MetLife Quality Resource Guides (QRG) are self-study courses authored by full time members of a dental school faculty or dentists who hold a prominent position with a national dental organization (e.g. NIDCR, ADA) or professionals who have published in the subject area. Guides undergo an extensive peer review process prior to publication.

CE credits are FREE to dentists and office staff in the MetLife programs as a benefit of participation. Non-participating dentists can access MetLife educational offerings at no charge. If a non-participating dentist desires educational credits, he or she will be prompted to provide credit card information prior to the post-test being processed.

Click Here to view Quality Resource Guides.