Dental Council aims to implement continuing education credits for dental practitioners
The Guyana Dental Council is currently working towards implementing continuing education credits as a requirement for dental practitioners in an effort to ensure better service.
The Guyana Dental Council is responsible for registering dental practitioners and keeps a mandate of to protecting the public from unsafe dental practices. The council operates under the Dental Registration Act 1998.
Chairman of the Guyana Dental Council Dr. Pravesh Harry says the council is aiming to implement continuing education credits.
“One of the goals we have as well where continuing education is concerned is the dental council wishes to see to it that it becomes a requirement for dentists to have a certain number of continuing education credits required by law in order to be registered annually,”
This would mimic continuing medical education (CME) credits, which are educational activities that serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, professional performance, and relationships a physician uses to provide services to patients, the public, and the profession.
Medical professionals must have 12 CME credits before registering with the Medical Council of Guyana.
Dr. Harry noted that dental continuing education credits are common practice globally and are crucial to preserving the quality of dental services provided to the Guyanese community.
“Dentistry is a very fast evolving field. Things that were taught and practiced ten years ago, some of those things have already become antiquated in such a short time as newer materials and techniques are developed. The general population would benefit tremendously from their dentists just keeping current in what they know and what they do.”
