In light of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) would like to share the following information with you regarding offering webinars or other electronically mediated continuing dental education activities:
 
Organizations with NATIONAL PACE Approval are eligible to offer electronically mediated events.  If you have not offered electronically-mediated events in the past, we ask that you review PACE Standard XIII: Self-Instruction and Electronically Mediated Programs.

Organizations with LOCAL PACE Approval were originally given permission to offer electronically mediated events, such as webinars, to local participants through June 30, 2020. Since the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend social distancing, the PACE Council will continue to allow organizations with local approval to offer electronically-mediated events during the pandemic. Locally approved organizations should report to the AGD, in advance, all electronically-mediated courses they are planning. To report these courses, complete the online form available on the AGD website. Locally approved organizations are expected to limit attendees of electronically mediated events to dental professionals within their own state or province and to follow all criteria published in Standard XIII of the PACE Guidelines. The AGD will notify locally approved providers at least sixty days in advance when this permission is rescinded. 

Keep in mind the AGD does not have a recommended platform to offer electronically mediated events.  It is the responsibility of the provider to identify the platform that best fits their needs.

When offering live electronically-mediated events providers must:

• Provide specific hardware and software requirements to attendees in advance of the event.
• Ensure technical assistance is available to participants throughout the duration of the course.
• Embedded advertising or direct commercial links cannot be included within the educational content
• There must be a process to verify attendance of each attendee throughout the program.  To accomplish this it is recommend that providers use polling or chat tools throughout the program to better ensure all attendees are engaged.
• There must be a process where attendees can interact with instructors directly during the program.  Examples, allowing attendees to ask verbal questions, or type questions direct to the instructor or facilitator so questions can be read aloud.

Only locally- approved providers are expected to report these types of programs to the AGD in advance.  All organizations should identify these courses on their annual reports or applications when re-applying.

If providers have any questions they can contact the AGD at pace@agd.org.