PACE FAQs

PACE guidelines do not restrict the number of subject codes for which a provider can award credit during a particular session. Providers should accurately represent the topic taught. We are aware that there are often several subject areas discussed during a course. If you receive requests to reassign hours after the program is completed, determine if they are reasonable and accurately represent the content; then you can approve the request.

Email membership@agd.org authorizing AGD to make the change. We encourage AGD PACE-approved providers to work with requests on an individual basis whenever possible.

If your organization is offering lecture or participation courses only within one state or province, primarily to participants from one state or province, then you should apply for local approval. All others should apply for national approval. AGD recommends that local providers contact the designated local representatives regarding any review fees or state-specific requirements before submitting the application to the local office.

If your organization has local approval and is expanding to offer courses in more than one state or province, or will be drawing a significant number of attendees from more than one state or province, your organization will need to apply for national approval.

Any organization that offers or plans to offer a program of continuing dental education can apply. All applicants must demonstrate oversight by an independent adviser and adherence to the standards and criteria published in the “AGD PACE Program Guidelines.”

All current AGD providers should receive an email with renewal information at least six months prior to expiration (national providers also receive a notification 11 months prior to expiration). This information will include a link to the current application. Providers should file for renewal at least 90 days before the approval period expires. The three-month time frame allows time to process and address any concerns. Current PACE-approved providers are listed on the AGD website, but it is recommended that providers save their approval confirmation letter, which includes the current term of approval and six-digit ID number, as well as any new information regarding the PACE program.

Accreditation:

• Establishes standards or criteria of academic excellence in collaboration with educational institutions
• Develops procedures that enable institutions to perform an in-depth self-evaluation to determine whether they meet the established standards
• Performs on-site evaluations to determine if the institution meets the established standards
• Publishes a list of institutions that have met these requirements and have been accredited by the agency
• Periodically reviews approved institutions to determine whether they continue to uphold standards of educational quality

All types of accrediting agencies employ these steps, but specific criteria and procedures for inspection or examination may differ. PACE approval is a rigorous process that includes some, but not all, of the steps required by accrediting bodies. Most notably, AGD PACE does not make site visits.

PACE approval:

• Establishes standards or criteria of excellence
• Develops procedures that enable institutions to perform an in-depth self-evaluation to determine whether they meet the established standards
• Publishes a list of organizations that have met these requirements and have been approved by the AGD
• Periodically reviews approved organizations to determine whether they continue to uphold quality standards

AGD does not endorse or claim to support any course content, but we do have a group of appointed dentists who can verify that the content of the programs has a sound scientific basis.

The AGD PACE Program approves organizations, not individuals, so if your organization has a simple name or contact information change, send written notification on the organization’s current letterhead to: 

AGD PACE
560 W. Lake St., Sixth Floor
Chicago, IL 60661-6600

The AGD PACE Program approves organizations, not specific courses. If your organization currently has national PACE approval, you do not need to reapply to issue CE to participants who complete your online program, as long as the program continues to meet published PACE standards. However, you do need to notify us about the change to your program (see the PACE guidelines, Policy Statement on Reporting Substantive Changes). To ensure that your program meets the PACE standards, review Standard XIII, Self-Instruction and Electronically Mediated Programs, and Forms C and D of the current PACE Application for National Approval.

Note: If your organization has only local approval, you will need to apply for national approval. You can download the PACE Application for National Approval or send a request to pace@agd.org.

Your ID number is a six-digit code that is assigned to you when your organization applies for AGD PACE approval. Letters of approval or denial include your AGD PACE Provider ID number. Approved providers can also find their ID number, contact information and term of approval on the PACE website.

AGD members must earn 75 hours of CE with AGD every three years. CE activities conducted by any organization, institution or individual are accepted for AGD membership maintenance credit. For these hours to apply to the Fellowship or Mastership awards, however, the program must have applied for and received AGD PACE approval or national ADA CERP approval.

The course completion/verification code is a random code that the program provider announces toward the end of each course to help verify that each participant has taken part in the entire session or course. A course completion/verification code for each educational activity must be given to the attendees at the end of each course. For each code, we recommend a limit of six characters that are easily identifiable to the program provider. Program providers also must include the verification code when submitting electronic or paper rosters of AGD member participants to AGD.

AGD subject codes correspond to various topics in dentistry and are used to categorize the hours a doctor completes. Subject codes should best reflect the course content. Multiple subject codes can be assigned for one program to accurately represent the content taught.

Yes. At the end of each program, providers should supply each instructor with a letter verifying the number of hours they taught. This letter can be similar to the attendance verification form that providers supply to all course participants. The teaching method must be listed as “teaching,” instead of “lecture” or “participation.” If the instructor is an AGD member, providers should indicate whether this is the first time that the instructor has offered the program. Instructors should check with their local licensing board to determine whether the hours will be accepted for re-licensure credit.

AGD maintains comprehensive CE transcripts for all our members to track hours toward AGD awards and to verify course attendance for re-licensure. PACE-approved providers are required to submit course rosters online within 30 days of course completion so that member transcripts can be accurately updated. There are three ways provider can submit rosters to the AGD: Online Roster, CSV Upload or API submissions. For help in submitting rosters online, please review the Online Roster Submission Guide or the CSV Roster Submission Guide for Continuing Dental Education Providers. For information about submitting rosters using an API process, contact AGD at pace@agd.org. 

Email pace@agd.org with all the information to be changed, along with a contact phone number. We will email confirmation that the change has been made. Only AGD PACE staff are authorized to make changes to rosters because the change often needs to be made on the member record, not the roster itself.

A downloadable list of subject codes identifying general topics is available on the AGD website. Course instructors should determine the subject code(s) when planning a course with the provider. If multiple subjects are addressed within a single course, providers and/or instructors should indicate how much time is spent on each one so the time can be accurately recorded on participant records.

AGD PACE and American Dental Association (ADA) Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP) have similar approval processes. As a result, AGD recognizes CERP-approved providers for Fellowship or Mastership credit. Organizations do not need approval from both organizations to offer Fellowship or Mastership credit. However, many organizations apply for both so they can display both logos and show support for both organizations.

AGD defines sole providers as organizations in which one or two lecturers or authors act as the primary administrative authority. We accept applications for PACE approval from sole providers, but sole providers must develop a planning committee that meets regularly, and at least one member of the committee must be a dentist not directly affiliated with the organization. The committee must maintain minutes from its meetings, which should be attached to the PACE application when applying for participation and continued participation. Sole providers also are required to submit a copy of the instructor(s)’ curriculum vitae (CV) with each application.

Nearly all licensing boards accept credit earned through AGD PACE-approved organizations for re-licensure, but because regulations can change at any time, we recommend that providers or course participants check with their specific licensing boards. Visit the American Association of Dental Boards website to find a complete list of U.S. dental licensing boards. A list of Canadian regulatory boards can be found on the Canadian Dental Association’s website.

Yes. Any person who completes a program should receive a letter of verification confirming the number of hours they completed in the course. If a participant is not a dentist or AGD member, it is their responsibility to maintain the letter in their files. Providers must also maintain a historical file of all attendees.

You’ll need to be able to verify that participants are present for the entire call, which can often be completed through your teleconference software. Another way is through the course verification code. PACE requires all providers to announce a verification code sometime during the course. You can then use this to verify attendance by requiring participants to email the code back to you to receive their letter of attendance verification. Providers using this system should explain the process to participants at the beginning and end of the course.

PACE does not require a specific method of tracking participants other than announcing the verification code; find a method that best fits your organization’s processes. Upon program completion, you can mail or email personalized attendance verification forms to all participants who completed the program. 

CE credit is based on the type of course completed and the number of contact hours a participant spends taking part in the program. Generally one hour of CE credit is awarded for each hour spent in the classroom and cannot include registration, break or lunch times. 

CE credit for self-instruction courses depends on the delivery type. Audio, video or electronically delivered programs with a fixed run time should award credit equal to the length of the instructional time provided. Self-paced, self-instruction programs, such as interactive online courses or journal article reviews, should receive credit based on the provider’s best estimate of the average time spent to complete the program. The maximum number of CE hours awarded for any single activity cannot exceed eight hours. 

Protocol credit is awarded based on the time spent in the initial classroom session. Credit earned for work completed outside of the classroom cannot exceed the actual number of hours spent in the classroom during the initial session.

Scientifically sound information should have peer-reviewed content supported by generally accepted scientific principles or methods that can be substantiated or supported with relevant peer-reviewed scientific literature, or documentation proving that the CE subject material is currently part of the curriculum of an accredited U.S. or Canadian dental education program and, whenever possible, employs components of evidence-based dentistry.

Any relationship in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honorarium, ownership interest, contracted research or other financial benefits should be disclosed.

Current AGD PACE guidelines do not specify the length of time you need to maintain course evaluations. Many organizations either save the copies or compile the results in a report for review at their next advisory/planning committee meeting.

Course evaluation surveys provide information regarding an attendee’s reaction to a specific educational event and may measure if knowledge was increased. Needs assessments surveys can help identify what a professional needs to know in order to grow in their field. Course evaluations can include questions to assess the upcoming needs of attendees, but it is recommended that organizations survey a broader audience to gain a better understanding of the future training needs of the profession. A high-quality needs assessment process can help organizations form a basis for selection of content, instructors, teaching materials, methods and even budgets. 

Providers can search for an attendee’s AGD ID number when they submit a roster online. The final field on the roster submission form accepts a list of attendee ID numbers. To the left of this field is a link that says “Search Members.” Click on this link, and you can enter the attendee’s last name, which will bring up a list. Search the list and click on the name you want to add to your roster. The ID number will automatically be added to your list of attendees.   

When submitting rosters, you only need to submit the names of AGD members. The easiest way to find out if someone is a member is to ask them. Many PACE-approved organizations ask AGD members to sign in so they know which names to submit. Organizations should keep complete rosters with the names of all attendees with their own records. 

If you have additional questions not listed here, email pace@agd.org.

Visit this webpage devoted to the new online national PACE application. If this page does not answer your question, email PACE@agd.org.