The DEA Training Requirement: Who Needs It, and How to Satisfy It
There is one CE requirement dentists ask us about more than any other, and it is not a clinical subject. It is the eight-hour training the DEA expects of practitioners who hold a registration to prescribe controlled substances.
Years after it took effect, we still take calls from dentists who have not heard of it, and from others who have heard of it and assume it does not apply to them. Here is what it is.
What the requirement is
Under the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act — the MATE Act — practitioners applying for a new DEA registration, or renewing an existing one, are required to attest that they have completed eight hours of training on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders.
Three points people routinely get wrong:
- It is a one-time requirement, not a recurring one. Once satisfied and attested, you do not repeat it at every renewal.
- The eight hours do not have to be taken in one sitting, and they can be accumulated from more than one qualifying activity.
- Past training may already count. Relevant training you completed before the requirement existed can count toward the eight hours.
Who it applies to
It applies to DEA-registered practitioners. For dentistry that means anyone holding a DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances — which, for most general dentists, means anyone who writes prescriptions for pain management after extractions or surgical procedures.
If you do not hold a DEA registration, this requirement does not apply to you. If you do, it applies regardless of how rarely you prescribe.
Does it count toward my state CE as well?
Often, yes — and this is the part worth planning around. The federal attestation and your state CE requirement are separate obligations, but the same eight hours can frequently satisfy both, provided the course is from a provider your board accepts. Eight credits is a substantial share of a typical renewal cycle, so taking it from an accredited provider rather than a non-accredited one can be the difference between eight hours that count twice and eight hours that count once.
Our DEA Mandate course is eight credits, delivered as home study, and issues its certificate immediately on completion. Many practitioners pair it with Prescribing Controlled Substances, which several states require as a distinct subject.
What to do now
- Check whether you hold a current DEA registration and when it renews.
- Work out whether you have already completed qualifying training that counts.
- If not, complete the eight hours before your registration renewal comes round — the attestation is made at the point of renewal, and that is a poor moment to discover a gap.
- Keep the certificate. As with all CE, the certificate is what you produce if asked.
Common questions
Is the DEA eight-hour training a one-time requirement?
Yes. Once completed and attested to, it is not repeated at each subsequent registration renewal.
Can the eight hours count toward my state dental CE as well?
Frequently, provided the course comes from a provider your state board accepts. Confirm with your board, as the two obligations are technically separate.
Does the training have to be completed in one session?
No. The hours may be accumulated across more than one qualifying activity.
What if I do not prescribe controlled substances?
The requirement attaches to holding a DEA registration, not to how often you prescribe. If you hold one, it applies.
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