Course announcements often mention ADA CERP. Many dentists read it as a stamp of approval on the course itself. It is something different, and knowing the difference helps you choose courses and report credits correctly.
What ADA CERP is
ADA CERP, the Continuing Education Recognition Program, is a service of the American Dental Association. It helps dental professionals identify quality providers of continuing dental education. A commission reviews providers against a set of standards. Providers that meet them receive recognition for a fixed term and must keep meeting the standards to renew.
It recognizes providers, not courses
ADA CERP recognition applies to the organization. It does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors. When a recognized provider runs a course, the provider has agreed to plan and deliver it under ADA CERP standards. The course itself does not carry a separate ADA approval.
What the standards cover
The standards deal with how a provider runs its education. In broad terms they cover:
- Planning activities around the needs of the dentists who attend
- Written learning objectives and evaluation of each activity
- Faculty with relevant qualifications
- Disclosure of faculty financial relationships with commercial interests
- Control of commercial support so that sponsors do not shape the content
- Records of activities, attendance and credits awarded
For you, this means a recognized provider has committed to processes that protect the quality and independence of what you learn.
It does not guarantee your board will accept the credits
Each licensing board or regulator sets its own CE rules. ADA CERP recognition does not imply that a board will accept credit hours from a course. If you need credits for a particular license, check that authority’s requirements before you register.
How to check a provider’s status
ADA CERP publishes a searchable list of recognized providers on its website. Search for the provider’s name and check that the recognition term is current. A2Z Dental Academy appears on that list, with a recognition term running from 1 November 2025 to 31 December 2029. The link to our listing is on our Accreditation Standards page.
Joint providership
Sometimes a course is offered by an organization without its own recognition, together with a recognized provider. This is joint providership. The recognized provider remains responsible for making sure the activity meets the standards. The announcement should name both organizations.
A short checklist before you register
- Is the provider named on the ADA CERP list, with a current term?
- Does the announcement state the credit hours?
- Are faculty disclosures and any commercial support stated?
- Will your licensing authority accept the credits?
Where to raise concerns
If you have a concern about a CE provider, raise it with the provider first. You can also direct concerns or complaints to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at ADA.org/CERP.
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