Continuing Dental Education

The Department of Dental Hygiene at The University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque strives to improve and enhance oral health care through education, research and patient care. The department is committed to providing continuing dental education (CDE) to practicing dental hygienists, dentists, dental technicians and dental assistants so that they maintain and continuously improve their knowledge and skills throughout their professional lives.

The CDE program ranges in scope from clinical and laboratory education to formal conferences with internationally recognized speakers. CDE focuses efforts on providing education to New Mexicans, but encourages national and international attendance. The program's goals are to:

• Improve the knowledge and clinical skills of dental professionals
• Introduce dental professionals to new ideas and techniques as they become available
• Develop and maintain lifelong habits of study, education and receptivity to changing ideas in the practice of dental hygiene and dentistry
• Encourage understanding of the ethical and legal issues affecting the practice of dental hygiene and dentistry

Foster interdisciplinary education and promote collaborative practice for under served communities CDE activities and services include hands-on clinical experiences, targeted training in new therapeutic techniques, lectures, panel discussions, workshops, symposia and the use of electronic technology.

Continuing Education Courses

If you do not see a continuing education event scheduled or listed below, please complete this Continuing Education Interest Form and we will notify you when we schedule the next event of interest.

Jurisprudence

Dental Professional Jurisprudence/Ethics Workshop

Event Details:

• This event was recorded live on Friday, June 5, 2026.
• The recording is available for purchase for 2 CE's, and is available to view through December 31, 2026.
  
  • The CE certificate is noted as "Recorded Live" and earned on the date the post-workshop survey is submitted.
• Upon purchase, an email is sent with recording link and the survey.

Register here!

Informative Poster Sessions

A community event where students present research projects on dental hygiene current topics. 

When: Thursday, April 2027

Where: Novitski Hall - 900 Yale Blvd NE

CEU's: 2

Perio Symposium

Future Perio Symposiums are in the works. Our first Perio Symposium for the practicing dental hygienist included topics such as:

• The New Era of Periodontal Disease
• Updated Periodontal Staging & Grading
• Salivary Diagnostics & Perio Therapy

Future Perio Symposium information coming soon.

If you have any questions, please reach out at dentalhygiene@salud.unm.edu or call 505-272-4513

Laser Certification Course

This course will cover laser safety and use in dental hygiene. This laser training will include both theory and hands-on clinical simulation and practice and will satisfy the NM Board of Dental Health Care requirements. 

When: June 2027

Local Anesthesia for the Dental Hygienist

The next workshop will be scheduled for spring 2027. If interested in future workshops, please fill out this Continuing Education Interest Form Please check back in the future for updates.

Local anesthesia for the practicing dental hygienist is a 5 day local aneesthesia course that prepares the practicing dental hygienist to take the CDCA-WREB-CITA Local Anesthesia Examination or equivalent examination.

National Conference for Dental Public Health Educators

Updates coming Soon!

More information on our website!

Summer Symposium

The Division of Dental Hygiene hosted the Focus on the Future [PDF] Summer Symposium in 2018 and published the white paper from this symposium in the Summer of 2019. This was the beginning of a state-wide initiative to strengthen the viability of the dental hygiene profession in New Mexico, unify the voice of dental hygienists in New Mexico and improve the oral health of all New Mexicans. No current schedule.