What actions may the board take if an audit shows a deficiency in continuing education hours?

• A. All of the above
• B. Revoke or suspend the dental hygiene license
• C. Fine the dental hygienist
• D. Place the dental hygienist on probation

Answer: (D)

When a continuing education audit reveals a shortfall, the board’s first priority is to secure compliance while allowing the practitioner to continue practicing under oversight. Placing the dental hygienist on probation is the most appropriate immediate remedy. It creates a formal process to cure the deficiency—typically by requiring the missing hours within a set timeframe and establishing terms the licensee must follow, with monitoring and reporting as needed. This approach protects the public by ensuring the hygienist eventually meets the required CE while giving the licensee a clear path to return to full, unrestricted practice if they comply.

More severe actions like revocation or suspension are reserved for more serious or repeated violations or failure to meet probation terms, and fines may be possible in some cases but are not the automatic response to a single CE deficiency. Thus, probation is the standard corrective action for addressing a CE shortfall discovered in an audit. If the licensee complies, probation ends; if not, the board may escalate to harsher sanctions.