New One-time DEA Training Requirement for All Prescribers
On Dec. 29, 2022, Section 1263 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 enacted a new one-time,
eight-hour training requirement for all Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered
practitioners on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance-use disorders.
The
DEA recently released guidance on the new one-time training requirement. To comply
with this new requirement, all prescribers must attest to meeting the training
requirement by checking a box on their DEA registration form. This applies to
initial registrations and renewals, meaning this applies to both currently graduating
students and all other prescribers. The new training requirement goes into effect on June 27, 2023.
The guidance allows dental schools to certify that their currently graduating students
and former students who graduated within five years of June 27, 2023, meet the
required eight-hour training requirement. The types of classes that meet the training requirement are as follows:
- The class(es) must total at least
eight hours of training. One class or a combination of classes can be used to
satisfy the eight-hour training requirement; AND
- The class subject matter must be on:
-
Treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, including
the appropriate clinical use of all drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration
for the treatment of a substance use disorder; OR
-
Safe pharmacological management of dental pain and screening, brief intervention
and referral for appropriate treatment of patients with or at risk of developing
opioid and other substance use disorders.
Note that
the DEA has given dental schools significant flexibility in choosing which classes
meet the above referenced training requirements. Classes already required for
graduation will likely meet one of the above referenced requirements.
The guidance also provides a range of ways that current DEA licensed dentists can
satisfy the eight-hour training requirement. They can satisfy the training requirement
by participating in a class on the treatment and management of patients with opioid
or other substance use disorders given by one of the accredited groups listed
on page 2 of the guidance. The guidance also lists the following
points related to practitioner training:
-
The training does not have to occur in one session. It can be cumulative across
multiple sessions that equal eight hours of training.
- Past trainings on the treatment and management of patients
with opioid or other substance use disorders can count towards a practitioner
meeting this requirement. In other words, if you received a relevant training
from one of the groups listed on page 2 of the guidance— prior to the enactment of the new training
requirement on Dec. 29, 2022—that training counts towards the eight-hour requirement.
-
Past DATA-Waived trainings
count towards a DEA registrant’s eight-hour training requirement.
-
Trainings can occur in a variety
of formats, including classroom settings, seminars at professional society meetings or virtual offerings.
Finally, though the DEA is only requiring attestation via checking
a box on the DEA registration form, it is advised by both the American Dental
Association (ADA) and ADEA that all registrants maintain a copy of either the
certification received from their dental school or their certificate of completion
from the course(s) used to satisfy the eight-hour training requirement.
Any questions regarding the guidance, should be addressed to
the DEA’s Diversion Control Division Policy Section at (571) 362-3260. This
number can also be found in the guidance. Additionally, ADA has released an extensive
FAQ that is very helpful as well. |
