(a) The board shall develop a mandatory continuing education program for licensed dentists and dental hygienists. The board by rule shall establish the minimum number of hours of continuing education a license holder is required to complete for each registration period to renew the license for a subsequent registration period.
(b) The board may:
(1) assess the continuing education needs of license holders; and
(2) require license holders to attend continuing education courses specified by the board.

(b-1) The board shall require a licensed dentist whose practice includes direct patient care to complete not less than two hours of board-approved continuing education annually regarding safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled substances, including education regarding:
(1) reasonable standards of care;
(2) the identification of drug-seeking behavior in patients; and
(3) effectively communicating with patients regarding the prescription of an opioid or other controlled substance.
(c) The board by rule shall:
(1) identify the key factors required for competent performance of professional duties under this subtitle;
(2) develop a process to evaluate and approve continuing education courses; and
(3) develop a process to assess a license holder’s participation and performance in continuing education courses to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program.