The travel CE myth
There is a persistent belief in dentistry that the best continuing education happens somewhere else. Las Vegas, Chicago, Orlando, New York. The major conferences, the big hotel ballrooms, the exhibit halls the size of airport terminals. If you are not flying somewhere for CE, the thinking goes, you are not really investing in your education.
This belief is expensive, time-consuming, and largely unfounded. The quality of CE has almost nothing to do with geography and almost everything to do with the speaker, the topic, and the format. World-class dental educators travel. They come to Colorado. And for the content that genuinely requires being somewhere, online delivery has become good enough for most lecture-based topics that a flight is rarely necessary.
Here is how Colorado dental professionals can meet their full 30-hour renewal requirement, with genuine clinical value, without leaving the state.
What Colorado requires and what that means practically
Colorado dentists and dental hygienists need 30 hours of CE every 2 years. Of those 30 hours, 2 must cover infection control. All courses must come from ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved providers.
That is it. Colorado places no restrictions on where CE must be completed, what format it must take, or whether the provider is based in Colorado. A CE credit earned at a seminar in Denver counts exactly the same as one earned at a national conference in another state. This means Colorado dental professionals have full flexibility to build a CE plan that works for their schedule, their budget, and their clinical priorities without building in travel costs.
Option 1: local dental society events
The most convenient and often the most clinically valuable CE option for Colorado dental professionals is local dental society membership. A well-run dental society brings nationally recognized speakers to Colorado so you do not have to go to them.
CPS runs a full season of AGD PACE approved CE events in the Denver metro area each year. Full-day seminars take place at accessible venues with free parking, run from 9am to 5pm, and award 6 CE credits each. Attending 5 seminars covers the full 30-hour Colorado renewal requirement without a single overnight stay, flight booking, or missed day of practice beyond the seminar day itself.
Recent CPS speakers have included faculty from Penn Dental Medicine, McGill University, the Pankey Institute, and Spear Education, covering topics like CAD/CAM ceramic restorations, periodontal management, digital patient records, occlusion and TMD, and dental laser applications. These are the same caliber of educators you would pay 00 to ,500 to see at a national conference, available locally at CPS member pricing.
CPS also runs Elevate, a series of evening networking events that award 2 CE credits each. These 2-hour events are designed for busy dental professionals who want to earn credits and build connections without committing a full day.
Option 2: online CE from accredited providers
For dental professionals who prefer self-paced learning or who need to fill remaining hours around a live event schedule, online CE from ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved providers is a legitimate and flexible option.
Quality online CE has improved significantly. The best online courses use video-based delivery, case-based learning, and assessments that require genuine engagement rather than just clicking through slides. For topics like infection control, ethics, radiograph interpretation, pharmacology updates, and practice management principles, online formats work well.
Where online CE tends to fall short is in technique-sensitive clinical topics. If you want to improve your composite layering, your veneer preparation, or your impression technique, watching a video is no substitute for hands-on practice under expert supervision. For those topics, in-person formats are worth seeking out even if it means attending a local hands-on workshop.
When choosing online CE providers, verify accreditation before purchasing. The ADA and AGD both maintain searchable directories of approved providers. Some platforms that appear to offer dental CE are not accredited, and hours completed through non-accredited providers will not count toward your Colorado renewal requirement.
Option 3: dental school programs and local workshops
Colorado is home to the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, which offers continuing education programs for practicing dental professionals. Dental school CE programs often feature faculty presenters with strong academic and clinical credentials and tend to be priced competitively compared to national CE companies.
Local hands-on workshops are another option for Colorado dentists who want skill-building CE without traveling. These are sometimes offered through dental schools, specialty practices, or study groups and can cover topics like suturing, implant surgery fundamentals, or restorative technique in a small group format that allows for genuine skill development.
Option 4: study clubs
Study clubs are small groups of dental professionals who meet regularly to discuss clinical cases, review current literature, and learn from each other and from invited speakers. Well-run study clubs with structured curricula and documented attendance can qualify for CE credit when affiliated with an ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved organization.
Study clubs offer something that neither online CE nor large seminars can fully replicate: a consistent peer community focused on clinical growth. The relationships built in a study club often become some of the most valuable professional connections a dentist develops over their career.
If you are interested in joining or forming a study club in Colorado, dental society membership is often the fastest path to finding existing groups or connecting with other dentists who share that interest.
Building a no-travel CE plan for your renewal cycle
Here is a practical example of how a Colorado dentist could meet the full 30-hour renewal requirement over 2 years without any travel:
- Year 1, CPS seminars (4 events at 6 credits each): 24 CE credits covering clinical topics like restorative dentistry, periodontal management, occlusion, and digital workflows
- Year 1, online infection control course: 2 CE credits fulfilling the mandatory infection control requirement
- Year 2, CPS Elevate events (2 events at 2 credits each): 4 CE credits with networking built in
Total: 30 CE credits. Zero flights. Zero hotel nights. Zero days away from family. Total cost with CPS Early Career Membership: approximately 00 to 00 for the full 2-year cycle depending on membership tier.
Compare that to attending a single national dental conference, which might cost 00 to ,500 in registration fees plus 00 to ,500 in travel and accommodation. The local approach is not just more convenient, it is significantly more economical.
When travel CE actually makes sense
This is not an argument against ever traveling for CE. There are situations where travel is genuinely worth it:
- Hands-on specialty training: Some advanced clinical skills courses, particularly in implant surgery, orthodontics, or oral surgery, are only available at specific training centers that require travel. If you are pursuing a specific clinical skill that requires this kind of training, traveling makes sense.
- Specialty conferences: If you want to attend a conference focused on a specific area of dentistry where the concentration of expertise and the networking opportunities are genuinely unique, travel can be justified.
- Speakers who do not come to Colorado: Some educators lecture only in certain markets. If there is a specific speaker whose work you want to experience live and they do not come to Colorado, attending an out-of-state event may be worth the cost.
The key is intentionality. Travel for CE when the specific opportunity genuinely justifies it, not out of habit or because that is how CE has always been done.
Frequently asked questions about meeting Colorado CE requirements locally
Do local CE events count the same as national conference CE toward Colorado renewal?
Yes. The Colorado Dental Board does not distinguish between CE earned locally and CE earned at national conferences. What matters is accreditation, not geography. A credit earned at a CPS seminar in Denver counts exactly the same as one earned at a major national dental conference.
Can I meet my entire 30-hour Colorado CE requirement through online courses?
Yes. Colorado places no restrictions on how many CE hours can be completed online, provided the provider holds ADA CERP or AGD PACE accreditation. You could technically complete all 30 hours online. Whether that is the best approach for your clinical development is a separate question.
How do I find out what CE events are coming up in Colorado?
The CPS events calendar on the Colorado Prosthodontic Society website lists upcoming seminars and Elevate events. The Colorado Dental Association also maintains a CE calendar. Dental school continuing education programs typically publish their schedules on their websites.
Is online CE as effective as in-person CE for Colorado license renewal purposes?
For renewal compliance purposes, both count equally. For clinical skill development, the answer depends on the topic. Conceptual and knowledge-based topics translate well to online formats. Technique-sensitive clinical skills are better learned in person with hands-on practice components.
Does CPS offer any virtual or online CE options?
CPS primarily focuses on live in-person educational events in the Denver metro area. Some CPS seminars have been made available for on-demand viewing for a limited period after the live event for registered members who cannot attend in person. Contact CPS directly for current information on any virtual options available for the current season.
What is the most cost-effective way to meet my Colorado CE requirement?
For most Colorado dental professionals, a dental society membership that includes access to a full calendar of live CE events is the most cost-effective path. CPS Early Career Membership starts at 00 per year, covering access to all CPS AGD PACE approved seminars and Elevate events. Over a 2-year renewal cycle, this approach typically costs significantly less than purchasing individual courses while delivering higher-quality live CE with networking built in.
