CPD Requirements by Authority
All five UAE licensing authorities require dentists to complete CPD. Note the significant difference at DHCC — their dental CPD requirement (50 pts/2yr) is lower than the PQR baseline (40 hrs/yr) applied by all other authorities.
| Authority | Hours / Cycle | Cat 1 / Cat 2 | Specialty Rule | Logbook | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOH | 40 hrs / yr | 50% Cat 1 min | 70% specialty, 30% general | Every 2 years | Annual |
| DHA | 40 hrs / yr | No formal split | 70% specialty, 30% general | Every 2 years | Annual |
| SHA | 40 hrs / yr | No formal split | 70% specialty | PQR baseline | Annual |
| MOHAP | 40 hrs / yr | 50% Cat 1 min | 70% specialty, 30% general | PQR baseline | Annual |
| DHCC | 50 pts / 2yr ⚠️ | No formal split | Majority specialty | Not specified in GL/HCP/007/03 | Biennial (2yr) |
⚠️ DHCC dental CPD (50 pts/2yr) is explicitly lower than the PQR baseline (40/yr). Source: DHCC GL/HCP/007/03 vs PQR/DOH CPD Standard 2024.
DHCC Dental CPD — Lower Than Other Authorities
Important DHCC Divergence
DHCC's dental CPD requirement of 50 points over 2 years is deliberately lower than the PQR baseline applied by DOH, DHA, SHA, and MOHAP (which require 40 hrs/yr = 80 hrs/2yr for dentists). At DHCC, the effective annual equivalent is approximately 25 pts/yr — not 40.
At least 50% of DHCC points (25 pts) must be Category 1. Online CPD is capped at 50% of the 2-year cycle. The majority of points must be in the dental specialty area. Renewal is managed through the MASAAR portal using GL/HCP/007/03.
DHCC dental requirement (50 points/2 years) is lower than DOH/DHA (40 hours/year)
Category 1 and Category 2 by Authority
DOH and MOHAP enforce a strict 50%/50% formal/non-formal balance for dentists. DHA and SHA do not enforce a formal split. DHCC requires 50% Cat 1 over the biennial cycle.
DOH & MOHAP — 50/50 Split Required
- ✓ Min 20 hrs Category 1 (formal/accredited)
- ✓ Max 20 hrs Category 2 (non-formal)
- ! BLS — mandatory but 0 CPD hours
DHA & SHA — No Formal Split
- ✓ All 40 hrs can be online (DHA §18.5)
- ✓ No carry-over to next year (DHA §18.8)
- — SHA: no published Cat 1/2 guidance
BLS/ILS excluded from CPD for dentists under DOH and DHCC
The 70/30 Dental Specialty Rule
Dentists must direct the majority of CPD toward their dental specialty. DOH, DHA, SHA, and MOHAP require a 70% dental specialty / 30% general split. DHCC requires a majority (>50%) in the specialty area.
What counts as dental “specialty” CPD?
- → Accredited dental conferences and clinical workshops
- → Dental specialty courses (orthodontics, oral surgery, endodontics, periodontology, etc.)
- → Publications in peer-reviewed dental journals (10 credits per publication)
- → Teaching in dental education programmes (2x contact hours, max 10 credits/yr)
- → Specialty board certification in a dental discipline (10 credits)
Dental Procedural Logbook
Under DOH and DHA (and as part of the PQR baseline for SHA and MOHAP), dentists and dental surgeons must submit a procedural logbook every 2 years at license renewal. The logbook documents the volume and type of dental procedures performed and is submitted alongside CPD certificates.
Logbook best practices
- → Record procedures monthly rather than compiling at renewal time
- → Include procedure type, date, complexity grade, and patient category (adult/paediatric)
- → Keep your logbook alongside CPD certificates in Provsure for easy export at renewal
- — DHCC GL/HCP/007/03 does not explicitly require a dental logbook — verify directly with MASAAR
Tracking Provsure compliance automatically
Tracking CPD requirements across authorities, categories, and deadlines is time-consuming. Provsure automates it — upload certificates and we handle the categorisation, gap analysis, and renewal alerts.
See how it works →How to Submit CPD Hours
TAMM platform (tamm.abudhabi.ae) → Healthcare Professional Services (include logbook)
Sheryan portal (sheryan.dha.gov.ae) → CPD section (include logbook)
SHA portal (sha.shj.ae)
MOHAP portal (mohap.gov.ae) → License renewal section
MASAAR portal (dhcc.ae) → CPD & Licensing (50 pts/2yr cycle)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Counting BLS/ILS hours toward CPD — BLS is a mandatory prerequisite with 0 CPD credit value.
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Submitting more than 50% Category 2 (non-formal) under DOH or MOHAP — the hard cap is 20 hrs maximum.
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Assuming CPD hours carry over to the next year — they don’t under any UAE authority.
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Applying DOH/DHA requirements to a DHCC dental license — DHCC only requires 50 pts/2yr, not 40/yr.
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Forgetting the dental procedural logbook at renewal (DOH, DHA) — submit alongside CPD certificates.
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Neglecting the 70% specialty rule — total hours may be correct but dental specialty proportion too low.
Calculate Your CPD Gap
Select your licensing authority to see exactly what you still need as a Dentist.
Frequently Asked Questions
See also — CPD requirements by authority