Board of Dispensing Opticians

Continuing Education

Failure to comply with continuing education requirements may result in disciplinary action against the licensee or registrant. The disciplinary action will be reported on the Department of Health license verification web site.

Section 63-14-106, Tennessee Code Annotated, as amended in 1975, requires that the Tennessee Board of Dispensing Opticians approve a minimum number of hours of continuing education that must be completed during the calendar year in order to maintain your Dispensing Optician’s license.

The Tennessee Board of Dispensing Opticians implemented a new rule effective December 10, 2015, putting permanent continuing education requirements in place.  These are as listed below:

Four (4) hours Spectacles 
Two (2) hours Contacts (not to exceed four (4) hours) 
Two (2) hours Optional 
One (1) hour of Ethics and Jurisprudence

The one hour Ethics and Jurisprudence may be satisfied by completing the Board's Ethics and Jurisprudence exam (see below) or attending one (1) morning session of a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board.  Licensees who attend one morning session of a meeting of the Board must record their name, license number, the time the licensee arrived at and departed from the Board meeting in order to receive the jurisprudence credit.  The morning session must be at least 50 minutes in length.

  • 2024 JURISPRUDENCE EXAM LINK  (coming soon)
    • PLEASE NOTE: The Jurisprudence Exams for CE Credit are only valid through December 31st of the calendar year for which the exam is dated, and must be submitted by email to the Board Administrative Office at Unit3HRB.Health@tn.gov or submitted by mail and postmarked no later than 11:59pm CST on December 31st of that calendar year, as well as receive a passing score, to receive the CE credit. Any Jurisprudence Exam that is submitted late, and/or does not receive a passing score, is not eligible for CE Credit.  Exams submitted after the stated deadline will not be accepted.  Licensees are encouraged to keep a receipt or confirmation of shipping/sending/delivery with a copy of their completed exam with their own personal CE records.    

Pursuant to rule 0480-01-.12(1)(b):  Each licensee must retain proof of attendance and completion of all continuing education requirements. This documentation must be retained for a period of four (4) years from the end of the calendar year in which the continuing education was required. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the Board during its continuing education verification process. The Board will not maintain continuing education files. (c) The licensee must, within thirty (30) days of a request from the board, provide evidence of continuing education activities. Certificates verifying the licensee’s attendance or original letters from course providers are such evidence.

No allowance will be made for prior or subsequent year’s accumulation. The Board may, at its sole discretion, waive the annual education requirement in cases of certified illness, disability or other undue hardships (T.C.A.§ 63-14-106 (a) (2)). All requests for a waiver of the education requirements must be submitted in writing and must include supporting documentation such as certified doctor’s statement, etc.

Courses offered by professional organizations of state level, in state or out of state, may be approved. PRIOR APPROVAL BY THE BOARD MUST BE SECURED. A record of approved courses is maintained in the Board’s administrative office. However, if you plan to attend courses other than those already approved by the Board, you must request a course approval packet from the Board office, complete the appropriate forms and attach complete course information. The packet must be submitted to the Board office for approval forty-five (45) days prior to attendance. Each individual must request this approval for themselves. No courses will be approved after the fact.

If any organization offers a course that does not meet the Board’s criteria, it will not be approved. It is your responsibility to determine if the courses you attend have the Tennessee Board of Dispensing Optician’s final approval.

The following are NOT acceptable: duplicate courses (same subject, same speaker, same year), in-house training courses and correspondence courses.

Out of state attendance rosters must be signed if you attend a seminar outside the Tennessee limits. Staff in charge of the continuing education courses you attend must complete proof of attendance forms. The original attendance forms should be returned to you. You must retain documentation verifying attendance at any courses.