AGD Mastership FAQs

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AGD Mastership FAQs

Distinguish yourself professionally through quality continuing education (CE) by pursuing the prestigious Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) Mastership Award.

Learn more about AGD Fellowship and the requirements to attain the award from the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below. For additional information, contact the AGD Membership Services Center toll-free at 888.243.3368 or membership@agd.org

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What are the requirements for AGD Mastership?

Active dentist membership in the AGD
Current Fellow in the AGD
Completion of at least 1,100 hours of approved CE credits, with at least 400 hours earned from hands-on/participation courses
Of the 1,100 CE hours at least 600 must meet minimum hour requirement in 18 specific dental disciplines.
Completion* and approval of a Mastership Award application
Attendance at an AGD Convocation Ceremony, held during the AGD Scientific Session, to receive your award. Successful candidates are allowed three years following application approval to complete this requirement.

* This requirement must be completed by Dec. 31 of the year prior to the year in which you plan to apply to receive your Mastership Award.

My AGD membership lapsed after I earned my Fellowship. Do I need to apply for Fellowship Award again?

No, once a member has earned Fellowship in the AGD they are entitled to use the designation if they maintain membership in the organization. If a former AGD Fellow rejoins the AGD after a lapse in membership, they can use the designation again and begin working towards the Mastership Award. Only CE hours earned as an AGD Member can be applied to the Fellowship and Mastership award requirements. Your three years of continuous active dentist membership in AGD begins no earlier than the date of your dental school graduation.

Is there an AGD Mastership Exam?

No, there is no exam associated with the AGD Mastership Award.

Do I need to take 1,100 hours after I earn Fellowship to earn the Mastership Award?

No, you need to earn a total of 1,100 approved CE hours as an AGD member to qualify for Mastership. This means that in most cases the first 500 hours a member earns and applies to the Fellowship requirements will also help fulfill the Mastership Award requirements.

What is the MAGD Accrual date on my AGD Award Transcript?

The MAGD Accrual date a member officially begins accruing hours towards their Mastership Award. It is typically the date a member has earned more than 500 approved CE hours.

If I earn more than 500 CE hours before I apply for the Fellowship Award, will I lose those hours?

No. The 1,100 hours required for the Mastership Award is a continuum of all approved hours earned as an AGD member. Members should continue to earn CE after they have earned 500 approved CE hours even if they have not been a member for three years, passed the Fellowship Exam or applied for the Fellowship Award.

Can I take any type of CE hours to earn the Mastership Award?

Yes and no. The Mastership Award requirements require all members to complete a minimum of 400 hands-on/participation hours as an AGD member. There are also required minimums in each subject area, so members should always refer to the Mastership Award Guidelines to see what these minimums are. The remaining 700 approved hours can be any fulfilled by taking lecture, participation, or self-instruction courses. 150 of these hours can also be fulfilled through teaching and publication hours.

Can I receive Mastership credit for attending any live CE course?

No, to be eligible for Fellowship or Mastership credit, course content must be scientific in nature and directly related to the practice of dentistry. Additionally, only courses hosted by approved program providers are eligible for Fellowship or Mastership credit.

Approved program providers include those accepted by the Program Approval for Continuing Education (PACE) Program or those approved by the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP).

Can I receive Mastership credit for completing a post-graduate residency program?

Yes, individuals who join AGD within four years of completing a one-year Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)- accredited General Practice Residency (GPR), Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program or dental specialty residency program may earn up to 150hours of participation credit and up to 300 hours of credit for a two-year program. Members should reference the AGD Fellowship Award Guidelines for information on how hours are applied.

To receive credit, send either a copy of your residency certificate or a letter (on official letterhead) from the director of the residency program verifying that you have completed the program. Be sure to include the beginning and ending dates of the program, along with the type of residency completed.

Can I receive Mastership credit for teaching?

Yes, if you have a faculty appointment at an ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) or Canadian Dental Association (CDA)-accredited institution, or if you teach for an AGD PACE- or ADA CERP-approved organization, you can apply up to 150 hours of approved credit toward the award. To receive teaching credit, a verification letter from the director of the program is required. The letter should be on official letterhead and include the dates of the teaching appointment and the subject taught. A combined maximum of 150 CE credit hours from teaching/publication activities may be applied toward Fellowship and Mastership.

Can I receive Mastership credit for publication?

You can apply as many as 150 CE credit hours toward Fellowship and Mastership for authoring published scientific articles. To receive credit for an article that has been published, submit a copy of the article as it appears in the publication. Articles written about practice management are not eligible for credit. Credit is awarded as follows:

40 hours for scientific articles published in a refereed journal (20 hours for articles published in a non-refereed journal)
40 hours for writing a chapter of a dental textbook, up to 150 hours per textbook
10 hours for a published case report, technique paper or clinical research report in a refereed journal (five hours for articles published in a non-refereed journal)

A combined maximum of 150 CE credit hours from teaching/publication credit may be applied toward Fellowship and Mastership awards.

How can I track my progress toward Mastership?

Use your online AGD Award transcript to monitor your CE activities. The AGD Award Transcript lists all the credits that you’ve accrued since joining AGD that are approved for award credit. To access your transcript at any time, visit the Continuing Education & Events section of the AGD website, click on “Track My CE,” then select “View My Award Transcript.”

Once I complete all CE requirements am I automatically registered to receive the Mastership Award?

No, you must complete and apply for the Mastership Award. This application must be postmarked by Dec. 31 of the year prior to the year you want to receive the award for you to be considered for Mastership and attend the Convocation Ceremony during the annual the AGD Scientific Session.