CDCES
Eligibility
Summary of Requirements
Standard Pathway
- Discipline*:
- RN
- RD/RDN
- RPh
- Professional Practice Experience:
- 2 years general work experience
- 1000 hours of diabetes care and education in up to 5 years, with 200 hours in last 12 months
- Continuing Education
- 15 hours applicable to diabetes within 2 years before applying
*Note: Do not meet the discipline requirement? You may be able to earn certification through the Unique Qualifications Pathway.
Discipline Requirements
License
You will meet the discipline requirement if you have a current, active, unrestricted license from one of the United States or territories in any of these disciplines:
- Clinical psychologist
- Occupational therapist
- Optometrist
- Pharmacist
- Physical therapist
- Physician (M.D. or D.O.)
- Podiatrist
- Registered nurse (includes nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists)
Registration and Certifications
You will meet the discipline requirement if you have a current registration or certification in
- Dietitian or dietitian nutritionist holding active registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration
- PA holding active registration with the NCCPA
- Exercise physiologist holding active certification as an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP®)
- Health educator holding active certification as a Master Certified Health Education Specialist from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing
Master’s Degree in Social Work
You will meet the discipline requirement if you are a health professional with a minimum of a master’s degree in social work from a United States college or university accredited by a nationally recognized regional accrediting body.
Unique Qualifications Pathway (UQP)
The UQP was developed for health professionals with advanced degrees providing diabetes care and education and who do not qualify under the current list of disciplines via the standard pathway for initial certification. This pathway has different eligibility requirements. It is designed for health professionals holding a minimum of a master’s degree in a health-related area/concentration from a United States college or university that is accredited by a nationally recognized regional accrediting body to pursue certification or who can provide official independent evaluation verifying equivalency to a minimum of a master’s degree in a health-related area/concentration from a United States college or university.
The UQP is a 2 step application process.
Step 1: A review of documentation of meeting the eligibility requirements, including the upload of documentation of meeting the requirements, and a non-refundable application review fee.
Step 2: If the application is approved, the review fee will be credited towards the full application fee for initial certification in effect at the time of the application. The individual will need to pay the additional portion of the full application fee when you apply for the exam. If your UQ application review is unsuccessful, no refund of the review fee is provided.
Next Steps
Exam Handbook
Learn more about exam requirements
Read about preparing for the exam
Take the Exam
Professional Practice Experience
To meet the professional practice requirement, you will need:
- A minimum of 2* years professional practice experience in your discipline after meeting the discipline requirement.
- A minimum of 1,000 hours providing diabetes care and education (DCE) earned within the 5 years prior to your application date, with a minimum of 20% of those hours (200 hours) accrued in the most recent year preceding application.
*Note: Waiver: Individuals may claim a one (1) year waiver for one (1) of the two (2) years professional practice experience requirement for individuals with a master’s degree or higher in a health-related field. Using this waiver, individuals would only need a minimum of one (1) year working in their discipline. (Master’s degree would qualify as a waiver for the second year.)
What counts as Diabetes Care and Education (DCE)?
Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES), historically also referred to as diabetes self-management training or diabetes education, is performed by health professionals who have appropriate credentials and experience consistent with their profession’s scope of practice. CBDCE uses the term diabetes care and education (DCE). Review the Exam Handbook for specific information on which activities are considered DCE.
Mentorship Program
Need more experience? If you need help getting more Diabetes Care and Education (DCE) hours, learn about our mentorship program.
Continuing Education Hours
In addition to meeting the professional practice and diabetes education experience requirement, you will need a minimum of 15 continuing education (CE) hours applicable to diabetes prior to taking the exam. The CE activity must be:
- Earned within the two (2) years prior of applying for the exam
- Approved by a provider on the CBDCE List of Recognized Providers.
Initial Eligibility FAQs
Eligibility
Is there an alternative pathway for eligibility to become a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES)?
Yes, there is. It is referred to as the “Unique Qualifications Pathway” (UQ). UQ was developed for health professionals with advanced degrees providing diabetes care and education and who do not qualify under the current list of disciplines via the standard pathway for initial certification.
What are the eligibility requirements under the “Unique Qualifications Pathway” (UQ)?
This pathway has different eligibility requirements and involves a “pre-application” process.
Who would use the Unique Qualifications Pathway (UQ)?
This pathway is designed for health professionals holding a minimum of a master’s degree in a health-related area/concentration from a United States college or university that is accredited by a nationally recognized regional accrediting body to pursue certification or who can provide official independent evaluation verifying equivalency to a minimum of a master’s degree in a health-related area/concentration from a United States college or university.
What is the fee for the Unique Qualifications Pathway (UQ) pre-application?
The non-refundable application review fee is $150. If your application is approved, the $150 will be credited towards the full application fee for initial certification in effect at the time of the application (e.g., if approved and the current application fee for those applying for initial certification is $350, you will need to pay an additional $200 when you apply for the exam). If your UQ application review is unsuccessful, no refund of the review fee is provided.
Professional Practice Hours
I am concerned about accruing the 1,000 DCE practice hours. How do I get the hours?
While some may feel a little anxiety over the 1,000 DCE hour requirement, we encourage those interested to look at achieving the hours in smaller chunks. When you break down the total requirement over several years and then over the hours needed per week, it can be viewed as a very achievable goal.
How do I track my DCE professional practice hours?
For initial certification, CBDCE does not have a required form or log that must be used for tracking volunteer or employment DCE practice hours. However, your supervisor (or other health professional if you are in private practice, e.g., M.D./D.O.) must be able to verify your practice hours if you apply and are chosen for an audit. So, for the tracking of DCE hours, we recommend that the individual interested in becoming a CDCES start a conversation with their supervisor and together review the definition of DCE for initial certification and come up with a plan on how best to track the DCE hours. Ask your supervisor what documentation they would need from you to be able to complete the audit verification, e.g., simple spreadsheet. This conversation will allow your supervisor to easily verify your hours if you are chosen for audit (just be sure not to violate any HIPAA regulations with your chosen tracking method). It’s all in the planning.
What is diabetes care and education (DCE)?
Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES), historically also referred to as diabetes self-management training or diabetes education, is performed by health professionals who have appropriate credentials and experience consistent with their profession’s scope of practice. CBDCE’s uses the term diabetes care and education (DCE). Review the Exam Handbook for specific information on which activities are considered DCE.
Am I doing diabetes care and education (DCE)?
You've reviewed the current definition of diabetes care and education (DCE), but you are still not sure about your experience and if it counts towards the DCE practice requirement for initial certification. What do you do next? The CBDCE national office staff cannot assess whether a health care professional is doing DCE. Review your work responsibilities - the work that you do that falls within the definition of DCE can be claimed as DCE hours. We also suggest that you review the examples of experience that are not considered DCE and also have a conversation with your supervisor in regards to the definition. In talking with your supervisor, you two can agree on what experience can be counted and also agree on how you'll track that information.
Do I need to have experience in ALL of the DSMES components (assessment, care and education plan, interventions, ongoing support, monitoring, patient progress, documentation, and development of DSMES services/administration)?
For purposes of certification eligibility, some or all of the DSMES components of the DCE process may be performed and counted towards meeting the DCE practice experience requirement. However, regardless of discipline and practice experience, one should have the knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge across all areas of the exam Content Outline. For more information refer to the Exam Handbook for the Definition of Diabetes Care and Education (DCE), which includes a description of the DSMES components, and the Exam Content Outline.
Are there professional practice experiences that are not considered diabetes care and education?
There are activities that are not considered diabetes care and education for purposes of certification eligibility and should not be included as part of Professional Practice Experience. While not an exhaustive list, a list of examples of such activities for those applying can be found in the current year's Handbook.
Is there a maximum number of hours per week that may be claimed as diabetes care and education?
Yes, CBDCE has determined that 40 is the maximum number of hours per week in diabetes care and education (DCE) that may be reported when applying for initial certification. However, regardless of the number of hours per week worked (or in volunteer situations), it is important that the diabetes care and education specialist claim only time spent performing DCE. As in any role, there is a certain amount of time not dedicated to primary responsibilities. Teaching other health care professionals, completing administrative duties, conducting a community health fair screening, are a few examples of responsibilities that may not be counted toward meeting professional practice requirements for initial certification (though some may qualify as part of professional practice for renewal of certification).
About CBDCE
What's the difference between CBDCE and the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES)?
Although there is a professional relationship between the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE) and the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES), it is important to understand that they are separate, autonomous organizations. Each is incorporated independent of the other, with separate charters, bylaws, finances, and leadership. ADCES has no role in the certification program or any other activities of CBDCE.
Through the definition, development, maintenance, and protection of the certification and credentialing process, CBDCE promotes quality diabetes education. This is CBDCE’s mission. With the assistance of its contracted testing service, CBDCE periodically examines the psychometric and legal defensibility of the certification program to ensure that the content of the Certification exam for diabetes care and education specialists (Certification exam) continues to reflect actual practice. The credentialing mechanism validates knowledge in diabetes education and provides recognition of excellence in practice. Certification sets the industry standard.
Ready to apply for the CDCES exam?
- You will complete and submit your application through the CBDCE portal on our website.
- If you do not have an account with CBDCE, you will need to create one.
- To create an account
- click 'Sign In' at top of the website page, then
- click on 'New user? Create an account!' to begin the process.
- Follow the prompts to create your acccount.
- Once your account is created, click on the 'Get Certified' card to start an application for the exam.