Welcome to CBDCE

CBDCE promotes ongoing quality diabetes care, education, prevention and support by providing certification and credentialing programs that incorporate and reflect best practices.

What’s new at CBDCE

2025 CDCES Scholarship Program Application Open March 15 - May 15

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BC-ADM Certification Transitions to CBDCE in 2025

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How to Register for the CDCES Exam

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Reset Your Password for CDCES Portal Access

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Join CBDCE Board: Positions Available for 2026

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More from CBDCE

Become Certified

The CDCES credential is held by registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, registered dietitian nutritionists, pharmacists, physicians, PAs, and other health professionals on the diabetes care and education team.

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As an advanced practice nurse specialized and passionate in diabetes care and education since 2007, I chose to become a CDCES in January 2019 to further enhance my knowledge and skills. Initially, I did not understand how the credential would help me if I was already practicing in the field, however having the recognized CDCES credential has allowed me to gain further trust and respect from people with diabetes and colleagues as a specialist. As I proudly wear the CDCES pin on my work badge, I have had several people exclaim “oh wow you must know what you are doing with that shiny pin on your badge” despite my other educational qualifications! It always puts a smile on my face! Having the CDCES credential also contributes towards one of the categories for nursing excellence at Magnet certified hospitals like my employer.

CDCES

Eligibility and Discipline Requirements

This can be a small introduction to what’s going on at CBDCE and gives users a way to keep up with what’s happening.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility

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.

About CDCES FAQs

What is a certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist?

A Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) is a health professional who possesses comprehensive knowledge of and experience in diabetes prevention, prediabetes, and diabetes management. The CDCES educates, supports, and advocates for people affected by diabetes, addressing the stages of diabetes throughout the lifespan. The CDCES promotes self-management to achieve individualized behavioral and treatment goals that reduce risks and optimize health outcomes.

The certification exam for Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists is designed and intended for health professionals who have responsibilities that include the direct provision of diabetes care and education (DCE), as defined by CBDCE. The credential was previously known as the Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE).

What is a Certified Diabetes Educator, also known as CDE?

What is the difference between certification and certificate programs?

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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)

Unique Qualifications Pathway (UQP)

If you do not meet the discipline requirement, you may be eligible for the UQP.

The UQP involves a pre-application process. You must meet all the eligibility requirements before applying.

View UQP Requirement

View Unique Qualifications Pathway

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
1. click 'Sign In' at top of the website page, then
2. click on 'New user? Create an account!' to begin the process.
3. 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.

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Review the exam content outline (ECO) and use it to assess your readiness. The ECO will help you identify any potential knowledge gaps.

Important Notice: A practice analysis was completed in 2023 and as a result the ECO changed effective July 1, 2024. The ECO can be accessed via the button below or found in the Exam Handbook.

When doing the self-assessment, focus on areas that fall outside your day to-day experiences in your current practice setting.

Purchase the Practice Exam

*Disclaimer

CBDCE does not require, provide, accredit, or endorse any specific study guides, training or review courses, or other examination preparation products. The CBDCE practice exam is developed independently from the certification exam and is not a requirement for certification. CBDCE and its subject matter experts do not have involvement in the creation, accreditation, approval, endorsement or delivery of examination review courses, preparatory materials, educational programs, or training programs/products that prepare candidates for the certification examination. Neither CBDCE Board of Directors nor subject matter experts may counsel or provide assistance to organizations developing the content for review courses or materials. Continuing education credits are not awarded by the CBDCE.

Important News

As of May 15, 2025, the CDCES Scholarship Program application window has closed. Review will take place May - July, with decisions announced in July. The 2026 window will open March 2026.

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2025 Winners

Congratulations to the 2025* CDCES Scholarship Program recipients! We wish you much success in your journey to becoming a CDCES!

*2021-2024 Recipients listed below.

2025 Scholarship Recipients	City, State
Temitope AlaoSanni, RD, CHES, MPH, MBA	Katy, TX
Vanessa Almanzar, RN, BSN, CCM	Groveland, FL
Sarah Anderson, RDN	Philadelphia, PA
Lynsi Beers, RD, LDN	Pinehurst, NC
Lauren Berry, RDN, LD	North Ridgeville, OH

You Passed!

Congratulations! CBDCE offers resources to help you manage and promote your certification and the value of diabetes care and education specialists.

Here are some next steps:

Take advantage of resources exclusively for CDCESs.

Find Courses for CDCESs

We protect your privacy while also sharing data in aggregate to benefit the diabetes information community. Please review our confidentiality statement and annual reports to understand how and when we will share data.

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