Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE)

CDCESjpgAchieve the Most Recognized Credential in Diabetes Care and Education   
Earning the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) credential showcases your hard-earned diabetes knowledge and skills and can help you expand your professional opportunities!

What is a CDCES?
A CDCES, formerly known as a Certified Diabetes Educator or CDE, is a health professional who has comprehensive knowledge of and experience in diabetes prevention, prediabetes, and diabetes management. The CDCES credential is held by Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), Registered Nurses, and a number of other health professionals who participate as members of the diabetes care team. RDNs represent 42% of the almost 19,900 active CDCESs!

Note: DDPG membership does not require the CDCES credential.

What does a CDCES do?
A CDCES partners with people with diabetes to educate, support and help them achieve their goals in managing diabetes.

Who is the CBDCE?CBDCELogo_fullcolor_1584x396px.jpg
Formed in 1986, the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE) is a national, not-for-profit certification organization that awards the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) credential.

What are the benefits of CDCES Certification?
The CDCES credential is a professionally recognized achievement and a sought-after mark of excellence in the diabetes community!

Obtaining certification will:
  • Demonstrate your diabetes care and education skills and expertise
  • Expand your career opportunities and increase marketability
  • Provide you with credibility and recognition on the diabetes care team, and
  • Help optimize outcomes for people with diabetes
Achieving CDCES certification shows people with diabetes, primary care providers, peers, and your employer that you are a dedicated professional with an enduring commitment to continual learning and high-quality patient care.

“The CDCES credential has been one of the best decisions of my career! Since 1982 with my experience in acute, outpatient and eating disorder treatment clinics, knowledge of diabetes management has been highly enhanced by maintaining my certification and diabetes care skills.”
- Janice Baker, MBA, RDN, CDCES, CNSC, BC-ADM

Earning the credential
To earn the CDCES credential, health professionals go through a rigorous process, including passing an examination that covers numerous aspects of diabetes care and management. Click here to review the most common CDCES Program FAQs.
 
What are the eligibility requirements?
  • Discipline: RDNs and RDs meet the discipline requirement. Please see the Exam Handbook for additional qualifying disciplines. *
  • Professional practice experience (work or volunteer):
    • General: 2 years
    • Diabetes education: 1,000 hours - within a maximum of 4 years (with 400 of those hours in the last 12 months)
    • NEW! Temporary changes to the professional practice requirement relating to Diabetes Care and Education (DCE) for initial CDCES certification making it easier to earn the credential! Learn more. https://www.cbdce.org/eligibility
  • Continuing education (CE) activities: 15 hours of diabetes related CE within past 2 years

Maintaining the CDCES certification requires renewal every five years. But, once you’ve earned the credential, it’s never too early to think about renewing your credential, e.g., create a reminder in your calendar in January of the year your certification expires to remind you to check renewal eligibility requirements and applicable deadlines. Learn more. Please note that you will begin accruing either continuing education activities or renewal practice hours the January following the date you initially pass the examination. 
 
Interested in becoming a CDCES?

Learn more about the CDCES eligibility requirements.

Download the CDCES informational brochure.  

Watch the video on the eligibility requirements.		 CDCES_Testimonial_Video_Image.jpg

Visit the CBDCE website at www.cbdce.org, connect through LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and the CBDCE YouTube Channel.