Engagement, benefits, and challenges in continuing professional development among Sri Lankan dental practitioners

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) supports safe, evidence-based dental practice. Nevertheless, CPD participation in Sri Lanka remains voluntary and unregulated, and is not mandated for license renewal. This study assessed the perceptions, participation patterns, perceived benefits, and barriers to CPD among dental professionals in Sri Lanka to inform the design of a structured, locally relevant CPD system. A descriptive cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Sri Lanka Medical Council-registered dental surgeons, using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire. Data from 320 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. Respondents were 56.6% female and predominantly aged 31–50 years. CPD participation in the last five years was high (88.8%), with 91.6% intending to continue. Specialists and those with longer work experience reported higher participation. Lectures (84.5%) and hands-on workshops (66.1%) were the most common CPD formats, and restorative dentistry was the top preferred discipline (69.4%). The main motivator for CPD was improving knowledge (85.9%), whereas major barriers included limited accessibility (76.6%) and cost (59.7%). CPD was considered essential for safe (93.2%) and evidence-based practice (91.3%), and 79% supported making CPD mandatory. Logistic regression indicated that sex, age, and qualifications significantly influenced perceived knowledge gains and understanding. Specialists/consultants were more likely than other practitioners to support mandatory CPD and linking CPD points to registration renewal (OR = 3.26, p = 0.007). Despite positive perceptions of CPD among Sri Lankan dentists, barriers related to accessibility, cost, and scheduling persist. Structured, flexible, and context-specific CPD programs, potentially integrated with a formal regulatory framework, are needed to standardize professional development, optimize participation, and enhance patient care.