As health care organizations and other employers have begun to recruit experienced and qualified diabetes care and education specialists, some confusion has arisen regarding the CDCES ® credential, or CERTIFIED DIABETES CARE AND EDUCATION SPECIALIST ® .

The certification examination is a voluntary activity. It is sensitive to areas of general practice and contemporary diabetes knowledge across multiple professional disciplines.  Passing the examination verifies core knowledge in the field of diabetes.  Holding the CDCES ® credential does not confer any permission to manage diabetes beyond the limitations of the individual’s professional practice.

Boundaries of practice are determined by state practice acts. Job descriptions and job functions are determined by employing agencies, not the CDCES ® credential.


Adopted 6/1993; revised 6/2012; 5/2020