Abstract
CBDCE turns 40 this year. It is the kind of anniversary that invites reflection not just on how much has changed but also on how much has stayed the same. The credential looks different than it did in 1986. The organization is larger, more independent, and more complex. But the reason it exists has never shifted: People with diabetes deserve care from professionals who can demonstrate real expertise, and we were established to set and protect that standard.
In 1986, diabetes self-management education was being delivered by nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and others, but there was no shared way to know who had the specific expertise the role required. Patients and employers had no way to identify or recognize diabetes specialists, and dedicated clinicians had no clear benchmark to hold themselves to. A group of leaders in the field decided these experts needed to be recognized, and they formed the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators. In October of that year, nearly 1250 clinicians sat for the first examination, among them Anne Daly, MS, RDN, BC-ADM, CDCES, a dietitian from Springfield, Illinois, who is still in practice today. For Anne, that moment was more than a milestone. “Being one of the educators to sit for and pass the first diabetes education certification exam in 1986 was an honor and career-changing event,” she recalls. “Certification introduced a whole new level of recognition for diabetes education as a respected art and science.” From the start, the certification program was built to stay independent from membership organizations, a deliberate choice that kept the credentialing process objective. That has not changed.
What has changed is almost everything else. In 1995, NCBDE formally separated its administrative operations from AADE, where they had been initially housed. The years that followed brought constant evolution in diabetes care itself. New drug classes, new technology, new research on behavior change and psychology, all of it expanded what was expected of practitioners in the field.
Regular practice analysis kept the credential current, revisiting what it should measure and updating accordingly. In 2020, that process led to one of the most visible changes in the organization's history: the CDE became the CDCES, the certified diabetes care and education specialist. The new name reflected what certificants were doing: navigating complex clinical situations, coordinating across disciplines, and supporting patients through long-term behavior change.
Some of the most meaningful work is less visible but no less important. In 2009, the move to computer-based testing meant candidates could schedule their exam when and where it made sense for them, not around a fixed window twice a year.
In 2016, CBDCE received NCCA accreditation for the first time, an external confirmation that its processes met the field’s highest standards for certification governance. That accreditation was renewed in 2021. That same year brought the launch of a scholarship program supporting underserved communities, veterans, and young professionals early in their careers. A credential is only as strong as the community that holds it.
In 2024, CBDCE launched the Ambassador Program. The idea was straightforward: Certificants are the best advocates for this work, and empowering them to do that advocacy makes everyone stronger. Ambassadors bring the story of the CDCES into conversations that formal communications cannot always reach, representing the credential and the profession in their own institutions, networks, and communities.
This year also marks the completion of a transition year in the making. CBDCE now owns the BC-ADM credential, which moved from ADCES at the start of 2025. The BC-ADM recognizes advanced clinical management in diabetes in areas such as medication management, complication oversight, and complex clinical problem-solving. Having both credentials under one roof allows CBDCE to recognize a broader spectrum of expertise in diabetes care with consistent standards across both.
The impact of CDCES-certified professionals is felt daily in communities and clinics across the country. “Being a CDCES is beyond rewarding,” said Lynda McKendree, MSN/ED, RN, CDCES. “I never thought anything could surpass nursing, but earning the CDCES certification makes each day meaningful and reminds me that my work truly matters.”
Even as this anniversary is being celebrated, the board is actively looking to the future. Four decades in, and important work is still ahead. The field will keep changing, the expectations of practitioners will keep rising, and the work of defining and protecting a meaningful standard will become even more critical.
Here is to the next 40 years.
For more information about becoming a CDCES, BC-ADM, or need to recertify, please visit our website the CBDCE website. ■