Affairs Dental Practice Act, California Code of Regulations, California Dental Association Code of Ethics, and American Dental Association Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. With a more complete understanding of the California Dental Practice Act, dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants will be better able to practice within its guidelines. health outcomes. Addressing implicit bias in healthcare is crucial for achieving equity in medical treatment. Strategies to combat these biases involve education and awareness programs for healthcare professionals. These programs help individuals recognize and acknowledge their biases, fostering a more empathetic and unbiased approach to patient care. Additionally, implementing policies and procedures prioritizing equitable treatment for all patients can play a pivotal role in reducing healthcare disparities. Ultimately, confronting implicit bias in healthcare is essential to creating a more just and equitable healthcare system where everyone receives fair and equal treatment regardless of their background or characteristics.
Affairs have the power to amend or revoke these laws as needed, subject to approval by the California legislature. This course provides an overview of these governmental entities and outlines the content of the Dental Practice Act, its attending regulations, and other statutes relating to dental practice. The content of this basic-level course was derived primarily from the State of California Department of Consumer professionals perceive and make treatment decisions, ultimately resulting in disparities in health outcomes. These biases, often unconscious and unintentional, can shape behavior and produce differences in medical care along various lines, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and socioeconomic status. Healthcare disparities stemming from implicit bias can manifest in several ways. For example, a healthcare provider might unconsciously give less attention to a patient Implicit bias in healthcare Implicit bias significantly affects how healthcare or make assumptions about their medical needs based on race, gender, or age. The unconscious assumptions can lead to delayed or inadequate care, misdiagnoses, or inappropriate treatments, all of which can adversely impact
CALIFORNIA LAWS AND AGENCIES
California Dental Practice Act The California Dental Practice Act consists of the basic body of laws governing dentistry found in the California Business and Professions Code (B&P): Division 2, Chapter 4 (beginning with Section 1600), and the California Code of Regulations (CCR): Title 16, Division 10 (beginning with Section 1000). California law requires every dental professional to have a grasp of this basic body of law and related portions of other selected California statutes. California Department of Consumer Affairs The California Department of Consumer Affairs includes 39 regulatory entities that protect public health and safety through licensing and oversight of various professions. These boards and bureaus establish minimum qualifications and levels of competency for licensure in more than 280 business and professional categories, including all health professions (Department of Consumer Affairs, State of California, 2021). The Dental Board of California is one such board falling within the purview of the California Department of Consumer Affairs, which provides a variety of key administrative services to these semi-autonomous boards. Dental Board of California The Dental Board of California (the Board) is part of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. The stated mission of the Board is to “protect and promote the health and safety of consumers in the State of California” (California Dental Practice Act, 2021g). The Board licenses qualified dental healthcare professionals, takes actions to enforce compliance with the Dental Practice Act and other laws of the State of California, and strives to enhance the education of consumers and licensees. The Board regulates licensed dentists, registered dental assistants (RDAs), and registered dental assistants in extended functions (RDAEFs). It also delineates each group’s scope of practice, including any required levels of supervision or any restrictions on the settings in which they may work. Other areas of the Board’s concern include
Throughout this course, regulations of the California Dental Practice Act will be identified or cited by their section number in either the B&P or the CCR but will be referred to collectively as the Dental Practice Act . Appendix A outlines the pertinent contents of each of these laws by section. Relevant sections of the B&P can be read in their entirety at https://www.dbc.ca.gov/lawsregs/laws.shtml; relevant sections of the CCR can be read in their entirety at https:// www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/CCR.htm. Board members collectively are the leaders of these licensing agencies and make important decisions on agency policies and disciplinary actions against professionals who violate state consumer protection laws. Board members approve regulations and help guide licensing, enforcement, public education, and consumer protection activities. Some board members are licensed professionals, whereas others are public members. The governor appoints many board members, but the legislature makes appointments as well. State law requires board members within the California Department of Consumer Affairs to complete orientation and training in several important areas, including ethics, conflict of interest laws, and sexual harassment prevention. licensing, examinations, and continuing education (CE) requirements. The Board also sets fees for dentists and for all dental auxiliaries, including fees in connection with initial licensure and license renewal, permits and permit renewals, and examinations. These regulations are set forth for dentists and dental auxiliaries in the CCR (Sections 1021 and 1022, respectively). Section 1601.2 of the California Dental Practice Act states that “protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Dental Board of California in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount” (California Dental Practice Act, 2023). According to its vision statement, the Board strives to “be
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