pertaining to the licensee’s participation in the diversion program are purged and destroyed (California Dental Practice Act, 2016b). All licensees must register with the Board. According to the California Dental Practice Act, Section 1650.1, all applicants Dental Hygiene Board of California Whereas the Board regulates licensed dentists, RDAs, and RDAEFs, the Dental Hygiene Board of California (formerly the Dental Hygiene Committee of California) now oversees all functions and requirements of all categories of RDHs (California Dental Practice Act, 2019c). The Dental Hygiene Board of California consists of nine members, seven of whom are appointed by the governor: two public members, one licensed practicing general or public health dentist, and four RDHs. Of the four RDHs, one must be licensed either in alternative practice or in extended functions and one must be a dental hygiene educator. The Senate Committee on Rules appoints one public member, and the Speaker of the Assembly appoints another public member. Members serve for no more than two consecutive four-year terms, and the governor has the power to remove any member for neglect of The Dental Practice Act defines the practice of dentistry and permits dentists licensed in California to engage in the diagnosis or treatment, by surgery or other method, of diseases and lesions and the correction of malpositions of the human teeth, alveolar process, gums, jaws, or associated structures; and such diagnosis or treatment may include all necessary related procedures as well as the use of drugs, anesthetic agents, and physical evaluation (California Dental Practice Act, 2020c). Concerning oral and maxillofacial surgery, please see Section 1638 of the Dental Practice Act, which discusses the treatment of the “functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.” Initial licensure In California there are three basic pathways to licensure for dentists, including licensure by examination, licensure by credential, and licensure by residency (Dental Board of California, 2021d). One pathway is to apply following successful completion of the Western Regional Examining Board (WREB) examination, and another is to successfully complete the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) examination. Applicants must provide satisfactory evidence of having passed the California Restorative Technique (RT) examination. If licensed in another state or country, the applicant must submit a completed Out of State/Country Licensure Certification form. Applicants must also provide fingerprints, submit to a criminal background check, and successfully complete the Law and Ethics examination (Dental Board of California, 2021d). Applicants enrolled in a Board-approved dental school may apply for licensure by portfolio. (See https://dbc.ca.gov/ applicants/licensure_by_portfolio.shtml (Dental Board of California, 2021d. Applicants must have (a) graduated from a Board-approved dental school in good academic standing and with no pending ethical issues, (b) have passed Parts I and II of the National Board Written Examinations, (c) submit a completed portfolio to the Board within 90 days of graduation, and (d) successfully complete the Law and Ethics examination. Dentists with a current valid license in another state may pursue licensure by credential. (See https://dbc.ca.gov/applicants/ licensure_by_credential.shtml.) Section 1635.5 of the Dental Practice Act requires the applicant to show that he or she has either been in active clinical practice or has been a full-time faculty member in an accredited dental education program, and Dentists Scope of practice
and licensees who have electronic mail addresses must report the address to the Board, which will send a notice annually to confirm that the address is still current (California Dental Practice Act, 2016a).
duty, incompetence, or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct (California Dental Practice Act, 2020h). The responsibilities of the Dental Hygiene Board include determining the scope of practice for all dental hygienists; issuing, reviewing, and revoking licenses; and developing and administering examinations. Additional functions include adopting regulations and determining fees and CE requirements for all hygiene licensure categories. Section 1966 mandates that the Dental Hygiene Board establish a diversion program for licensees whose competency may be impaired due to drug or alcohol abuse, as well as one or more diversion evaluation committees to further the goals of the diversion program (California Dental Practice Act, 2020L).
SCOPE OF PRACTICE AND INITIAL LICENSURE
in active clinical practice for a total of at least 5,000 hours in five of the seven consecutive years immediately preceding the date of his or her application. With two years of clinical practice or completion of an accredited residency training program, the remainder of the five-year requirement may be fulfilled with a contract to teach or to practice in certain specified settings. The applicant must submit a letter from WREB to the effect that he or she has not failed the WREB examination within the past five years. The applicant also must not have failed the ADEX examination after November 15, 2019. The applicant must have completed 50 units of continuing education in the past two years, including current mandatory courses (Dental Board of California, 2021d). In 2008, in response to a shortage of dentists (Pourat & Nicholson, 2009), the Board implemented a program allowing licensure by residency . Under this program, individuals are allowed to qualify for dental licensure based on proof of (a) graduation from a CODA-approved or Board- approved dental school, (b) the completion of a minimum of 12 months of a general practice residency or advanced education in a CODA-approved general dentistry program, (c) not having failed the WREB examination within the past five years, (d) not having failed the ADEX examination after November 15, 2019, (e) successful completion of the California Law and Ethics examination, and (f) fulfilling the requisite fingerprinting requirements. (See https://dbc.ca.gov/applicants/licensure_by_ residency.shtml) (Dental Board of California, 2021d). In 2008, California had 233 dental professional shortage areas (Pourat & Nicholson, 2009). Today, geographic areas throughout California continue to experience shortages of dental health providers (State of California, 2021). This situation is likely to persist because the percentage of dentists who may be nearing retirement age is greater than the percentage of dentists who are newly licensed. According to a report from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the dentist shortage in California is further exacerbated by the growing percentage of newly licensed dentists who are opting to reside or work out of state (Pourat & Choi, 2014). The Board regulates more than 100,000 licensees, including dentists, RDAs, and RDAEFs (Dental Board of California, 2021c). The U.S. Census Bureau has estimated that, as of July 1, 2019, 39,512,223 individuals resided in the State of California (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). The California Dental Association and the Board continue to seek cooperative dialogue with the dental schools and with one another to implement changes that will advance the oral health
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