AB 1760: Dentistry.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, establishes the Dental Board of California to license and regulate the practice of dentistry, including the licensure and regulation of dental auxiliaries, including, among others, dental assistants, as defined, and sets forth duties and functions that those dental auxiliaries are authorized to perform. Existing law requires the board to require an applicant for licensure to successfully complete certain examinations. Existing law imposes certain requirements to take an examination, including a requirement to furnish satisfactory evidence of financial responsibility or liability insurance for certain dental patient injuries, as specified.

This bill would delete the requirement to furnish satisfactory evidence of financial responsibility or liability insurance for certain dental patient injuries.

Existing law also requires an applicant to furnish satisfactory evidence of having graduated from a dental college approved by the board or by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (CODA). Certain additional requirements for a degree issued by a foreign dental school depend on whether the school was approved by the board, as specified. Since January 1, 2024, existing law requires foreign dental schools seeking board approval to complete the international consultative and accreditation process with CODA or a comparable board-approved accrediting body. Existing law exempts a foreign dental school whose program approval was renewed by the board before January 1, 2020, through any date between January 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026.

This bill would update cross-references to clarify that an applicant is not prohibited from taking an examination for licensure because their foreign dental school program was exempt from the accreditation requirement, as described above.

Existing law exempts an applicant from reexamination on a subject for which the applicant, in an examination taken in the prior 2 years, received a grading of 85% or above. Existing law requires an applicant, after 3 failed attempts to pass an examination, to successfully complete a minimum of 50 hours of education for each failed subject, as specified.

This bill would revise the subject reexamination exemption to instead require a grading of pass. The bill would remove the above-described education requirement for reexamination, and would instead require an applicant to retake the entire examination after 3 failed attempts at a section of the examination.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 31, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 167, Statutes of 2026.
2. August 31, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 20, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 13, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 6152.).
5. August 11, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. August 10, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 5321.).
7. August 4, 2026Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
8. August 3, 2026From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.
9. June 24, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. June 8, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 8). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
11. June 3, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
12. May 6, 2026Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD.