AB 873: Dentistry: dental assistants.

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 review and evaluate all applications for licensure in all dental assisting categories to ascertain whether a candidate meets the appropriate licensing requirements specified by statute and board regulation. Existing law establishes the Dental Assisting Council within the Dental Board of California and requires the council to consider all matters relating to dental assistants in the state, as specified, and to make appropriate recommendations to the board and the standing committees of the board in specified areas, including standards and criteria for approval of dental assisting educational programs, courses, and continuing education. Existing law requires the board to approve, modify, or reject recommendations by the council within 120 days of submission to the board during full board business.

Existing law requires that fees relating to the licensing and permitting of dental assistants be established by regulation, subject to certain limitations prescribed by statute. Existing regulations set the fee for an application for board approval of various courses for dental auxiliaries, including infection control courses and radiation safety courses, at $300.

This bill would require that the fee for review of each approval application or reevaluation for a course for instruction in interim therapeutic restoration and radiographic decisionmaking, radiation safety, or infection control that is not accredited by a board-approved agency or the Chancellor’s office of the California Community Colleges not exceed $300, and would make conforming changes.

Existing law makes the employer of a dental assistant responsible for ensuring that the dental assistant has successfully completed a board-approved 8-hour course in infection control before performing any basic supportive dental procedures involving potential exposure to blood, saliva, or other potentially infectious material. Existing regulations require an employer of employees who, through performance of their duties, could reasonably anticipate skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials to ensure that those employees participate in a bloodborne pathogen training program that provides, among other things, explanations related to bloodborne diseases and pathogens.

This bill would, instead, make the employer responsible for ensuring that the dental assistant has successfully completed the course in infection control on or before 60 days from the date of first employment at the dental office. The bill would also authorize a dental assistant to comply with this requirement by taking a board-approved course provided by a board-approved registered dental assisting education program, a stand-alone course approved by the board, as specified, or a course with 6 hours of didactic instruction and at least 2 hours of laboratory instruction using video or a series of video training tools, as specified. The bill would also require the employer to provide the above-described bloodborne pathogen training program prior to the dental assistant’s potential exposure to blood, saliva, or other potentially infectious materials and annually thereafter.

Existing law authorizes a registered dental assistant in extended functions licensed on or after January 1, 2010, to perform specified procedures under direct supervision and pursuant to the order, control, and full professional responsibility of a licensed dentist, including gingival retraction for impression and restorative procedures.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 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. July 14, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2. July 9, 2025From 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.
3. June 11, 2025Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
4. June 3, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
5. June 2, 2025Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 1929.).
6. May 27, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
7. May 23, 2025From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
8. April 23, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
9. April 10, 2025Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. April 9, 2025Read second time and amended.
11. April 8, 2025From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 8).
12. March 3, 2025Referred to Com. on B. & P.