BILL NUMBER: AB 205	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ruskin

                        JANUARY 31, 2005

   An act to amend Section 1706 of the Business and Professions Code,
relating to dentistry.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 205, as introduced, Ruskin.   Denture identification.
   Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, regulates the practice of
dentistry by the Dental Board of California in the Department of
Consumer Affairs. Under existing law, a complete upper or lower
denture fabricated by a licensed dentist, or fabricated pursuant to
the dentist's work order, is required to be marked with the patient's
name or social security number, unless the patient objects.
   This bill would instead require that the dentures be marked with
the patient's name unless he or she objects. The bill would require
the dentist to provide written information to the patient on dentures
and to obtain the patient's written consent to mark the dentures.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 1706 of the  Business and Professions Code  is
amended to read:
   1706.   (a)    Every complete upper or lower
denture fabricated by a licensed dentist, or fabricated pursuant to
the dentist's work order, shall be marked with the patient's name
 or social security number  , unless the patient
objects.  The initials of the patient may be shown alone, if use of
the name of the patient is not practical. The markings shall be done
during fabrication and shall be permanent, legible, and cosmetically
acceptable. The exact location of the markings and the methods used
to implant or apply them shall be determined by the dentist or dental
laboratory fabricating the denture.   The   (b)
    The  dentist shall   inform the
patient that the markings are to be used for identification only and
the patient shall have the choice of which marking is to appear on
the dentures   provide the patient with written
information that   dentures are   to   be
marked for identification, and shall   , at the time the
patient requests dentures,   obtain the patient   '
  s written consent to mark the dentures  .
    (c)  The dentist shall retain the records of those
marked dentures and shall not release the records to any person
except by enforcement officers, in the event of an emergency
requiring personal identification by means of dental records, or to
anyone authorized by the patient.