AB 836, as amended, Skinner. Dentists: continuing education.
Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of dentists by the Dental Board of Californiabegin insert until January 1, 2016, at which time the board shall be subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislatureend insert. Existing law authorizes the board to require licentiates to complete continuing education hours as a condition of license renewal. Existing law authorizes the board to, by regulation, reduce the renewal fee for a licensee who has practiced dentistry for 20 years or more in this state, has reached the age of retirement under the federal Social Security Act, and customarily provides his or her services free of charge to any person, organization, or agency.
This bill would prohibit the
board from requiringbegin delete of those licenseesend deletebegin insert a retired dentist who provides only uncompensated careend insert more than 60% of the hours of continuing education that is required of other licensed dentists.begin insert The bill would require the board to report on the outcome of that provision, pursuant to, and at the time of, its regular sunset review process.end insert
Vote: majority.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 1645 of the Business and Professions
2Code is amended to read:
(a) Effective with the 1974 license renewal period, if
4the board determines that the public health and safety would be
5served by requiring all holders of licenses under this chapter to
6continue their education after receiving a license, it may require,
7as a condition to the renewal thereof, that they submit assurances
8satisfactory to the board that they will, during the succeeding
9two-year period, inform themselves of the developments in the
10practice of dentistry occurring since the original issuance of their
11licenses by pursuing one or more courses of study satisfactory to
12the board or by other means deemed equivalent by the board.
13The board shall adopt regulations
providing for the suspension
14of the licenses at the end of the two-year period until compliance
15with the assurances provided for in this section is accomplished.
16(b) The board may also, as a condition of license renewal,
17require licentiates to successfully complete a portion of the required
18continuing education hours in specific areas adopted in regulations
19by the board. The board may prescribe this mandatory coursework
20within the general areas of patient care, health and safety, and law
21and ethics. The mandatory coursework prescribed by the board
22shall not exceed fifteen hours per renewal period for dentists, and
23seven and one-half hours per renewal period for dental auxiliaries.
24Any mandatory coursework required by the board shall be credited
25toward the continuing education requirements established by the
26board pursuant to subdivision
(a).
27(c) For abegin delete dentist described in
subdivision (a) of Section 1716.1end delete
28begin insert retired dentist who provides only uncompensated careend insert, the board
29shall not require more than 60 percent of the hours of continuing
30education that is required of other licensed dentists. Nothing in
31this subdivision shall be construed to reduce any requirements
32imposed by the board pursuant to subdivision (b).
33(d) The board shall report on the outcome of subdivision (c)
34pursuant to, and at the time of, its regular sunset review process,
35as provided in Section 1601.1.
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