BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 880
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
880 (Ridley-Thomas)
As Amended August 18, 2015
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | 78-0 | (May 14, |SENATE: |39-0 | (August 27, |
| | |2015) | | |2015) |
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Original Committee Reference: B. & P.
SUMMARY: Authorizes students enrolled in their final year at a
California dental school, approved by the Dental Board of
California (Board), to practice dentistry under the supervision
of licensed dentists at free sponsored events, as specified.
The Senate amendments:
1)Require that each patient be informed that a dental student
may be providing some of the treatment that he or she will be
receiving, and offer the patient the option to decline to be
treating by the student.
2)Require the student to be supervised by clinical faculty from
the dental school in which he or she is enrolled and practice
under specified supervision ratios and oversight.
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3)Limit a student to performing only those procedures in which
he or she is credentialed or that he or she is already
permitted to perform, as specified.
4)Require the sponsoring entity of the sponsored event to
provide specified information to the Board.
5)Require the student or the student's sponsoring dental school
to ensure liability insurance coverage is obtained that covers
all services provided by the student, including diagnosis,
treatment, and evaluation.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS:
Purpose. This bill is sponsored by the Oral and Facial Surgeons
of California. According to the author, "Regular dental care is
extremely important to everyone's health. However in the
underserved communities in California, access to regular dental
care is almost nonexistent. Since the Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal
programs are underutilized, free healthcare and dental clinics
are an essential source of dental care for the many members of
those same communities. Since existing law already allows
dental students to treat patients in clinics on the dental
school campuses under supervision, it would follow that these
same students should be allowed to treat similar patients, under
supervision, in the free health fairs. It is very important to
maintain a pool of willing volunteer providers both in the
licensed professional community and in the dental schools to
provide dental care in underserved communities."
Background. Board-approved dental schools are required to,
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among other things, have a formal system of quality assurance
for their patient care program including standards of patient
centered care with a focus on comprehensive care, including
measurable assessment criteria and ensures the delivery of
comprehensive patient care to individual patients. In addition,
schools are required to ensure that students have adequate
patient experiences to achieve the institution's stated goals
and competencies within a reasonable time. Currently, there are
six Board-approved dental schools in California. This bill
would only apply to dental students at one of these
institutions.
Current Exemptions for Student Practice. Business and
Professions Code Section 1626 specifically exempts from
licensure requirements, "? operations, in dental schools
approved by the board, of bona fide students of dentistry? in
the school's clinical departments or laboratories or in a dental
extension program approved by the board." Under the California
Code of Regulations, there are two types of facilities that may
be approved by the Board as an adjunct to, and an extension of,
the clinical and laboratory departments of an approved school:
1) an extramural dental facility, and 2) a mobile dental clinic.
An extramural dental facility as defined in 16 California Code
of Regulations 1025 is "? any clinical facility employed by an
approved dental school for instruction in dentistry which exists
outside or beyond the walls, boundaries or precincts of the
primary campus of the approved dental school, and in which
dental services are rendered." A mobile dental clinic as
defined in 16 California Code of Regulations 1026 is "? any
clinical facility employed by an approved dental school for
instruction in dentistry which may be moved, towed or
transported from one location to another, and in which dental
services are rendered."
Services that are provided by dental students to the public
through an extramural dental facility or a mobile dental clinic
are required to constitute a part of the dental education
program. In addition, approved dental schools are required to
register these facilities with the Board, and provide with that
registration information relating to: 1) faculty supervision;
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2) scope of treatment to be rendered; 3) postoperative care; 4)
proposed itinerary showing locations by dates, for mobile dental
clinics, or the name and location of the facility and date
operation will commence, for extramural dental facilities; 5)
discipline of which such instruction is a part; and 6) a brief
description of the equipment and facilities available. For
extramural dental facilities, the school must also provide a
copy of the agreement between the approval dental school, or
parent university and the affiliated institution establishing
the contractual relationship. Any change in the information
initially provided to the Board is required to be communicated
to the Board.
According to the sponsor, the intent of this bill is to allow
final year dental students to volunteer their services at free
health and dental events. Currently, students are not exempt
from practicing at those events because those free health care
events do not fall under the definition of a mobile dental
health clinic or an extramural dental facility. As a result,
those health care events currently have no registration or other
requirements relating to the standard of care. In addition,
unlike extramural dental facilities, which are brick and mortar
locations, and mobile dental clinics, which are also
self-contained places to provide services, free healthcare
events are fleeting and not grounded to any one location. While
existing law permits dental students to treat patients, who are
usually eligible for dental services under Medi-Cal's dental
program and treated under supervision, in on-campus clinics,
mobile dental clinics and at dental extension programs approved
by the Board, current law does not allow these same
opportunities at health care events. According to the author,
the ability to draw final year students to the clinics as dental
service providers who work alongside licensed dentists will
increase the number of volunteers available to work as these
clinics and provide much needed services to underserved
communities much needed services.
Analysis Prepared by:
Eunie Linden / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301 FN:
0001468
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