BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 2235


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          Date of Hearing:  April 20, 2016


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                               Lorena Gonzalez, Chair


          AB  
          2235 (Thurmond) - As Amended April 11, 2016


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  NoReimbursable:  No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill requires the Dental Board of California (DBC), on or  
          before March 31, 2017, to establish a committee to investigate  
          current laws and regulations for the use of pediatric anesthesia  
          in dentistry.  Specifically, this bill:








                                                                    AB 2235


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          1)Requires the committee to review all incident reports for the  
            last five years, make recommendations, and report to the  
            Legislature by January 1, 2018 as well as at its next sunset  
            review.


          2)Specifies that administration of sedation by a dentist  
            includes directing the administration of sedation, and  
            specifies information related to sedation that must be  
            provided in a parental consent form for a minor. 


          FISCAL EFFECT:


          Minor increased staff and IT support costs, under $50,000 per  
          year for two years, to perform required activities including  
          tracking and researching incidents, promulgating regulations,  
          and creating a consent form (State Dentistry Fund).


          COMMENTS:


          1)Purpose. According to the author, parents do not understand  
            the unique risks posed by pediatric general anesthesia and  
            sedation in a dental setting.  The author explains dentists  
            are the only healthcare professionals allowed to perform  
            procedures while simultaneously administering anesthesia.   
            This is unlike the medical setting, where anesthesia is  
            performed by a separate individual who is monitoring the  
            patient.  This bill is intended to provide a thorough review  
            of the safety of pediatric anesthesia in a dental setting.  
            Anesthesiologists, a surgery center, and number of individuals  
            support this bill, and it has no formal opposition.










                                                                    AB 2235


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          2)Background.   According to the DBC, at its March 4, 2016,  
            board meeting, a subcommittee was created to address the issue  
            this bill requires, pursuant to a request received by the  
            Chair of the Senate Committee on Business, Professions and  
            Economic Development. Current data appear too limited to  
            conclusively demonstrate adverse outcomes or prove current  
            practice optimizes safety.  Any sedation and anesthesia  
            procedure carries some risk of serious side effects.  


          Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081