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