BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2235 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 20, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Lorena Gonzalez, Chair AB 2235 (Thurmond) - As Amended April 11, 2016 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Business and Professions |Vote:|16 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Page 2 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 Page 3 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