Amended in Senate June 16, 2016

Amended in Assembly May 27, 2016

Amended in Assembly April 12, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 28, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2331


Introduced by Assembly Member Dababneh

February 18, 2016


An act to amend Section 1632 of, and to add Sections 1632.55 and 1632.7 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to dentistry, and making an appropriation therefor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2331, as amended, Dababneh. Dentistry: applicants to practice.

The Dental Practice Act provides for the licensure and regulation of dentists and associated professions by the Dental Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs. The act requires each applicant for a license to practice dentistry to successfully complete specified examinations, including receiving a passing score on either a portfolio examination, as specified, or a clinical and written examination administered by the Western Regional Examining Board, which determines the passing score for that examination.

This bill would additionally allow an applicant to satisfy that examination requirement by receiving a passing score on thebegin delete Patient Centered Curriculum Integrated Dental Examination Formatend deletebegin insert clinical and written examinationend insert developed by the American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc., subject to prior review and approval of the examination by the Office of Professional Examination Services, as provided, delivery of this review to the Dental Board of California, and payment of specified expenses incurred by the board.

Existing law authorizes the Director of Finance to accept on behalf of the state any gift of real or personal property whenever he or she deems the gift and the terms and conditions thereof to be in the best interest of the state. Existing law establishes the Special Deposit Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, which consists of money that is paid into it in trust pursuant to law when no other fund has been created to receive that money.

This bill would authorize the Director of Finance to accept funds for the purposes of reviewing andbegin delete implementingend deletebegin insert analyzingend insert the dental examination developed by the American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc., described above. Because these funds would be deposited in the Special Deposit Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

Section 1632 of the Business and Professions
2Code
is amended to read:

3

1632.  

(a) The board shall require each applicant to successfully
4complete the Part I and Part II written examinations of the National
5Board Dental Examination of the Joint Commission on National
6Dental Examinations.

7(b) The board shall require each applicant to successfully
8complete an examination in California law and ethics developed
9and administered by the board. The board shall provide a separate
10application for this examination. The board shall ensure that the
11law and ethics examination reflects current law and regulations,
12and ensure that the examinations are randomized. Applicants shall
13submit this application and required fee to the board in order to
14take this examination. In addition to the aforementioned
15application, the only other requirement for taking this examination
16shall be certification from the dean of the qualifying dental school
17attended by the applicant that the applicant has graduated, or will
18graduate, or is expected to graduate. Applicants who submit
19completed applications and certification from the dean at least 15
P3    1days prior to a scheduled examination shall be scheduled to take
2the examination. Successful results of the examination shall, as
3established by board regulation, remain valid for two years from
4the date that the applicant is notified of having passed the
5examination.

6(c) Except as otherwise provided in Section 1632.5, the board
7shall require each applicant to have taken and received a passing
8score on one of the following:

9(1) A portfolio examination of the applicant’s competence to
10enter the practice of dentistry. This examination shall be conducted
11while the applicant is enrolled in a dental school program at a
12board-approved school located in California. This examination
13shall utilize uniform standards of clinical experiences and
14competencies, as approved by the board pursuant to Section 1632.1.
15The applicant shall pass a final assessment of the submitted
16portfolio at the end of his or her dental school program. Before
17any portfolio assessment may be submitted to the board, the
18applicant shall remit the required fee to the board to be deposited
19into the State Dentistry Fund, and a letter of good standing signed
20by the dean of his or her dental school or his or her delegate stating
21that the applicant has graduated or will graduate with no pending
22ethical issues.

23(A) The portfolio examination shall not be conducted until the
24board adopts regulations to carry out this paragraph. The board
25shall post notice on its Internet Web site when these regulations
26have been adopted.

27(B) The board shall also provide written notice to the Legislature
28and the Legislative Counsel when these regulations have been
29adopted.

30(2) Either one of the following examinations:

31(A) A clinical and written examination administered by the
32Western Regional Examining Board.

33(B) Thebegin delete Patient Centered Curriculum Integrated Dental
34Examination Formatend delete
begin insert clinical and written examinationend insert developed
35by the American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc.

36(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 1628, the board
37is authorized to do either of the following:

38(1) Approve an application for examination from, and to
39examine an applicant who is enrolled in, but has not yet graduated
40from, a reputable dental school approved by the board.

P4    1(2) Accept the results of an examination described in paragraph
2(2) of subdivision (c) submitted by an applicant who was enrolled
3in, but had not graduated from, a reputable dental school approved
4by the board at the time the examination was administered.

5In either case, the board shall require the dean of that school or
6his or her delegate to furnish satisfactory proof that the applicant
7will graduate within one year of the date the examination was
8administered or as provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c).

begin insert

9
(e) The board may determine the testing format, as related to
10patients, for the examination provided pursuant to subparagraph
11(B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).

end insert
12

SEC. 2.  

Section 1632.55 is added to the Business and
13Professions Code
, to read:

14

1632.55.  

(a) Prior to implementation of subparagraph (B) of
15paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1632, the department’s
16Office of Professional Examination Services shall review the
17American Board of Dental Examiners,begin delete Inc.,end deletebegin insert Inc.end insert examination to
18ensure compliance with the requirements of Section 139 and to
19certify that the examination process meets those standards, and
20deliver this review to the Dental Board of California. If the
21department determines that the examination process fails to meet
22those standards, does not deliver the review to the Dental Board
23of California, or if the American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc.
24fails to pay the costs and expenses the board incurs, as described
25in subdivision (d), subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision
26(c) of Section 1632 shall not be implemented.

27(b) The American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc. examination
28process shall be regularly reviewed by the department pursuant to
29Section 139.

30(c) The American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc. examination
31shall meet the mandates of subdivision (a) of Section 12944 of the
32Government Code.

33(d) The American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc. shall pay
34all reasonable costs and expenses the board incurs for the purposes
35of implementing this section.

begin insert

36
(e) The American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc. examination
37may only be accepted for licensure by a candidate after it is
38determined that the examination has met the requirements of this
39section. Examinations taken prior to that date may not be used for
40licensure.

end insert
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SEC. 3.  

Section 1632.7 is added to the Business and Professions
2Code
, to read:

3

1632.7.  

The Department of Finance may accept funds pursuant
4to Sections 11005.1 and 16302 of the Government Code for the
5purposes of reviewing andbegin delete implementingend deletebegin insert analyzingend insert the examination
6developed by the American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc., as
7described inbegin delete paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1632.end delete
8
begin insert Section 1632.55.end insert



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