BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 2331


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          Date of Hearing:  April 20, 2016


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                               Lorena Gonzalez, Chair


          AB  
          2331 (Dababneh) - As Amended April 12, 2016


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  NoReimbursable:  No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill adds an additional examination option for meeting the  
          requirements for licensure as a dentist.  Specifically, this  
          bill:


          1)Adds the Patient Centered Curriculum Integrated Dental  
            Examination Format developed by the American Board of Dental  
            Examiners, Inc. (ADEX exam) as a qualifying examination for  
            dental licensure applicants.







                                                                    AB 2331


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          2)Requires, prior to acceptance of the ADEX exam, the Department  
            of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Office of Professional Examination  
            Services (OPES) to perform a review and certify that the  
            examination process meets certain standards.  Specifies if the  
            review is not performed or the exam does not meet the  
            standards, that the Board shall not accept the exam.


          3)Authorizes the Department of Finance to accept funds, pursuant  
            to existing law, for the purposes of implementing the ADEX  
            exam review and acceptance.


          FISCAL EFFECT:


          One-time costs to the Dental Board and to the OPES of $200,000  
          to perform reviews and issue regulations (State Dentistry Fund).  
           These costs could be reimbursed by private donations as the  
          bill authorizes; however, the requirement to perform the review  
          is not contingent on such donation.  Ongoing costs will depend  
          upon volume of additional applications.


          COMMENTS:


          1)Purpose. The intent of this bill is to provide an additional  
            exam option that will allow out-of-state dental students  
            seeking to practice in California, including California  
            residents choosing to return to their home state, the  
            opportunity to take the exam in other states where it is  
            administered.  The sponsors of this bill, ADEX, Inc., indicate  
            the exam is similar to the portfolio exam, a clinical exam  
            option recently adopted by the Board.  


          2)Background. Prior to accepting an exam as a qualification for  







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            licensure, a Board must ensure an exam is valid, which  
            requires occupational analysis and psychometric testing.  OPES  
            employs test validation and development specialists who are  
            trained to develop and analyze occupational licensing  
            examinations.  Existing clinical exam options are only  
          available in California. 


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