BILL NUMBER: AB 2485 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 11, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 30, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Santiago
FEBRUARY 19, 2016
An act to repeal Article 9.5 (commencing with Section
1970) of Chapter 4 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions
Code, and to amend Section 128345 of, and to add Article 7
(commencing with Section 128587) to Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division
107 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to dentistry.
An act to amend Sections 1970, 1970.5, and 1973 of, to amend and
repeal Section 1976 of, and to repeal and add Sections 1971, 1972,
and 1975 of, the Business and Professions Code, relating to
dentistry.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2485, as amended, Santiago. Dental Corps Loan Repayment
Program.
Under the Dental Practice Act, the Dental Board of California is
responsible for the licensure and regulation of dentists. Existing
law establishes the Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program of 2002 to
assist dentists who practice in an underserved area with loan
repayment pursuant to an agreement between the board and the dentist,
as specified. Existing law governs eligibility, application,
selection, placement, and repayment for the program, and authorizes
the board to adopt standards to implement the program relating to
eligibility, placement, and termination. Existing law creates the
Dentally Underserved Account within the State Dentistry Fund and
moneys in the account are continuously appropriated for purposes of
the program.
This bill would require that the program be known as the
California Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program and would revise
program provisions regarding eligibility, application, selection,
placement, and repayment. The bill would establish specific grounds
for termination and would authorize the board to require the
repayment of loans or grants in the case of termination. Among other
new program requirements, applicants would be required to sign the
agreement with the board under penalty of perjury and to provide
annual progress reports, signed under penalty of perjury by both the
applicant and employer, thereby imposing a state-mandated local
program by creating new crimes.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes the Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program
of 2002 within the Dental Board of California. Existing law creates
the Dentally Underserved Account within the State Dentistry Fund. The
program assists dentists who practice in an underserved area with
loan repayment pursuant to an agreement between the board and the
dentist, as specified.
This bill would repeal those provisions and instead transfer the
authority to implement the program to the Health Professions
Education Foundation within the Office of Statewide Health Planning
and Development and would rename the account the Dental Corps Loan
Repayment Account. The bill would make funds in the account
available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of the
program. The bill would require the foundation to submit a report to
the Dental Board of California and the Legislature by July 1, 2018.
The bill would make related findings and declarations.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no yes .
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature
that the changes made by this act are comprehensive, and that
regulations do not need to be promulgated by the Dental Board of
California to implement the changes made by this act.
SEC. 2. Section 1970 of the Business
and Professions Code is amended to read:
1970. There is hereby established in the Dental Board of
California the Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program of 2002, which
shall become operative on January 1, 2003. This program shall be
known and may be cited as the California Dental Corps Loan Repayment
Program of 2002. Program.
SEC. 3. Section 1970.5 of the Business
and Professions Code is amended to read:
1970.5. It is the intent of the this article that the Dental
Board of California, in consultation with the Office of
Statewide Health Planning and Development, the dental community,
including ethnic representatives, dental schools, health advocates
representing ethnic communities, primary care clinics, public
hospitals and health systems, statewide agencies administering state
and federally funded programs targeting underserved communities, and
members of the public with health care issue-area expertise shall
develop and California implement the California
Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program of 2002.
Program.
SEC. 4. Section 1971 of the Business
and Professions Code is repealed.
1971. For the purposes of this article, the following terms have
the following meanings:
(a) "Board" means the Dental Board of California.
(b) "Office" means the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development.
(c) "Program" means the California Dental Corps Loan Repayment
Program.
(d) "Dentally underserved area" means a geographic area eligible
to be designated as having a shortage of dental professionals
pursuant to Part I of Appendix B to Part 5 of Chapter 1 of Title 42
of the Code of Federal Regulations or an area of the state where
unmet priority needs for dentists exist as determined by the
California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission pursuant to Section
128224 of the Health and Safety Code.
(e) "Dentally underserved population" means persons without dental
insurance and persons eligible for the Denti-Cal and Healthy
Families Programs who are population groups described as having a
shortage of dental care professionals in Part I of Appendix B to Part
5 of Chapter 1 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(f) "Practice setting" means either of the following:
(1) A community clinic, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section
1204 and subdivision (c) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety
Code, a clinic owned or operated by a public hospital and health
system, or a clinic owned and operated by a hospital that maintains
the primary contract with a county government to fulfill the county's
role pursuant to Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,
which is located in a dentally underserved area and at least 50
percent of whose patients are from a dentally underserved population.
(2) A dental practice or dental corporation, as defined in Section
1800 of this code, located in a dentally underserved area and at
least 50 percent of whose patients are from a dentally underserved
population.
(g) "Medi-Cal threshold languages" means primary languages spoken
by limited-English-proficient (LEP) population groups meeting a
numeric threshold of 3,000, eligible LEP Medi-Cal beneficiaries
residing in a county, 1,000 Medi-Cal eligible LEP beneficiaries
residing in a single ZIP Code, or 1,500 LEP Medi-Cal beneficiaries
residing in two contiguous ZIP Codes.
(h) "Fund" means the State Dentistry Fund.
(i) "Account" means the Dentally Underserved Account which is
contained within the fund.
SEC. 5. Section 1971 is added to the
Business and Professions Code , to read:
1971. As used in this article:
(a) "Account" means the Dentally Underserved Account established
in Section 1973, which is contained within the fund.
(b) "Board" means the Dental Board of California.
(c) "Dentally underserved area" means a geographic area eligible
to be designated as having a shortage of dental professionals
pursuant to Part I of Appendix B to Part 5 of Chapter 1 of Title 42
of the Code of Federal Regulations or an area of the state in which
unmet priority needs for dentists exist as determined by the
California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission pursuant to Section
128224 of the Health and Safety Code.
(d) "Dentally underserved population" means persons without dental
insurance and persons eligible for Denti-Cal who are population
groups described as having a shortage of dental care professionals in
Part I of Appendix B to Part 5 of Chapter 1 of Title 42 of the Code
of Federal Regulations.
(e) "Fund" means the State Dentistry Fund.
(f) "Medi-Cal threshold languages" means primary languages spoken
by limited-English-proficient (LEP) population groups meeting a
numeric threshold of 3,000 eligible LEP Medi-Cal beneficiaries
residing in a county, 1,000 Medi-Cal eligible LEP beneficiaries
residing in a single ZIP Code, or 1,500 LEP Medi-Cal beneficiaries
residing in two contiguous ZIP Codes.
(g) "Office" means the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development.
(h) "Program" means the California Dental Corps Loan Repayment
Program.
(i) "Practice setting" means either of the following:
(1) A community clinic, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section
1204 and subdivision (c) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety
Code, a clinic owned or operated by a public hospital and health
system, or a clinic owned and operated by a hospital that maintains
the primary contract with a county government to fulfill the county's
role pursuant to Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,
which is located in a dentally underserved area and at least 50
percent of whose patients are from a dentally underserved population.
(2) A dental practice or dental corporation, as defined in Section
1800, located in a dentally underserved area and at least 50 percent
of whose patients are from a dentally underserved population.
SEC. 6. Section 1972 of the Business
and Professions Code is repealed.
1972. (a) Program applicants shall possess a current valid
license to practice dentistry in this state issued by the board
pursuant to Section 1626.
(b) The board, in accordance with Section 1970.5, shall develop
the guidelines for selection and placement of applicants.
(1) Guidelines shall provide priority consideration to applicants
who are best suited to meet the cultural and linguistic needs and
demands of dentally underserved populations and that meet one or more
of the following criteria:
(A) Speak a Medi-Cal threshold language.
(B) Come from an economically disadvantaged background.
(C) Have received significant training in cultural and
linguistically appropriate service delivery.
(D) Have worked with dentally underserved communities for at least
three years.
(E) Recently received a license to practice dentistry.
(2) The guidelines shall include a process for determining the
needs for dentist services identified by the practice setting. At a
minimum, the practice setting shall meet the following criteria:
(A) The practice setting shall be located in a dentally
underserved area.
(B) The practice setting shall ensure that the program participant
serves a patient population that consists of at least 50 percent
dentally underserved populations.
(3) Guidelines shall seek to place the most qualified applicants
under this section in the areas with the greatest need.
(4) Guidelines shall include a factor ensuring geographic
distribution of placements.
(c) Program applicants shall be working in or have a signed
agreement with an eligible practice setting. The program participant
shall have full-time status. Full-time status shall be defined by the
board, and the board may establish exemptions to this requirement on
a case-by-case basis.
(d) Program participants shall commit to a minimum of three years
of service in a dentally underserved area. The board, in accordance
with Section 1970.5, shall develop the process for determining the
maximum length of an absence and the process for reinstatement. Loan
repayment shall be deferred until the dentist is back to full-time
status.
(e) The board, in accordance with Section 1970.5, shall develop
the process if a dentist is not able to complete his or her
three-year obligation.
(f) The board, in accordance with Section 1970.5, shall develop a
process for outreach to potentially eligible applicants.
(g) The board may adopt any other standards of eligibility,
placement and termination appropriate to achieve the aim of providing
competent dental services in these approved practice settings.
SEC. 7. Section 1972 is added to the
Business and Professions Code , to read:
1972. (a) (1) A program applicant shall possess a current valid
license to practice dentistry in this state issued by the board
pursuant to Section 1626 within the five years immediately prior to
application for the program, or be currently eligible for graduation
from a predoctoral or postdoctoral dental education program approved
by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or the board and meet all
criteria for licensure, subject to successful completion of
applicable education and examination requirements.
(2) An applicant shall submit documentation detailing current loan
obligations from any government or commercial lender obtained for
purposes of financing tuition or fees at a dental school approved by
the Commission on Dental Accreditation or the board. Documentation
shall contain the applicant's account number and the lender's contact
information, as well as current balance owing and monthly
installment plan details, if applicable.
(3) An application shall include disclosure of any and all
obligations for which the applicant has defaulted or been subject to
a judgment lien within the last 10 years, and explanations for each
default or judgment lien disclosed.
(4) An applicant, if selected to receive a repayment grant, shall
sign an agreement with the board, under penalty of perjury, to
maintain qualified employment for 36 months continuously, and that
the qualified employment meets or will meet the minimum requirements
of the program regarding practice setting, clinical hours worked, and
population served.
(5) An applicant shall also agree to provide an annual progress
report, signed under penalty of perjury by both the applicant and
employer or employer's designee. A progress report shall verify the
practice setting's qualified status, clinical hours worked by the
applicant, number of patients treated, specific treatment rendered
and its value, and patient's payer source.
(b) The board, in selecting a participant for the program, shall
give priority consideration to an applicant who is best suited to
meet the cultural and linguistic needs and demands of dentally
underserved populations by demonstrating experience in one or more of
the following areas:
(1) Speaks one or more Medi-Cal threshold languages.
(2) Comes from an economically disadvantaged background with
economic, social, or other circumstances.
(3) Has worked in a health field in an underserved area or with an
underserved population.
(4) Is a dentist specialist recognized by the American Dental
Association or has met all eligibility requirements to graduate from
a dental specialty residency program approved by the Commission on
Dental Accreditation.
(5) Has completed an extramural program or rotation during dental
school or postgraduate education in which the applicant provided
services to a population that speaks any Medi-Cal threshold language.
(c) The practice setting shall meet one or both of the following
criteria:
(1) The practice setting shall be located in a dentally
underserved area.
(2) The practice setting shall ensure that the program participant
serves a patient population that consists of at least 50 percent
dentally underserved populations.
(d) A program applicant shall be working in, or have a signed
agreement for future employment with, an eligible practice setting.
The program participant shall be employed on a full-time basis.
"Full-time basis" means 30 hours of clinical hands-on care per week,
for no less than 45 weeks per year, except as provided for during
customary holidays, personal or family illness, and vacation time as
described in a separate employment agreement between the recipient
and the practice setting. Upon 30-day notice to the board, the board
shall grant an extended leave of absence period for serious illness,
pregnancy, or other natural cause. The board may establish other
exemptions to the minimum time requirements of this subdivision on a
case-by-case basis.
(e) A program participant shall commit to a minimum of three years
of service in one or more eligible practice settings. Loan repayment
shall be deferred until the dentist is employed on a full-time
basis.
(f) The board may coordinate with local and statewide trade and
professional dental organizations, as well as educational
institutions, for outreach to potentially eligible applicants.
(g) The board may terminate the applicant's participation in the
program for cause. Cause for termination shall include the following:
(1) Recipient's termination of full-time, qualified employment.
(2) Recipient's failure to maintain his or her professional
license in good standing.
(3) Recipient's failure to comply with any other term or condition
of this article.
(h) If the board terminates a recipient's participation for cause
at any time during the 36-month period of the program, the board may
require the recipient to repay the total amount of loans or grants
disbursed in their name plus 10 percent interest within a maximum
period of seven years.
SEC. 8. Section 1973 of the Business
and Professions Code is amended to read:
1973. (a) The Dentally Underserved Account is hereby created in
the State Dentistry Fund.
(b) The sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) is hereby
authorized to be expended from the State Dentistry Fund on this
program. These moneys are appropriated as follows:
(1) One million dollars ($1,000,000) shall be transferred from the
State Dentistry Fund fund to the
Dentally Underserved Account account on
July 1, 2003. Of this amount, sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000)
shall be used by the Dental Board of California
board in the 2003-04 fiscal year for operating expenses
necessary to manage this program.
(2) One million dollars ($1,000,000) shall be transferred from the
State Dentistry Fund fund to the
Dentally Underserved Account account on
July 1, 2004. Of this amount, sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000)
shall be used by the Dental Board of California
board in the 2004-05 fiscal year for operating expenses
necessary to manage this program.
(3) One million dollars ($1,000,000) shall be transferred from the
State Dentistry Fund fund to the
Dentally Underserved Account account on
July 1, 2005. Of this amount, sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000)
shall be used by the Dental Board of California
board in the 2005-06 fiscal year for operating expenses
necessary to manage this program.
(c) Funds placed into the Dentally Underserved Account
account shall be used by the board to repay the
loans per agreements made with dentists.
(1) Funds paid out for loan repayment may have a funding match
from foundation or other private sources.
(2) Loan repayments may shall not
exceed one hundred five thousand dollars ($105,000) per individual
licensed dentist.
(3) Loan repayments may shall not
exceed the amount of the educational loans incurred by the dentist
applicant.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code, the
board may seek and receive matching funds from foundations and
private sources to be placed into the Dentally Underserved
Account. account. The board also may contract
with an exempt foundation for the receipt of matching funds to be
transferred to the Dentally Underserved Account
account for use by this program.
(e) Funds in the Dentally Underserved Account
account appropriated in subdivision (b) or received
pursuant to subdivision (d) are continuously appropriated for the
repayment of loans per agreements made between the board and the
dentists.
(f) On or after July 1, 2010, the board shall extend the
California Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program of 2002
program and distribute the money remaining in the account
until all the moneys in the account are expended.
Regulations that were adopted by the board for the purposes of the
program shall apply.
SEC. 9. Section 1975 of the Business
and Professions Code is repealed.
1975. The terms of loan repayment granted under this article
shall be as follows:
(a) After a program participant has completed one year of
providing services as a dentist in a dentally underserved area, the
board shall provide up to twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for
loan repayment.
(b) After a program participant has completed two consecutive
years of providing services as a dentist in a dentally underserved
area, the board shall provide up to an additional thirty-five
thousand dollars ($35,000) of loan repayment, for a total loan
repayment of up to sixty thousand dollars ($60,000).
(c) After a program participant has completed three consecutive
years of providing services as a dentist in a dentally underserved
area, the board shall provide up to a maximum of an additional
forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) of loan repayment, for a total
loan repayment of up to one hundred five thousand dollars ($105,000).
SEC. 10. Section 1975 is added to the
Business and Professions Code , to read:
1975. The terms of loan repayment granted under this article
shall be as follows:
(a) After a program participant has been selected by the board to
provide services as a dentist in the program, the board shall provide
thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) for loan repayment annually,
for three years, to reach a total of one hundred five thousand
dollars ($105,000), or the total amount of the loan, whichever is the
lesser amount.
(b) The initial disbursement of funds shall be made within 30 days
from execution of a program agreement between the board and the
recipient directly from the board to the qualified lender selected by
the recipient, to be credited to the recipient's account.
(c) Subsequent disbursements in sums equal to the initial
disbursement, but not equaling more than the total amount owed by the
recipient, shall be made within 30 days of months 13 and 25 of the
recipient's participation in the program.
SEC. 11. Section 1976 of the Business
and Professions Code is amended to read:
1976. (a) On January 1, 2003, applications from dentists for
program participation may be submitted.
(b)
1976. (a) The board shall report
to the Legislature, no later than October 1, 2004,
during its sunset review period, the experience of the
program since its inception, an evaluation of its effectiveness in
improving access to dental care for underserved populations, and
recommendations for maintaining or expanding its operation. The
report to the Legislature shall also include the following:
(1) The number of the program participants.
(2) The practice locations.
(3) The amount expended for the program.
(4) The information on annual performance reviews
progress reports by practice settings
and program participants.
(c) The board may promulgate emergency regulations to implement
the program.
(b) The report to the Legislature pursuant to subdivision (a)
shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.
(c) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
section is repealed on January, 1, 2021.
SEC. 12. No reimbursement is required by this act
pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local
agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a
new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or
changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of
Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a
crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the
California Constitution.
SECTION 1. The Legislature hereby finds and
declares all of the following:
(a) An adequate supply of dentists is critical to assuring the
health and well-being of California residents, particularly those who
live in medically underserved areas.
(b) It is in the best interest of the state and its residents that
dental services be provided throughout the state in a manner that
can be effectively accessed by the residents of all communities.
(c) The Dental Board of California has established the California
Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program of 2002 to improve access to
dental care for underserved populations.
(d) The Health Professions Education Foundation, established in
1987, is the state's only nonprofit foundation statutorily created to
encourage persons from underserved communities to become health
professionals and increase access to health providers in medically
underserved areas.
(e) The foundation improves access to health care in underserved
areas by providing scholarships, loan repayments, and programs to
health professional students and graduates who are dedicated to
providing direct patient care in those areas.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature to move the California
Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program of 2002 from the Dental Board of
California to the Health Professions Education Foundation within the
Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
SEC. 2. Article 9.5 (commencing with Section
1970) of Chapter 4 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code
is repealed.
SEC. 3. Section 128345 of the Health and Safety
Code is amended to read:
128345. The Health Professions Education Foundation may do any of
the following:
(a) Solicit and receive funds from business, industry,
foundations, and other private or public sources for the purpose of
providing financial assistance in the form of scholarships or loans
to African-American students, Native American students,
Hispanic-American students, and other students from underrepresented
groups. These funds shall be expended by the office after transfer to
the Health Professions Education Fund, created pursuant to Section
128355.
(b) Recommend to the director the disbursement of private sector
moneys deposited in the Health Professions Education Fund to students
from underrepresented groups accepted to or enrolled in schools of
medicine, dentistry, nursing, or other health professions in the form
of loans or scholarships.
(c) Recommend to the director a standard contractual agreement to
be signed by the director and any participating student, that would
require a period of obligated professional service in the areas in
California designated by the commission as deficient in primary care
services. The agreement shall include a clause entitling the state to
recover the funds awarded plus the maximum allowable interest for
failure to begin or complete the service obligation.
(d) Develop criteria
for evaluating the likelihood that applicants for scholarships or
loans would remain to practice their profession in designated areas
deficient in primary care services.
(e) Develop application forms, which shall be disseminated to
students from underrepresented groups interested in applying for
scholarships or loans.
(f) Encourage private sector institutions, including hospitals,
community clinics, and other health agencies to identify and provide
educational experiences to students from underrepresented groups who
are potential applicants to schools of medicine, dentistry, nursing,
or other health professions.
(g) Prepare and submit an annual report to the office documenting
the amount of money solicited from the private sector, the number of
scholarships and loans awarded, the enrollment levels of students
from underrepresented groups in schools of medicine, dentistry,
nursing, and other health professions, and the projected need for
scholarships and loans in the future.
(h) Recommend to the director that a portion of the funds
solicited from the private sector be used for the administrative
requirements of the foundation.
(i) Implement the Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan
Repayment Program and the Volunteer Physician Program, as provided
under Article 5 (commencing with Section 128550).
(j) Implement the California Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program,
as provided under Article 7 (commencing with Section 128587) of
Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 107.
SEC. 4. Article 7 (commencing with Section
128587) is added to Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 107 of the Health
and Safety Code, to read:
Article 7. California Dental Corps Loan Repayment Program
128587. (a) There is hereby established the California Dental
Corps Loan Repayment Program within the Health Professions Education
Foundation within the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article
that the foundation and the office provide the ongoing program
management for the program.
128587.2. For purposes of this article, the following definitions
apply:
(a) "Account" means the Dentally Underserved Account, which is
contained within the fund.
(b) "Board" means the Dental Board of California.
(c) "Dentally underserved area" means a geographic area eligible
to be designated as having a shortage of dental professionals
pursuant to Part I of Appendix B to Part 5 of Chapter 1 of Title 42
of the Code of Federal Regulations or an area of the state in which
unmet priority needs for dentists exist as determined by the
California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission pursuant to Section
128224.
(d) "Dentally underserved population" means persons without dental
insurance and persons eligible for Denti-Cal who are population
groups described as having a shortage of dental care professionals in
Part I of Appendix B to Part 5 of Chapter 1 of Title 42 of the Code
of Federal Regulations.
(e) "Fund" means the State Dentistry Fund.
(f) "Medi-Cal threshold languages" means primary languages spoken
by limited-English-proficient (LEP) population groups meeting a
numeric threshold of 3,000, eligible LEP Medi-Cal beneficiaries
residing in a county, 1,000 Medi-Cal eligible LEP beneficiaries
residing in a single ZIP Code, or 1,500 LEP Medi-Cal beneficiaries
residing in two contiguous ZIP Codes.
(g) "Office" means the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development.
(h) "Program" means the California Dental Corps Loan Repayment
Program.
(i) "Practice setting" means either of the following:
(1) A community clinic, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section
1204 and subdivision (c) of Section 1206, a clinic owned or operated
by a public hospital and health system, or a clinic owned and
operated by a hospital that maintains the primary contract with a
county government to fulfill the county's role pursuant to Section
17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which is located in a
dentally underserved area.
(2) A dental practice or dental corporation, as defined in Section
1800 of the Business and Professions Code, located in a dentally
underserved area or at least 50 percent of whose patients are from a
dentally underserved population.
128587.4. (a) A program applicant shall possess a current valid
license to practice dentistry in this state issued by the board
pursuant to Section 1626 of the Business and Professions Code, or be
currently eligible for graduation from a pre- or postdoctoral dental
education program approved by the board or the Commission on Dental
Accreditation and meet all criteria for licensure subject to
successful completion of applicable education and examination
requirements.
(b) The foundation shall develop the guidelines for selection and
placement of applicants.
(1) The guidelines shall provide priority consideration to
applicants who are best suited to meet the cultural and linguistic
needs and demands of dentally underserved populations and who meet
one or more of the following criteria:
(A) Speak a Medi-Cal threshold language.
(B) Come from an economically disadvantaged background.
(C) Have received significant training in cultural and
linguistically appropriate service delivery.
(D) Have worked in a health field in an underserved area or with
an underserved population.
(E) Recently received a license to practice dentistry.
(F) Have received an offer for employment from a practice setting.
(2) The guidelines shall include a process for determining the
needs for dental services identified by the practice setting. At a
minimum, the practice setting shall be located in a dentally
underserved area.
(3) The guidelines shall seek to place the most qualified
applicants under this section in the areas with the greatest need.
(c) A program applicant shall be working in, or have a signed
agreement with, an eligible practice setting. The program participant
shall be employed on a full-time basis. Full-time basis shall be
defined by the foundation, and the foundation may establish
exemptions to this requirement on a case-by-case basis.
(d) A program participant shall commit to a minimum of three years
of service in one or more practice settings. The foundation shall
develop the process for determining the maximum length of an absence
and the process for reinstatement of a participant. Loan repayment
shall be deferred until the dentist is employed on a full-time basis.
(e) The foundation shall develop a process to use if a dentist is
not able to complete his or her three-year obligation.
(f) The foundation shall develop a process for outreach to
potentially eligible applicants.
(g) The foundation may adopt any other standards of eligibility,
placement, and termination appropriate to achieve the aim of
providing competent dental services in these approved practice
settings.
128587.6 (a) The Dentally Underserved Account, formerly
established pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1973 of the
Business and Professions Code, in the State Dentistry Fund in the
Professions and Vocations Fund in the State Treasury is hereby
renamed the Dental Corps Loan Repayment Account and established by
this section in the State Dentistry Fund.
(b) (1) Funds placed in the account shall be available upon
appropriation by the Legislature.
(2) Funds in the account shall be used by the foundation to repay
the loans per agreements made with dentists.
(3) Funds paid out for loan repayment may have a funding match
from foundations or other private sources.
(4) Loan repayments shall not exceed a total of one hundred five
thousand dollars ($105,000) per individual licensed dentist.
(5) Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code, the
foundation may seek and receive funds from foundations and private
sources to be placed into the account.
128587.8. The terms of loan repayment granted under this article
shall be as follows:
(a) After a program participant has completed six months of
providing services on a full-time basis in a practice setting, the
foundation shall provide up to thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000)
for loan repayment.
(b) After a program participant has completed 18 consecutive
months of providing services on a full-time basis in a practice
setting, the foundation shall provide up to an additional thirty-five
thousand dollars ($35,000) of loan repayment, for a total loan
repayment of up to seventy thousand dollars ($70,000).
(c) After a program participant has completed 30 consecutive
months of providing services on a full-time basis in a practice
setting, the foundation shall provide up to a maximum of thirty-five
thousand dollars ($35,000) of loan repayment, for a total loan
repayment of up to one hundred five thousand dollars ($105,000), but
not to exceed the total outstanding amount of the loan.
128587.9. (a) On or before July 1, 2018, the foundation shall
submit a report to the board and the Legislature regarding the
experience of the program, an evaluation of its effectiveness in
improving access to dental care for underserved populations, and
recommendations for maintaining or expanding its operation,
including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Number of program participants.
(2) Practice locations.
(3) Amount of funds expended.
(4) The information on annual performance reviews by practice
settings and program participants.
(b) The report to the Legislature pursuant to subdivision (a)
shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.
(c) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
section is repealed on July 1, 2022.