BILL ANALYSIS
AB 403
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Date of Hearing: March 31, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS
Mary Hayashi, Chair
AB 403 (Fuller) - As Amended: March 25, 2009
SUBJECT : Dental hygienists.
SUMMARY : Specifies that satisfactory completion of the dental
hygiene examination given by the Western Regional Examining
Board (WREB) or any other clinical dental hygiene examination
approved by the Dental Hygiene Committee of California
(committee) meets the clinical testing requirement for dental
hygienists.
EXISTING LAW establishes the committee in the Dental Board of
California, effective July 1, 2009, and provides for the
licensure and regulation of dental hygienists by the committee.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Purpose of this bill . According to the author's office, "This
legislation is a non-controversial closing of the loop on
licensure for individuals providing dental services in
California. It allows dental hygienists, consistent with the
national trend and the contemporary manner of licensure, the
option of taking the WREB clinical examination instead of the
California examination, to fulfill the clinical part of their
licensure requirement.
"It does not get rid of the California examination for those who
choose to take it; it allows dental hygienists an opportunity to
take the more widely accepted WREB. This allows portability for
hygienists both wanting to enter the state of California to
practice and those desiring to move elsewhere?. It also allows
other hygienists who take the WREB in other states to practice
more easily in California. There is always a need for hygiene
services, especially in the rural underserved communities of
California, such as in skilled nursing facilities and clinics."
Background . California currently uses WREB as an alternative to
AB 403
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the state's clinical and written dental exam, as authorized by
SB 1865 (Figueroa) Chapter 670, Statues of 2004. California is
currently in the minority of states that do not recognize
regional testing examinations for dental hygienists, and the
sponsor argues that by accepting WREB in addition to the state
exam, it increases the portability and opportunities for dental
hygienists. Currently 41 states participate in one of four
regional testing organizations nationwide.
WREB has been in existence since 1976 and is recognized as a
valid and comprehensive examination organization. AB 1865
required the California Office of Professional Examination
Services to conduct a review on WREB's testing capabilities, and
found that it was on par with the state's dental exam. In 2005,
Arizona State University conducted an evaluation of the WREB's
dental hygienist examination program and concluded that "all
evidence points to a very high quality examination."
Oregon, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Alaska, New Mexico,
Texas, Oklahoma, Washington, Wyoming, Missouri, and Kansas also
use WREB to administer their dental hygiene clinical exam.
Suggested technical amendment : The author's amendments
unintentionally altered a portion of current law. The following
amendment would be a restoration:
Replace c) with: "Satisfactory completion of a national written
dental hygiene examination approved by the committee."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Dental Hygienists Association (sponsor)
California Dental Association
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Sarah Huchel / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301