BILL ANALYSIS
AB 403
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 22, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 403 (Fuller) - As Amended: March 25, 2009
Policy Committee: Business &
Professions Vote: 11-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes registered dental hygienists to meet
educational requirements by completing the Western Regional
Examining Board examination (WREB exam) instead of the
California clinical examination.
FISCAL EFFECT
No direct fiscal impact to the Dental Board of California to
continue oversight of exams for dental hygienists.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . This bill is sponsored by the California Dental
Hygienists Association to allow dental hygienists to take the
WREB and allow California dental professionals to follow
national trends of taking the regional exam instead of the
state-specific exam. Utilizing the WREB provides hygienists
with greater professional portability outside of the state.
There are 22,000 registered dental hygienists in California.
2)Related Legislation . SB 1865 (Aanestaad), Chapter 670,
Statutes of 2004, authorized dentists to take either the
California Dental Board examination or the WREB exam for
licensure.
Analysis Prepared by : Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081