BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 869
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:  January 26, 2000

                            ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH 
                               Martin Gallegos, Chair
                   AB 869 (Keeley) - As Amended:  January 24, 2000
           
          SUBJECT  :  Oral conscious sedation.

           SUMMARY  :  Delays the implementation of specified requirements  
          that must be met before a dentist may administer oral conscious  
          sedation to a minor patient from January 1, 2000, to January 1,  
          2001.

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Prohibits dentists, beginning January 1, 2000, from  
            administering oral conscious sedation on an outpatient basis  
            to a minor patient unless the dentist holds a valid general  
            anesthesia permit, a conscious sedation permit, or has been  
            certified by the Dental Board of California (Board) to  
            administer oral sedation to minor patients.

          1)Establishes a procedure for obtaining an oral conscious  
            sedation permit, requiring dentists to submit evidence to the  
            Board that certain requirements have been met.

          1)Requires oral conscious sedation permit holders to complete a  
            minimum of seven hours of approved courses of study related to  
            oral conscious sedation of minor patients as a condition of  
            certification renewal as an oral conscious sedation provider.

          1)Defines oral conscious sedation as a minimally depressed level  
            of consciousness produced by oral medication that retains the  
            patient's ability to maintain independently and continuously  
            an airway, and respond appropriately to physical stimulation  
            and verbal command.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  None

           COMMENTS  : 

           PURPOSE OF THIS BILL  .  According to the author, this bill is  
          sponsored by the California Dental Association (CDA) to delay,  
          by one year, the implementation of a bill enacted in 1998 to  
          strengthen safeguards for minor patients receiving oral  








                                                                  AB 869
                                                                  Page  2

          conscious sedation in dental offices.  
          AB 2006 (Keeley), Chapter 513, Statutes of 1998, which was also  
          sponsored by CDA, required dentists who did not already have a  
          general anesthesia permit or a conscious sedation permit, to  
          obtain an oral conscious sedation permit before administering  
          oral conscious sedation to a minor.  This requirement was to go  
          into effect January 1 of this year.  However, the Board has not  
          yet adopted regulations to administer this new requirement, and  
          a delay of one year is necessary to complete the regulatory  
          process.




           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support  

          California Dental Association (sponsor)

          Opposition  

          None on file
           
          Analysis Prepared by :  Vincent D. Marchand / HEALTH / (916)  
          319-2097