California Society of Pediatric Dentists

Final Legislative Digest, 2011

AB 437 (Pan)	State Oral Health Infrastructure : As introduced, this bill would remove the requirement that the Dental Director of the California Department of Public Health be licensed in California.
CSPD Position:	Watch
Outcome:	May be considered next year
Comment:	This CDA-sponsored bill is a vehicle for improving the state's oral health infrastructure by, among other things, re-establishing a state dental director who could then tap into federal and other funding sources through a new state Office of Oral Health.

SB 540 (Price)	Dental Board of California - TThis bill would extend the existence of the Dental Board of California to January 1, 2016, and add an additional public member.
CSPD Position:	Watch
Outcome:	Passed and Signed by the Governor
Comment:	The Dental Board is currently composed of eight dentists, four public members, one RDA, and one RDH. An additional public member would increase the composition to 15 members. The bill includes a number of other provisions, including replacement of the Board's current standing Dental Assisting Committee and Dental Assisting Forum with a new Dental Assisting Council, an advisory body that would be appointed by the board president.

SB 694 (Padilla)	Dental Care Access - This bill would require that Dental Board of California in collaboration with a stakeholder working group to determine the workforce requirements necessary to meet needs of additional children eligible for care under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.
CSPD Position:	Watch
Outcome:	May be considered next year
Comment:	This is the anticipated "spot bill" sponsored by the Children's Partnership Coalition that would establish a new dental provider category in California. It is not expected to be acted upon until the second legislative session in 2012.