COVID-19’s impact on dentistry remains a top advocacy priority for CDA, and a new bill that CDA is co-sponsoring with the California Medical Association would help to safeguard health care providers’ financial stability during future state emergencies like the current pandemic.

Dentists and other small-business owners suffering ongoing pandemic hardship in California can receive immediate relief through a $7.6 billion legislative package signed into law yesterday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

An expedited licensure application review process is now available for individuals in specific categories who apply for a professional license through California licensing boards, including dentists, RDAs and RDAEFs who apply for licensure through the Dental Board of California. 

In addition to funding California’s COVID-19 recovery and vaccination efforts and proposing several billion dollars to tackle homelessness and help schools reopen, the state budget proposal released Jan. 8 supports improvements in oral health care delivery and access to dental services.

Very small businesses, including dental practices with just five or more employees, will soon be subject to the California Family Rights Act’s requirement to provide protected unpaid family leave to their employees.

Two bills that will assist dental practice owners impacted by the pandemic became law last week with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. One new law will protect PPP loan recipients from having to pay potentially thousands in unexpected state income tax on their forgiven PPP loans. 

Despite Big Tobacco’s multimillion-dollar advertising campaign to stop legislation that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco products in California, the Legislature passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly signed Senate Bill 793 into law last Friday. 

Current legislation that would expand the provisions of the California Family Rights Act to employers with five or more employees ignores the severe economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on small businesses and could be “particularly devastating” to dental practices, according to CDA.

The fight against Big Tobacco and its deceptive tactics and targeting practices continues with CDA joining a large coalition of health care, youth and community organizations to support legislation that would prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, in California.