As of Jan. 1, 2022, California-licensed dentists who administer or order the administration of general anesthesia, moderate sedation and minimal sedation are subject to new requirements under legislation signed into law in 2018. Dentists can now apply for the new permits.
The U.S. Congress is working to finalize the details of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act, and the framework of a final deal is near. While the details of the negotiated agreement have not been made public or acted on by Congress, it appears unlikely that a Medicare dental benefit will be included in the final legislation.
Dental practices that have been harmed or disadvantaged by the COVID-19 pandemic will find support through CDA-sponsored or supported bills signed into law in recent weeks by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Altogether, the governor signed 14 bills that help dentists practice better and expand access to oral health care.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 8 signed into law CDA-sponsored legislation that allows California-licensed dentists to apply for the requisite laboratory licensure to administer rapid COVID-19 tests in the dental office. The new law also gives dentists permanent authority to administer FDA-approved or FDA-authorized COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
A bill imposing a sales tax on e-cigarettes sold in California was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom and will take effect July 1, 2022. The new tax will provide ongoing funding for the CalHealthCares Student Loan Repayment Grant and other education and health care programs in the state.
A significant amount of activity is underway in the U.S. Congress focused on adding dental, vision and hearing benefits to the Medicare program, and the proposals are moving quickly. This communication from CDA supplements what the ADA, media and other sources have shared to give members background and context for the current activity and clarify some common misunderstandings.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 8 signed CDA-sponsored legislation that gives California dentists permanent authority to provide influenza and COVID-19 vaccines and obtain the required state registration to process rapid COVID-19 tests in the dental office.
Student loan borrowers in California have new protections against lenders’ and servicers’ unfair, deceptive and predatory practices under the state’s new Student Borrower Bill of Rights.
The California Department of Health Care Services has awarded $69.4 million toward student loan repayments for 249 physicians and 41 dentists to expand health care access for Medi-Cal patients.
The California Legislature approved a state budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year that upholds the will of the voters when they passed the Proposition 56 tobacco tax in 2016. The budget makes significant investments in Medi-Cal Dental improvements, workforce development and coronavirus relief.
CDA advocacy placed California ahead of the curve for enabling dentists to vaccinate individuals against COVID-19 when the Department of Consumer Affairs granted a public health emergency waiver on Jan. 4. Other states soon followed, passing legislation or issuing waivers and governors’ executive orders that allow dentists to administer the COVID-19 vaccines.
The Achievement award recognizes CDA for its unwavering advocacy efforts to successfully create an alternative pathway to timely licensure for graduating dental students whose clinical exams were canceled or postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.