Dental Practice & Licensing

Information on dental-related laws and regulations: the Dental Practice Act, prescribing laws, medical device regulations, and mandated reporting.

New timeline for completing required eight-hour infection control course effective Jan. 1

Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, unlicensed dental assistants in California must complete the required eight-hour infection control course prior to exposure to blood and saliva.

December 11, 2024 |Dental Practice & Licensing, Infection Control, Staffing & Training

Licensure and scope changes will affect California dental practices in 2025

Dental licensure and scope changes address key issues for California dentists such as workforce expansion, anesthesia permit qualifications for dentists and infection control standards for dental assistants.

October 10, 2024 |Advocacy, Dental Practice & Licensing

CDA advocacy results in licensure, staffing and C.E. wins for California dentists

The California Legislature approved a bill to implement provisions CDA sought to address dental licensure, office staffing and other issues.

September 19, 2024 |Advocacy, Dental Practice & Licensing, Legislation

Follow the law when offering commercial credit to patients

Dental practice owners are under no obligation to extend credit to patients, and they can require payment at the time…

September 9, 2024 |Dental Practice & Licensing, Endorsed Services, Patient Management

Before renewing license, some California dentists must submit fingerprint to dental board

California-licensed dentists who do not have a fingerprint on record in the dental board’s section of the Department of Consumer…

February 21, 2024 |Dental Practice & Licensing, News Articles, Regulatory Compliance

SmileDirectClub abruptly closing global operations, abandoning customers mid-treatment

In the aftermath of SmileDirectClub’s abrupt closure in early December, dentists may experience an uptick in patients needing orthodontic treatment. CDA has created FAQ to help members manage anticipated questions and concerns from past SmileDirectClub customers. 

December 14, 2023 |Dental Practice & Licensing, News Articles, Patient Care

Scammers impersonating dental board staff target California dentists

Several CDA members have contacted CDA in the last week to report receiving calls from a scammer who is posing as a Dental Board of California official for the purpose of fraudulently collecting sensitive personal information and payment.

July 13, 2023 |Dental Practice & Licensing, News Articles, Regulatory Compliance

Settlement requires SmileDirectClub to change refund policy for U.S. consumers

The online orthodontics company SmileDirectClub must remove certain conditions from its refund policy for U.S. customers and release more than 17,000 customers nationwide from those provisions in the company’s nondisclosure agreements as a result of a lawsuit settled last week. 

June 29, 2023 |Advocacy, Dental Practice & Licensing, News Articles, Patient Care, Regulatory Compliance

California dentists should review C.E. requirements as dental board resumes audits

CDA encourages dentists to review continuing education requirements as the dental board resumes conducting C.E. audits. Common C.E. deficiencies include failure to complete a mandatory C.E. course, the minimum required units for license renewal or a course from an approved provider.

May 11, 2023 |Dental Practice & Licensing, Education and Events, News Articles, Regulatory Compliance

New anesthesia permit issues continue to be identified, prompt CDA advocacy

As the Dental Board of California continues to navigate its first full renewal cycle for the newly established anesthesia and sedation permits, two new implementation issues have been identified for the moderate sedation permit and have prompted CDA advocacy.

February 14, 2023 |Dental Practice & Licensing, News Articles, Regulatory Compliance

New California law creates e-prescribing exemption for dentists who meet specific criteria

Dentists and other health care practitioners in California who issue 100 or fewer prescriptions in a calendar year could receive an exemption from the state’s existing law requiring practitioners to electronically prescribe all medications. 

October 26, 2022 |Dental Practice & Licensing, News Articles, Regulatory Compliance

Mandated course in opioid prescribing among C.E. changes for dentists in 2023

Changes in continuing education regulations are coming for California dentists beginning Jan. 1, 2023, including mandated C.E. that covers the responsibilities and requirements of prescribing Schedule II opioid drugs. 
 

October 20, 2022 |Dental Practice & Licensing, Education and Events, News Articles, Online Learning
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