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.
The new required timeline applies to all unlicensed dental assistants regardless of their hiring date and replaces the current requirement that the course be completed within one year of employment. At its meeting in May, the Dental Board of California unanimously supported the change to prioritize infection control standards coming out of the pandemic and after years of advocacy from various dental assisting communities.
CDA originally advocated successfully for an on-demand option of the course to make compliance easier for dentists throughout the state and reported on this success in October. Because the dental board later identified implementation issues, CDA is now in discussions with the board to determine how the course format can be modified to make compliance quicker for dentists.
In the interim, dentists can search the dental board’s list of approved infection control courses for providers who offer the course across California. CDA will share updates and resources for this requirement as they become available.
Read about other licensure and scope changes that will affect California dental practices in 2025.