A recent update to federal law providing additional rights to parents who must express breast milk at work has impacted the federal Minimum Wage poster. Known as the “PUMP” Act (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers), the law impacts employers who are not covered by California’s more expansive protections. Since it came into effect employers must accommodate nursing mothers by, among other things, providing a location other than a bathroom to express breast milk. California has required lactation accommodation for a number of years and requires notices to employees above and beyond poster notice requirements.

This section of the toolkit helps you understand and evaluate your employment choices as an associate, explains the types of dental practices in which associates in California work, and provides information on alternate career options to consider.

What is the next step after you’ve graduated from dental schools? These resources have been designed to help you through the next steps in finding your career path.

This section of the toolkit is provided by The Dentists Insurance Company, a subsidiary of the California Dental Association.

It’s important to protect your personal and professional security at every stage of your career, and having the proper amount of insurance coverage as an associate is no exception. This chapter helps you understand insurance limits and coverage types as well as when and why each is necessary as an associate.

As an associate, there are several ways to structure the relationship between you and the employer. In this resource, we review different options.

Dental practices must post the revised Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) Minimum Wage Poster, no smaller than 11 inches by 17 inches, as well as the revised Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster.

EPA’s newest rule requires healthcare facilities and other businesses that generate pharmaceutical hazardous waste to properly dispose of the waste. The first part of the rule, the prohibition on “sewering” hazardous pharmaceutical waste, is effective August 21. All nonhazardous pharmaceutical waste that are not controlled substances must be disposed as regulated medical waste. See Dental Office Waste Management Options.

Form to be completed by legal guardian to authorize a caretaker (non legal guardian) to accompany a minor to his/her dental appointment. 

This form allows for a non-legal guardian to consent to a minor patient’s treatment. It must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

State requirements for a business that acquires an automated external defibrillator for use on the public.

The advice below was gathered from multiple interviews conducted by CDA staff with CDA dentists who are, or recently were, associates. The members selected for the interviews represent a variety of associateship experiences and backgrounds.

The quickest and easiest way to verify dental benefits for your patients is through the dental plans’ convenient online portal access where you can view, download, and print a patient’s benefit breakdown. This form may be used when verifying patients' dental benefits via telephone or to supplement the information provided on the dental plan’s online portal.

An overview of dental practice responsibilities under Americans with Disabilities Act and state disability laws. 

A checklist of actions a dental practice must take after an employee is exposed to blood or OPIM.  Updated Sept 2015, last reviewed Aug 2021

Dental practices must have a copy of this regulation to provide to employees upon request. Updated Jan 2018, last reviewed Aug 2021.

Compliance requirements for preventing transmission of aerosol transmissible diseases (ATDs) at health care facilities. 

A dental license is the first of many licenses, permits, certificates and registrations necessary to practice dentistry, as well as to own and operate a dental practice. In this resources, learn about requirements, application instructions and links for the most common ways to obtain a California Dental License.

As a member service, CDA has compiled a list of dental plans from the Department of managed Health Care website.

After filing a provider dispute/complaint/appeal with a dental plan, learn how to file a 2nd level provider complaint with the California Department of Managed Healthcare.

The following FAQ generally applies to California’s Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Law. Several California cities have implemented their own local ordinances offering more generous allowances.  

California law designates certain individuals as "mandated reporters” for known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder and dependent adult and incidents of violence. Dentists, and many members of the dental team, are required to acknowledge their responsibility and make reports as well as consider training for their teams.

Outlines laws, provides links & other useful resources. California has many laws aimed at protecting the personal and confidential information of its residents.

This Call Evaluation form can be used to evaluate and coach team members on effective scheduling and a positive patient experience

Effective January 1, 2023, the State of California is now requiring all employer's to offer a retirement plan to their staff. 

A minor patient who does not have a parent in their life may be under the care of a family member who is not a legal guardian. Use the affidavit when the family member seeks dental treatment for the minor.

An agreement that needs to be read and signed by the dentist when CDA will be handling Protected Health Information obtained from the dentist as we advocated on their behalf with dental benefit plans.