Regulatory Compliance

As of Jan. 31, 2020, employers should begin using the Form I-9. The new version is dated 10/21/2019 but will not become mandatory until May 1. 

All employers in California are required to provide their employees a minimum of three paid sick days per year. Calculated at one hour for every 30 hours worked, sick pay can be accrued over time or given as a lump sum. CDA offers numerous resources on navigating sick law, including a breakdown of sick leave ordinances by city and county.

Dentists contracted with dental plans must respond to a plan's request for accurate directory information within 30 days or face payment delays, reimbursement reductions or, ultimately, termination of their participating provider agreement. Dental practices are required to provide timely practice updates, including practice address, license number, and other information.

Each individual licensed or permitted by the Dental Board of California or the Dental Hygiene Committee of California must submit an email address to the Dental Board. Send an email to [email protected], using the subject line "Electronic Mail Address Requirement" and include in the body of the email the individual's name, license type, license number and email address. The electronic mail address shall be considered confidential and not subject to public disclosure.

Belmont, Emeryville, Los Altos, City and County of Los Angeles, Malibu, Milpitas, Pasadena, San Francisco, and Santa Monica. Redwood City has joined the list of cities with a new $13.50/hour increase effective 1/1/2019.

The following cities and county will increase their minimum wage on July 1: Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Fremont, City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles (unincorporated areas only), Malibu, Milpitas, Pasadena, San Francisco, San Leandro and Santa Monica.

A dental practice that offers patients the option of using a third-party credit program for treatment payment must comply with new requirements. A news article and updated California Commercial Credit Law resource are forthcoming.

The benefit available through California’s State Disability Service program provides wage replacement to workers who take time off from work for an ill child, spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or domestic partner, or to bond with a child within one year of birth or adoption. Employers should update practice policies to reflect the increase.

A new California law, SB 1061, preventing most health care debt from being shared with credit reporting agencies, officially went into effect on January 1, 2025. However, the requirement to include specific language in patient financial agreements takes effect July 1, 2025.

On July 1, 2025, California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) released the official Model Crime Victims Notice, titled “Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims Right to Leave and Accommodations.” Employers must provide the new notice to all employees upon hire, annually, upon request by an employee, and when an employee discloses that they or their family member is a victim of crime.

With some exceptions, new dental facilities opened on or after June 14, 2017 (does not include purchase of existing dental facility) must install an amalgam separator by this date and comply with documentation requirements. Separators must be compliant with either the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) American National Standard/American Dental Association (ADA) Specification 108 for Amalgam Separators (2009) With Technical Addendum (2011) or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 11143 Standard (2008) or subsequent versions so long as that version requires amalgam separators to achieve at least a 95 percent removal efficiency.

Cal/OSHA has issued a July 2025 update to its required “Safety and Health Protection on the Job” notice. Practice owners…

Dental facilities with amalgam separators on June 14, 2017 must replace that separator by this date and comply with documentation requirements. Separators must be compliant with either the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) American National Standard/American Dental Association (ADA) Specification 108 for Amalgam Separators (2009) With Technical Addendum (2011) or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 11143 Standard (2008) or subsequent versions so long as that version requires amalgam separators to achieve at least a 95 percent removal efficiency.

A list of local public health department orders related to COVID-19 vaccination and masking and to mandatory influenza vaccination which affect dental practices within their respective jurisdiction.

By March 30, 2026, employers must allow employees to designate an emergency contact or collect this information from new hires…

A visual resource that provides information on various masks and respirators.  A downloadable and printer-friendly version is available.

The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has updated Wage Order 4-2001 to reflect the 2017 and 2018 increases in the state minimum wage. The DIR amended sections 4(A) and 10(C), which also reflect updated meal and lodging credit amounts. The correct industry Wage Order bears a revision date of “12/2016,” which is found on the bottom of the cover page for each Wage Order. Although the Wage Orders are dated 12/2016, they were just released by the DIR. Please note: this change comes after the 2017-18 CDA Required Poster Set printing. Each employer/practice owner is required to print and post the updated Wage Order over the top of the old Wage Order contained in the Required Poster Set. The Required Poster Sets will not be reprinted to reflect this change until the next print cycle in 2019.

A dental practice must have a medical emergency kit for their employees as well as their patients. Learn what it should include.

Use sample plan to describe the practice’s medical waste management and disposal procedures as required by state law. This resource is part of the Regulatory Compliance Manual. Updated June 2024.

An overview of other Cal/OSHA regulations for which dental practices have been cited for violating.

U.S. copyright laws allow owners of movies, television shows, and music to collect performance license fees from individuals and entities, such as dental practices, for public performances of the movies, television shows, and music.

All dental practices should follow the nondiscrimination requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Review this summary, checklist and Q&A.

For all employers in the city of Berkeley, Calif., minimum wage increases to $13.75 and increased paid sick leave requirements also become operative effective Oct. 1, 2017. Detailed information and posting requirements about minimum wage requirements can be found on the City of Berkeley’s website. As part of paid sick leave requirements, covered employees accrue one paid sick leave hour for every 30 hours worked; the ordinance is silent with regard to front-loaded allowances. For small businesses, which employ fewer than 25 employees, there is a cap of 48 hours per year; for all other businesses, the cap is 72 hours, though employers can set a higher cap or no cap. Accrued but unused leave carries over from year to year — whether calendar or fiscal year — but cannot exceed the cap. Employers who don’t meet the minimum requirements may still be required to update their written paid sick leave policies.

As announced by the Department of Justice in April 2018, California’s Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES 2.0) is ready for statewide consultation by prescribers. As of Oct. 2, 2018, prescribers must check a patient’s prescription history in CURES 2.0 before prescribing a Schedule II-IV substance, with some specific exceptions. Refer to CDA’s article on mandatory checks for information on the exception applicable to some dentists. Prescribers who have issues accessing CURES can email the DOJ or call 916.210.3187.

Display this poster in the operatory for quick reference on effective operatory disinfection. 

A summary of state and federal requirements for providing oral health care in long-term care and skilled nursing facilities.