Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, establishes a Dental Assisting Council of the Dental Board of California to regulate the examination, licensure, and permitting of dental assistants. Existing law authorizes a dental assistant to perform basic supportive dental procedures, including the application of topical fluoride under the direct supervision of a supervising licensed dentist.
This bill would additionally authorize dental assistants to polish the coronal surfaces of teeth or apply pit and fissure sealants under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist when the dental assistant has completed specified training and provided evidence of the completion of that training to the board. The bill would require the supervising dentist and dental practice where the procedure is performed to be responsible for determining the competency of the dental assistant. The bill would also require the dentist practice to maintain a record of compliance with the training requirements for a minimum of 2 years after the dental assistant leaves the dental practice.