The Dental Hygiene Board’s executive officer, Anthony Lum, reported on July 19 that staff capacity is currently reduced by roughly 36 percent as a result of vacancies and modified work schedules, while the board’s fund condition remains in positive standing.

"We currently have 4 vacant positions and 2 staff working modified halftime schedules, which equals a 36% reduction in workforce," Lum told the board during his executive‑officer report. He said two staff members had been promoted to the Dental Board of California and that the office was advertising to fill an assistant executive officer position and a citation-and-fine analyst.

Budget snapshot: Lum reported the board’s fiscal-year 2025–26 balance is approximately $3,000,000 and that the fund-condition report shows about $4,600,000 in reserves. Expenditure reports through fiscal month 11 (May 2025) showed the program had spent roughly 77 percent of a roughly $2.9 million budget and projected finishing the year with approximately 10.4 percent (about $294,000) unspent, subject to final salary and fiscal‑month‑12 charges.

Board questions and clarifications: Member Julie Elginer praised staff for low encumbrance rates and flagged several line items for clarification. She asked why attorney-general (AG) contract costs exceeded the budgeted amount. Lum explained AG costs fluctuate year to year with enforcement case loads and that the budget allows internal reassignments of funds from underruns in other line items to cover AG expenses; he said current estimates from the AG office put annual costs somewhat under $200,000 for the year because of increased enforcement activity.

Elginer also asked about an $80,000 expense showing as an OPS interagency contract with the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Professional Examination Services (OPES). Lum said the contract supports the law-and-ethics exam and similar testing services; the amount can vary and is charged to contracted-services line items and redistributed internally when needed.

Program and outreach initiatives: Lum summarized program actions tied to the board’s strategic plan, including beginning annual reporting of law-and-ethics exam results to educational programs, posting a revised PSI handbook online, exploring a Spanish‑language version of the law-and-ethics exam, publishing a continuing-education guidance page for licensees and developing a newsletter.

Board reaction and next steps: Members praised staff for continuing strategic work despite staffing constraints. Lum said he was working with DCA human resources to post and fill vacancies and that some position duty statements still required revision before final hiring. Multiple members urged the board to support staff recognition and suggested nominees for internal department awards.