Dental assisting council weighs shifting oversight of programs as stakeholders warn of quality and access risks

Dental Assisting Council members and stakeholders spent the Aug. 14 meeting in Sacramento debating a legislative proposal that would shift approval and oversight of dental assisting educational programs away from the Dental Board and toward outside accrediting or approving agencies.

The proposal, presented by council members Jerry Fowler and Kara Miyazaki, would amend multiple Business and Professions Code sections to permit board approval of programs only when an educational provider is accredited or authorized by a recognized accreditor. Fowler told the council that the board lacks the staffing capacity to continue reviewing, approving and auditing the large number of courses and programs under its current practice, and staff recommended moving oversight to other agencies to reduce cost and workload.

Why it matters: The council must balance public-safety standards for hands-on clinical education against a stated goal of increasing access to training and reducing costs for providers and students. Stakeholders warned the proposed change could fragment curriculum standards and reduce essential hands-on clinical requirements.

Board staff and working-group members presented a draft that…