Council recommends reinstating amalgam polishing and clarifying RDAEF duties for licensure

The Dental Assisting Council voted May 14, 2025, to recommend that the Dental Board of California pursue legislation to amend Business and Professions Code Sections 17.53 and 17.53.5 to reinstate “polish and contour existing amalgam restorations” among allowable RDAEF duties and to update course requirements for RDAEF licenses issued prior to Jan. 1, 2010.

Tina Valery, chief of the dental assisting unit, told the council staff believe the removal of amalgam polishing from the RDAEF duties list in the 2025 statutory changes was likely inadvertent and that the duty is a specialized procedure that merits explicit inclusion. Staff also asked that the older statutory cross‑reference for RDAEF education be updated to reflect renumbered duties added by SB 1453 earlier this year so that licensees who obtained RDAEF status before 2010 have a clear path to meet the current course requirements.

Council member discussion focused on reducing ambiguity in allowable duties so practitioners and employers do not have to “read between the lines.” Members said restoring explicit language reduces gray areas about what RDAs and RDAEFs may perform.

The council voted to recommend the board submit the legislative proposal in the meeting materials (attachment 1) to the Legislature. The roll call recorded Epps Robbins, Fowler, Gerlach and others voting yes; one member voted to abstain and the motion passed.

Board staff will forward the recommended language to the Board and the Legislature as part of the board’s legislative package.