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Dental Hygiene Board approves strategic plan, advances regulation and education changes
Summary
At its Nov. 16 meeting, the Dental Hygiene Board of California approved its 2024–2028 strategic plan, advanced multiple regulatory and statutory proposals (including accreditation and infection-control drafts), increased enrollment for one program and tabled a related citation, and reviewed enforcement and CE-audit data.
The Dental Hygiene Board of California on Nov. 16 approved its 2024–2028 strategic plan, moved several regulatory and statutory proposals forward for drafting or rulemaking, and voted on a series of education and enforcement matters affecting dental hygiene programs in the state.
The board unanimously accepted the final draft of the five-year strategic plan after staff explained the document was moved from committee to the full board because of a revised agenda notice. President Carmen Dones moved the plan for immediate implementation.
Members also authorized staff and the executive officer to continue drafting regulatory language and to seek legislation in 2025 on multiple fronts: aligning Business and Professions Code (BPC) §19‑41 with federal accreditation terminology to allow institutionally recognized accreditors, initiating rulemaking for CCR Title 16 §11.05.2 on student competency in periodontal disease stages, and advancing a draft CCR Title 16 infection-control package for further review with the Dental Board of California.
On education program oversight, the board voted to increase Concord Career College San Diego’s enrollment from 24 to 32 students after staff said the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) approved the permanent increase and site-review findings supported the expansion. Separately, the board voted to table imposition of a citation and fine for Concord while staff reviews the program’s response to site-visit findings.
Regulatory and enforcement actions tracked in the meeting included a motion directing the executive officer to draft amended appeals-process regulations for dental hygiene educational programs so that intermediary enforcement actions would be implemented by the EO and, if appealed by the program, reviewed by the full board. That motion passed after debate about concentrating initial authority with a single official.
The board also reviewed enforcement statistics and continuing-education (CE) audit results. Assistant Executive Officer Albert Law reported 95 citations totaling $64,650 issued in the fiscal year to date and about $26,650 collected; licensing manager Tracy Knapper said CE-audit failure rates have been near 40% and staff are increasing audits and outreach.
What the board approved (at a glance) - Strategic plan 2024–2028: approved for immediate implementation. - BPC §19‑41 statutory amendment (accreditation language): board directed staff to complete draft statutory language and seek sponsored legislation for 2025 (motion passed; one recorded Nay). - CCR Title 16 §11.05.2 (student competency — periodontal disease): authorized submission of proposed rulemaking language and next steps for adoption. - CCR Title 16 infection-control package (drafted with Dental Board collaboration): approved by the board to move forward for additional review and public comment. - Concord Career College San Diego enrollment increase (24 → 32): approved; citation and fine against the program tabled pending staff review of the program’s response. - EO drafting authority on appeals process: board authorized EO to draft amended appeals regulations so EO action is initial and program appeals return to the full board; motion passed.
Next steps: staff will prepare rulemaking packages and draft statutory language where directed, post materials for public comment as required, and return to the board for future votes where necessary. The board convened its closed session afterward for disciplinary deliberations.
