AB-1952 • 2026

Dentistry: dental hygienists: licensure.

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Berman
Last action: 2026-05-14
Official status: In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Dentistry: dental hygienists: licensure.

AB 1952, as amended, Berman.

What This Bill Does

AB 1952, as amended, Berman.
Dentistry: dental hygienists: licensure.
Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of dental hygienists by the Dental Hygiene Board of California.
Existing law requires the board to license as a registered dental hygienist a person who satisfies specified requirements, including completion of a prescribed education program, satisfactory completion of an examination in California law and ethics, and satisfactory performance, within the preceding 3 years, of the dental hygiene examination given by the Western Regional Examining Board or any other clinical or dental hygiene examination approved by the board.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2026-05-06 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-22 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2026-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 21).
2026-04-14 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
2026-04-13 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on B. & P.
2026-02-14 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
2026-02-13 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1952, as amended, Berman.
Dentistry: dental hygienists: licensure.
Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of dental hygienists by the Dental Hygiene Board of California. Existing law requires the board to license as a registered dental hygienist a person who satisfies specified requirements, including completion of a prescribed education program, satisfactory completion of an examination in California law and ethics, and satisfactory performance, within the preceding 3 years, of the dental hygiene examination given by the Western Regional Examining Board or any other clinical or dental hygiene examination approved by the board.
This bill would require the board to license as a registered dental hygienist an applicant who has successfully completed the dental hygiene examination given by the American Board of Dental Examiners and submitted an application and
appropriate fees. The bill would require the board to certify an individual as eligible to take that dental hygiene examination if they have earned a degree from a nonaccredited dental school
equivalent to a doctor of dental surgery or doctor of dental medicine degree
and they meet certain other requirements. Among those requirements, the bill would include submission of verification of their degree’s equivalence, as specified, satisfactory completion of specified examinations within the 5 years preceding application, and satisfactory completion of certain coursework, including, among other things, a board-approved course in soft-tissue curettage, local anesthesia, and nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia, within the 2 years preceding application. The bill would deem an individual eligible to enroll in a board-approved course in soft-tissue curettage, local anesthesia, and nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia if they have otherwise
satisfied certain verification, examination, and coursework requirements, as specified.

Current Bill Text

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