AB 1952 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Dentistry: dental hygienists: licensure.

Summary

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 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.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 13, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

04/22/26 - Amended Assembly → AB1952 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between these two versions. The diff reflects a transition from a formal legislative document format (with line numbers, page breaks, and traditional layout) to a web-based bill text display format. The actual content of AB 1952 - including all eligibility requirements, timelines, and licensing provisions for dental hygienists with nonaccredited degrees - is identical in both versions.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was reformatted from a traditional legislative document layout (with line numbers, page headers/footers, and formal spacing) to a web-based display format. Website navigation elements (search bar, links, share options) were added around the same unchanged bill content.

02/13/26 - Introduced → 04/13/26 - Amended Assembly · 8 edits · Apr 13, 2026

MODERATE

The amendment restructures AB 1952 from a single-step discretionary licensing process into a two-step mandatory process: first, the board must certify an individual as eligible to sit for the American Board of Dental Examiners dental hygiene exam, and second, the board must grant licensure upon passing that exam. Timeframes for examinations were extended from 3 to 5 years, coursework deadlines were shortened from 3 to 2 years, and a new consolidated course requirement in soft-tissue curettage, local anesthesia, and nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia was added with an early-enrollment provision.

REQUIREMENT

Licensure changed from discretionary ('may grant') to mandatory ('shall grant'), meaning the board must license applicants who meet all requirements rather than having discretion to deny.

A two-step process was created: subdivision (a) requires the board to certify an individual as eligible to take the American Board of Dental Examiners dental hygiene exam, and subdivision (c) requires licensure upon successful completion of that specific exam plus application and fees.

The examination requirement for licensure was narrowed to specifically require the dental hygiene examination given by the American Board of Dental Examiners, rather than allowing any board-approved clinical or dental hygiene examination.

A new consolidated board-approved course in soft-tissue curettage, local anesthesia, and nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia was added as a distinct coursework requirement (subparagraph (C) of paragraph (3)).

TIMELINE

The timeframe for satisfactory completion of examinations was extended from 3 years to 5 years preceding application.

The timeframe for satisfactory completion of coursework was shortened from 3 years to 2 years preceding application.

ELIGIBILITY

A new provision (subdivision (b)) allows an individual who has met the degree verification, examination, Dental Practice Act course, infection control course, and basic life support requirements to be deemed eligible to enroll in the soft-tissue curettage/local anesthesia/nitrous oxide course before completing all other licensure requirements.

DEFINITION

The standard for degree equivalence was modified; the original referenced equivalence to a DDS or DMD degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, while the amendment appears to reference a United States dental hygiene degree as the comparison standard.

04/13/26 - Amended Assembly → 04/22/26 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Apr 22, 2026

MODERATE

AB 1952 was amended to tighten and clarify requirements for licensing dental hygienists who earned degrees from nonaccredited dental schools. The degree equivalence standard was lowered from requiring equivalence to a DDS/DMD from an accredited program to just a US dental hygiene degree, while the examination options were narrowed to only the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (removing WREB and INBDE alternatives). The coursework completion window was shortened from 3 years to 2 years, and the board's role was changed from discretionary ('may grant') to mandatory ('shall certify').

ELIGIBILITY

The degree equivalence verification standard was changed. Previously, applicants needed Educational Credential Evaluators to confirm their degree was equivalent to a doctor of dental surgery or doctor of dental medicine degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Now, they only need confirmation that their degree is equivalent to a United States dental hygiene degree.

REQUIREMENT

The acceptable examinations were narrowed. Previously, applicants could satisfy the examination requirement with a WREB exam, an ABDE exam, or any other board-approved clinical or dental hygiene exam, plus either the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination or the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE). Now, only the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination is accepted.

The basic life support certification requirement was narrowed. Previously, it could be satisfied by a course consistent with Section 1016, 1016.2, or 1017 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations. Now only Section 1017 is referenced.

TIMELINE

The timeframe for completing required coursework (soft-tissue curettage, local anesthesia, and nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia course) was shortened from within 3 years preceding application to within 2 years preceding application.

ENFORCEMENT

The board's authority was changed from discretionary to mandatory. Previously the board 'may grant a license' as a registered dental hygienist. Now the board 'shall certify an individual as eligible' to take the examination, removing the board's discretion in the certification step.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

lower

May 6, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 23, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 21, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 21).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on B. & P.

lower

Feb 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors