California is experiencing a significant shortage of dental health professionals. Expanding the scope of practice for mid-level dental professionals is crucial to address oral health disparities in communities of color. To meet this need, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 653 on September 24th, 2020 (Senator Ling Ling Chang, R-Diamond Bar), which aims to increase access to preventive dental care by allowing Registered Dental Hygienists (RDHs) to perform a small number of additional services without acting under the supervision of a dentist. SB 653 will specifically allow Registered Dental Hygienists (RDHs) to:

• work in more public health settings

• apply fluoride varnish without supervision

• provide dental hygiene preventive services and oral screenings at specified sponsored events and nonprofit organizations.

SB 653 will also allow Registered Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice (RDHAPs), another type of mid-level dental professional, to provide care in diverse settings without being an employee of the clinic or professional corporation they are working in, and expand the settings in which they can provide local anesthetic.

To read more about the enacted legislation, please click here.