# California dental law and ethics glossary > Dentovio publishes short California-specific question-and-answer pages for narrow, high-intent law and ethics queries. Each glossary page links back to a fuller evergreen guide and then into the free diagnostic or the paid workflow. ## Start here - [Guide hub](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/index.html.md): Public starting point for exam basics, evergreen guides, and update notes. - [Free diagnostic](https://dentovio.com/free-practice-test): Quick weak-area check before moving into the full prep workflow. ## Questions by topic ### What are California dental records and confidentiality rules? - Full guide: [What are California dental records and confidentiality rules?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/records-confidentiality/index.html.md) - [How fast must a California dentist respond to a records request?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/how-long-to-respond-to-record-request/index.html.md): Use the California 5-working-day inspection rule and 15-day copies rule instead of generic HIPAA timing shortcuts. - [Can a California dentist withhold records because the patient has an unpaid bill?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/can-dentist-withhold-records-for-unpaid-bill/index.html.md): No. Unpaid balances do not justify withholding records, summaries, or authorized radiograph transfers. - [What is the current California breach-notice deadline for dental records incidents?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/what-is-california-breach-notice-deadline/index.html.md): For covered California resident breaches, the current California answer is a 30-calendar-day deadline after discovery. ### What does California dental records law require for patient access? - Full guide: [What does California dental records law require for patient access?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/patient-access-and-board-requests/index.html.md) - [Can the Dental Board of California demand records without ordinary patient-request timing?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/can-dental-board-demand-records/index.html.md): Yes. California Board requests have their own response timing, and those deadlines differ from ordinary patient-access requests. - [Can original radiographs be sent directly to another dentist in California?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/can-original-radiographs-go-to-another-dentist/index.html.md): Yes. With a valid written request, original radiographs can be sent directly to another provider named by the patient. ### What California duties fall on the dental practice owner? - Full guide: [What California duties fall on the dental practice owner?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/practice-owner-duties/index.html.md) - [How long must a California dental office keep patient records when the office closes?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/how-long-must-office-keep-patient-records/index.html.md): Adults generally require at least 7 years after discharge. Unemancipated-minor records must be kept at least 1 year after age 18 and never less than 7 years. ### What advertising and public-notice rules apply to California dentists? - Full guide: [What advertising and public-notice rules apply to California dentists?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/advertising-public-notices/index.html.md) - [What notices and public disclosures must a California dental office post or display?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/what-notices-must-california-dental-office-post/index.html.md): Questions about signs and public notices usually turn on required consumer notices, provider identification, and license or fictitious-name display rules. ### What can California dental auxiliaries do and under what supervision? - Full guide: [What can California dental auxiliaries do and under what supervision?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/auxiliaries-delegation-supervision/index.html.md) - [When does California require direct supervision for dental auxiliary duties?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/when-is-direct-supervision-required/index.html.md): The answer depends on the current California duties table. Direct supervision is a specific legal lane, not a loose synonym for 'the dentist is somewhere nearby.' - [What changed in California dental auxiliary duties and supervision in 2025?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/what-changed-in-auxiliary-duties-2025/index.html.md): The current Dental Board duties table changed on January 1, 2025, so older auxiliary charts can now point to the wrong answer. ### How do California consent rules work for minors and patients with impaired capacity? - Full guide: [How do California consent rules work for minors and patients with impaired capacity?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/consent-minors-impaired-patients/index.html.md) - [Who can consent for a minor's dental treatment in California?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/who-can-consent-for-minor-dental-care/index.html.md): Do not assume every accompanying adult can consent. California separates ordinary parental authority, self-consent lanes, emancipation, and caregiver-affidavit authority. - [Who can consent for dental treatment when an adult patient lacks capacity in California?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/who-can-consent-for-impaired-adult-dental-care/index.html.md): Look for the lawful surrogate path, not family convenience. California cares who has legal authority, and the emergency exception is narrow. ### What telehealth and patient-of-record rules apply in California dentistry? - Full guide: [What telehealth and patient-of-record rules apply in California dentistry?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/scope-patient-of-record-telehealth/index.html.md) - [Does California dental telehealth require patient consent before the visit?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/does-telehealth-require-patient-consent/index.html.md): Yes. California telehealth consent must be obtained before services and documented in the patient record. - [Can a California telehealth dental platform require patients to waive complaints to the Dental Board?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/can-telehealth-waive-board-complaints/index.html.md): No. California bars telehealth complaint-waiver language that makes patients sign away their ability to complain to the Dental Board. ### What California prescribing and CURES rules matter for dental exam prep? - Full guide: [What California prescribing and CURES rules matter for dental exam prep?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/prescribing-cures-opioids/index.html.md) - [When does a California dentist have to check CURES before prescribing?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/when-must-dentist-check-cures/index.html.md): California requires a CURES check before the first Schedule II-IV prescribing event unless a current exemption applies, with an ongoing-therapy recheck at least every 6 months. - [What is the current California CURES exemption language dentists should study?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/what-is-current-cures-exemption-language/index.html.md): Use the current 7-day nonrefillable exemption framing instead of stale 5-day shorthand. ### What infection-control and OSHA rules apply to California dental offices? - Full guide: [What infection-control and OSHA rules apply to California dental offices?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/infection-control-osha/index.html.md) - [Which rules govern infection control in a California dental office?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/which-rules-govern-dental-infection-control/index.html.md): California infection-control questions usually test both the Dental Board minimum standards and the Cal/OSHA bloodborne-pathogens overlay. ### What changed in California dental sedation and anesthesia rules? - Full guide: [What changed in California dental sedation and anesthesia rules?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/sedation-anesthesia/index.html.md) - [What changed in California dental sedation and anesthesia permits in 2025?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/what-changed-in-sedation-permits-2025/index.html.md): The 2025 changes updated permit names, staffing expectations, and operational framing, so older sedation shorthand is unreliable. ### What continuing-education, renewal, and permit rules do California dentists need? - Full guide: [What continuing-education, renewal, and permit rules do California dentists need?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/ce-renewal-permits/index.html.md) - [How many continuing-education units does a California dentist need for renewal?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/how-many-ce-units-needed-for-renewal/index.html.md): The ordinary California renewal framework is 50 CE units, but the analysis does not stop at the raw number. - [Is a California dentist's first renewal exempt from continuing education?](https://dentovio.com/guide/california-dentistry-law-ethics-exam/glossary/is-first-renewal-exempt-from-ce/index.html.md): Yes. The first renewal is exempt from CE, which is one of the easiest California renewal exceptions to miss.