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Fast-changing California rules are where stale prep hurts the most. This page highlights updates and trap areas so you can study the current rule instead of an older shortcut.
Collect the freshness-sensitive rule changes and stale-prep traps most likely to cause wrong answers on the California Dental Law & Ethics exam. Every entry names what changed, when it took effect, what old prep says, and what the current answer is. If your preparation materials predate the effective dates listed here, re-memorize these entries to ensure compliance with current regulations.
All of these changes originate from Senate Bill 1453 (Ashby, Ch. 483, Stats. 2024), effective January 1, 2025—currently the single biggest source of stale preparation materials.
GA (General Anesthesia), MGA (Medical General Anesthesia, for physicians providing GA in a dental office), MS (Moderate Sedation), PMS (Pediatric Minimal Sedation—never "Pediatric Moderate Sedation"), and OCS-A (Oral Conscious Sedation – Adult).1 Old prep teaches the retired "Conscious Sedation" permit; the current answer uses the new names. Note, however, that the phrase "conscious sedation" still appears in some statutes (such as BPC §1680(z)'s 7-day adverse event reporting rule), so do not automatically reject an answer choice simply for containing it.2C and DD supervision codes were deleted: The Board replaced its Table of Permitted Duties with the "Table of Dental Auxiliary Duties Delegable by Supervising Dentist," effective January 1, 2025 (approved at the November 7–8, 2024 Board meeting). The old table's C code (dentist, RDH, or RDHAP may supervise) and DD code (dentist's discretion between general and direct) are gone; the current legend is CR / D / G only.3 Old prep — and the CDA's older member chart — still teaches C/DD as current codes.4 The current answer: only Direct and General supervision levels exist (BPC §1741), and the dentist's discretion rule lives in BPC §1752.4(c)–(d), with §1777 as the exception.58-hour course (under 16 CCR §1070.6, at least 4 hours didactic, 2 hours laboratory/preclinical, and 2 hours clinical); or a course of at least 4 hours didactic plus 2 hours of video-based laboratory, which may be online, from the California Dental Association or a CDA-, ADA CERP- or AGD PACE-approved provider.8 9 Prep written before September 2026 names the 8-hour course as the only route. Unchanged: the 8-hour course is still what the coronal polishing course requires before enrollment (BPC §1750(f)(4)).15 calendar days of notifying individuals if more than 500 residents are affected.11 Old prep says "without unreasonable delay"; that standard is a stale-prep trap.$470,000 (non-death) and $650,000 (wrongful death), stackable up to 3 times across unaffiliated defendants, and rising annually toward $750K/$1M plateaus.12 Old prep's flat $250,000 answer is obsolete.90 days before material transactions.14These rules are not newly passed 2025-2026 bills, but older preparation materials routinely omit or misstate them—re-verify each against the dates and citations shown.
$125 (with a two-year eligibility window); each sitting—including the first attempt and every retake—carries a separate $27.23 PSI examination fee, with re-registration taking 7–10 business days after a failing result.18 19$0.25 per page ($0.50 per page from microfilm).2210-year requirement is a separate program rule using the applicable later service, audit, or contract trigger.257-day nonrefillable exemption language: The official DCA flyer uses 7-day (not the stale 5-day) wording in the emergency-department, surgical/procedural, and timely-access exception lanes.36C and DD supervision codes"—those codes were deleted from the official table effective 1/1/2025; the legend is now CR / D / G only.A20 Dental Board of California, SB 1453 alert for anesthesia and sedation changes effective 1/1/2025. https://www.dbc.ca.gov/formspubs/alert_sb_1453.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
A15 California Business & Professions Code §§1680 and 1684.5 — unprofessional conduct, Board records demands, exact seven-day report triggers, patient-of-record rules, and concurrent supervision. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1680. ↩ ↩2
A6 Dental Board of California, Table of Permitted Dental Auxiliary Duties, effective 1/1/2025. https://www.dbc.ca.gov/formspubs/pub_permitted_duties.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3
B9 California Dental Association — Tables of Permitted Duties (PRCD028-0719, © 2019; superseded; retains the pre-2025 C/DD legend — stale-prep reference only). https://oralhealthsupport.ucsf.edu/sites/g/files/tkssra13081/files/wysiwyg/CDA%20table-of-permitted-duties%20_highlighted%20duties%20for%20RDA.RDAEF.RDH.RDHAP.pdf ↩
A95 BPC §1752.4 — RDA authorized duties; subdivision (c)–(d) assigns the supervising dentist the general-vs-direct supervision determination, except as provided in §1777. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1752.4. ↩
A64 Assembly Business & Professions Committee, Analysis of SB 1453 (Ashby, Ch. 483, Stats. 2024) — repeal of the Licensure by Portfolio pathway, effective 1/1/2025. https://abp.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-07/1-sb-1453-ashby-analysis.pdf ↩
A38 California Business & Professions Code §1750 — DA definition, basic supportive procedures, the pre-exposure infection-control course-or-examination prerequisite (as amended by SB 1311, eff. 9/14/2026), and coronal polishing. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1750. ↩ ↩2
A115 California Business & Professions Code §1755, as amended by SB 1311 (Stats. 2026, ch. 232, urgency statute effective 9/14/2026) — an unlicensed dental assistant not enrolled in a Board-approved RDA or alternative dental assisting program must complete either the Dental Assisting National Board's Infection Control examination or one of three courses: a Board-approved 8-hour course from a Board-approved RDA program; a Board-approved 8-hour course under 16 CCR §1070.6; or a course of at least 4 hours didactic plus at least 2 hours of video-based laboratory instruction (may be delivered online) offered by the California Dental Association or a CDA-, ADA CERP- or AGD PACE-approved provider. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1755. ↩
A70 16 CCR §1070.6 — Board-approved 8-hour infection-control course content for dental assistants. https://www.dbc.ca.gov/formspubs/1070oal1.pdf ↩
A37 California Business & Professions Code §1700 — current license, permit, and registration display. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1700. ↩
A48 SB 446 amending California Civil Code §1798.82 — 30-calendar-day breach-notice deadline effective 1/1/2026. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB446 ↩
A56 AB 35 (2022) — MICRA noneconomic-damages schedule replacing the old flat $250,000 cap; 2026 figures approximately $470K non-death and $650K wrongful death. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB35 ↩
A59 Senate Bill 351 (2025), codified at California Health & Safety Code §1191 — private equity and hedge fund clinical-control prohibitions, effective 1/1/2026. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=1191 ↩
A81 Assembly Bill 1415 (2025) — OHCA "noticing entities" material-transaction notice. https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/ohca/assess-market-consolidation/mcn-cmir-faqs/ab-1415-frequently-asked-questions-faq/ ↩
A60 Assembly Bill 82 (2025); HSC §11165(k) — CURES reporting exemptions for testosterone and mifepristone, effective 1/1/2026. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB82 ↩
A63 Assembly Bill 116 Health Omnibus — elimination of State-only Medi-Cal dental benefits for undocumented adults effective July 1, 2026. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB116 ↩
A65 16 CCR §1031 — criterion-referenced passing score set by the modified Angoff method, amended effective 7/1/2022. https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/16-CCR-1031 ↩
A1 Dental Board of California, Candidate Information Bulletin (Dental Law and Ethics Examination). https://www.dbc.ca.gov/formspubs/licensed_le_booklet.pdf ↩ ↩2
A2 Dental Board of California, Application to Obtain Eligibility to Take the Law and Ethics Examination. https://www.dbc.ca.gov/applicants/law_and_ethics_exam.shtml ↩
A80 BPC §1647.2(a)–(c) — MS or GA permit authority, MS-holder pediatric endorsement under 13, physical presence, and under-13 staffing/training/monitoring. SB 1453, effective January 1, 2025. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1647.2.. Accessed 2026-09-08. ↩
B1 California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), Civil Code §56 et seq.; valid-authorization requirements. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codesTOCSelected.xhtml?tocCode=CIV ↩
A9 California Health & Safety Code §123110 — patient inspection, copies, and the §123110(j) per-page fee caps. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=123110. ↩
B11 Dental Board of California 2018 Sunset Review Report — no general law sets one record-retention period for all dentists. https://www.dbc.ca.gov/formspubs/sunset_report_2018vol1.pdf ↩
A10 California Health & Safety Code §123145 — limited retention rule when one of four listed HSC-licensed providers ceases operation. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=123145. ↩
A67 California Welfare & Institutions Code §14124.1 — 10-year minimum record retention for Medi-Cal (Denti-Cal) providers. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=WIC§ionNum=14124.1. ↩
A33 California Business & Professions Code §650 — anti-kickback limits and the §650(h) platform safe harbor. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=650. ↩
A82 California Business & Professions Code §650.01 — self-referral ban for enumerated services. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=650.01. ↩
A83 California Business & Professions Code §650.02 — exceptions to the §650.01 self-referral ban. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=650.02. ↩
A84 California Health & Safety Code §1373.96 — Knox-Keene continuity of care after provider contract termination. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=1373.96. ↩
A94 DHCS APL 25-002 — continuity of care for specified Medi-Cal Dental Managed Care transitions. https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/APL-25-002-Continuity-of-Care-for-DMC-Members-on-or-after-July-1-2025.pdf ↩
A52 California Probate Code §§4683, 4711, 4712, plus AB 2338 default-surrogate framework for adults lacking capacity. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PROB§ionNum=4683. ↩
A40 BPC §1682 — written consent for moderate/deep/GA; additional information for a minor’s general anesthesia, §1682(e)(2); monitoring and recovery, (a)–(b). SB 1453, effective January 1, 2025. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1682.. Accessed 2026-09-08. ↩
A62 Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact (DDHC) — member-state status (13 states as of May 2026; California not a member). https://ddhcompact.org/ ↩
A85 Dental Board of California — Board Meeting Agenda, February 5–6, 2026 (rulemaking update on 16 CCR §1005). https://www.dbc.ca.gov/about_us/meetings/agendas/20260205_dbc_agenda.pdf ↩
A14 Dental Board of California minimum standards for infection control, 16 CCR §1005. https://www.dbc.ca.gov/formspubs/1005mt.pdf ↩
A13 DCA CURES mandatory-consultation flyer and exemptions. https://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/cures_flyer.pdf ↩
A53 California Business & Professions Code §1627.5 — dentist Good Samaritan immunity. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1627.5 ↩
A88 California Business & Professions Code §§2395 and 2041 — Medicine-chapter Good Samaritan immunity limits (excludes dentists). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=2395 ↩
A90 FDA MedWatch and medical-device reporting — ordinary clinician Form 3500 reporting is voluntary; mandatory duties vary by role, setting, product, and event. https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/medwatch-forms-fda-safety-reporting ↩
A92 California Civil Code §56.10(c)(14) — CMIA permission for qualifying voluntary FDA disclosures. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=56.10. ↩
A93 Dental Board of California courtesy notice and form for BPC §1680(z) reports. https://www.dbc.ca.gov/licensees/notice_courtesy_reporting.shtml ↩
C1 American Dental Association — Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct (current linked edition, advisory opinions revised through October 2025; 5.F.7 and 4.E.1). https://www.ada.org/about/principles/code-of-ethics ↩ ↩2
These narrower notes are designed to be easy for search engines and AI systems to retrieve when the question turns on one recent change.
Study the current California 30-calendar-day breach-notice deadline instead of the older "without unreasonable delay" shortcut.
Last verified March 24, 2026
Use the current permit names, staffing expectations, and adverse-event framing instead of pre-2025 sedation shorthand.
Last verified March 24, 2026
Use the current DCA flyer language that describes a 7-day nonrefillable exemption lane instead of outdated 5-day shorthand.
Last verified March 24, 2026
For 2026 prep, stop answering from the old flat $250,000 MICRA cap and switch to the AB 35 schedule framing.
Last verified March 24, 2026
Study the 64B5-2.013 and 64B5-2.0135 texts in force since June 1, 2026. The written Laws and Rules exam and its 75% pass mark were expressly unchanged; the edits update licensure cross-references and tighten the hygiene remedial-course rule.
Last verified July 27, 2026
Study Chapter 456 and Chapter 466, Florida Statutes, and Division 64B5, F.A.C. — the current published scope. Prep still teaching 64B27 dental-laboratory rules, or "64 items" for the dentist exam, is citing a retired 2019 booklet.
Last verified July 27, 2026
The 18-month completion window (64B5-2.013(1)(b); 64B5-2.0135(3)) governs the ADEX clinical examination parts. The Laws and Rules exams are standalone computer-based exams — still the final gate on your licensure file, but not a series component that resets the clinical clock.
Last verified July 27, 2026
As of September 21, 2026: the Chapter 64B5-14 sedation amendments are in force; rules on advertising, licensure forms, discipline, dispensing registration and teaching permits take effect September 24 and 28; and the supervision rules (64B5-16) are still only proposed. Nothing in Chapter 466 was amended in 2026.
Last verified September 21, 2026