Dentists: mobile or portable dental units.

Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation by the Dental Board of California of those engaged in the practice of dentistry. Existing law provides that a person practices dentistry if the person, among other things, manages or conducts as manager, proprietor, conductor, lessor, or otherwise, in any place where dental operations are performed. Existing law authorizes a dentist to operate one mobile dental clinic or unit that is registered and operated in accordance with regulations adopted by the board. Existing law exempts specified mobile units from those requirements. Other provisions of existing law, the Mobile Health Care Services Act, require, subject to specified exemptions, licensure by the State Department of Health Care Services to operate a mobile service unit. This bill would eliminate the one mobile dental clinic or unit limit and would require a mobile dental unit or a dental practice that routinely uses portable dental units, as defined, to be registered and operated in accordance with the regulations of the board. The bill would require any regulations adopted by the board pertaining to these matters to require the registrant to identify a licensed dentist responsible for the mobile dental unit or portable practice, and to include requirements for availability of followup and emergency care, maintenance and availability of provider and patient records, and treatment information to be provided to patients and other appropriate parties.