Dentistry: foreign dental schools: applications.

Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of dentists and dental assistants by the Dental Board of California. The act, prior to January 1, 2020, required the board to approve foreign dental schools based on specified standards, and required a foreign dental school seeking approval to submit an application to the board, including, among other things, a finding that the educational program of the foreign dental school is equivalent to that of similar accredited institutions in the United States and adequately prepares its students for the practice of dentistry. Existing law required the foreign dental school to submit a specified registration fee and to pay the board's reasonable costs and expenses to conduct an approval survey. Existing law also required an approved institution to submit a renewal application every 7 years and to pay a specified renewal fee. Existing law, beginning January 1, 2020, prohibits the board from accepting new applications for approval of foreign dental schools and instead requires foreign dental schools seeking approval to complete the international consultative and accreditation process with the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (CODA) or a comparable accrediting body approved by the board. Existing law requires previously approved foreign dental schools to complete the CODA accreditation by January 1, 2024, to remain approved. This bill would repeal the provisions that, beginning January 1, 2020, prohibit the board from accepting new applications for the approval of foreign dental schools, and would instead require the board to approve foreign dental schools in the same manner as prior to January 1, 2020.