Important Changes to Licensure Requirements for Dentists Beginning January 1, 2020

Important Changes to the Dental Board’s Acceptance of the WREB Examination:

Assembly Bill (AB) 1519 (Low, Chapter 865, Statutes of 2019) revised licensure eligibility requirements for dentists qualifying through an examination beginning January 1, 2020. Beginning January 1, 2020, Business and Professions Code Section 1630 requires examinations of applicants to practice dentistry in California to assess competencies in the areas of diagnosis, treatment planning, and restorative, endodontic, periodontic, and prosthetic dentistry.

Applications for licensure eligibility through the WREB examination must meet all legal requirements in place at the time the application decision is made, not when the application is filed.

Candidates who take the WREB examination on or after January 1, 2020 will be required to take and pass all competencies listed in Business and Professions Code Section 1630, regardless of whether the candidate submitted an application for licensure eligibility to the Board on or before December 31, 2019.

Applications for candidates who take the WREB examination on or before December 31, 2019 and who have not completed all sections required by Business and Professions Code Section 1630 effective January 1, 2020, must meet all requirements to have the application deemed approved on or before December 31, 2019. Applications received on or before December 31, 2019 deemed deficient and those deficiencies are not cleared and the application approved by 5 p.m. on December 31, 2019, will be required to meet all licensure requirements in effect beginning January 1, 2020.

Additionally, effective January 1, 2020, the WREB examination must be successfully completed within five (5) years prior to the date of application for licensure eligibility.

Important Changes to the Board’s Licensure by Residency Pathway:

Assembly Bill (AB) 1519 (Low, Chapter 865, Statutes of 2019) revised licensure eligibility requirements for dentists qualifying through Licensure by Residency beginning January 1, 2020. Specifically, the certification of clinical residency program completion approved by the Board will be required to be within two (2) years prior to the date of the resident’s application for licensure under this pathway. Additionally, completion of the program will be required to be within two (2) years prior to the date of application for a license through this pathway.

Important Changes to the Board’s Approval of Foreign Dental Schools:

Assembly Bill (AB) 1519 (Low, Chapter 865, Statutes of 2019) revised requirements for the Board’s approval of foreign dental schools beginning January 1, 2020.

Beginning January 1, 2020, the Board will not accept new applications for schools seeking approval as a foreign dental school and will instead require the applicant school to successfully complete the international consultative and accreditation process with the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or a comparable accrediting body approved by the Board. An application for foreign dental school approval must be deemed a complete application pursuant to the rules promulgated by the Board prior to January 1, 2020 in order to be accepted.

Current Board-approved foreign dental schools required to submit a renewal application after January 1, 2020, are not required to submit that application and are deemed approved until January 1, 2024, subject to the continued compliance of the school.

By January 1, 2024, in order to remain an approved foreign dental school in California, all schools previously approved by the Board must complete the international consultative and accreditation process with the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or a comparable accrediting body approved by the Board.

Graduates of a foreign dental school whose programs were approved at the time of graduation are eligible for licensure.

Acceptance of the ADEX Examination:

On November 15, 2019, the Dental Board of California (Board) voted to accept the ADEX Examination for the purpose of establishing eligibility for dental licensure in California. Candidates who initiate and successfully pass the ADEX examination on or after November 15, 2019 may use those results to apply for licensure in California. Examination results received prior to November 15, 2019 will not be accepted by the Board; this includes results of any component of the examination that was initiated prior to November 15, 2019.

Please be advised, beginning January 1, 2020, the Board requires an examination of applicants to practice dentistry in California to include assessing competency in the areas of diagnosis, treatment planning, and restorative, endodontic, periodontic, and prosthetic dentistry.

Prior to acceptance of applications for this new pathway to licensure, the Board must update its licensing system and develop application forms. The Board anticipates acceptance of applications beginning in Spring 2020. Please check the Board’s web site periodically for updates.