Business and Professions Code section 1915

No person other than a registered dental hygienist, registered dental hygienist in alternative practice, or registered dental hygienist in extended functions or a licensed dentist may engage in the practice of dental hygiene or perform dental hygiene procedures on patients, including, but not limited to, supragingival and subgingival scaling, dental hygiene assessment, and treatment planning, except for the following persons:

(a)

A student enrolled in a dental or a dental hygiene school who is performing procedures as part of the regular curriculum of that program under the supervision of the faculty of that program.

(b)

A dental assistant acting in accordance with the rules of the dental board in performing the following procedures:

(1)

Applying nonaerosol and noncaustic topical agents.

(2)

Applying topical fluoride.

(3)

Taking impressions for bleaching trays.

(c)

A registered dental assistant acting in accordance with the rules of the dental board in performing the following procedures:

(1)

Polishing the coronal surfaces of teeth.

(2)

Applying bleaching agents.

(3)

Activating bleaching agents with a nonlaser light-curing device.

(4)

Applying pit and fissure sealants.

(d)

A registered dental assistant in extended functions acting in accordance with the rules of the dental board in applying pit and fissure sealants.

(e)

A registered dental hygienist, registered dental hygienist in alternative practice, or registered dental hygienist in extended functions licensed in another jurisdiction, performing a clinical demonstration for educational purposes.

Source: Section 1915, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=1915.­ (accessed Apr. 24, 2025).

Last Updated

Apr. 24, 2025

§ 1915’s source at ca​.gov