The Dental Hygiene Board of California on March 22 provisionally approved a new Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene proposed by California Baptist University and took several other actions on education programs, regulatory language and board leadership.

The board elected Joanne Pacheco as its 2025 president, approved a change to Cabrillo College's enrollment pattern to admit cohorts of 20 every other year, voted to disapprove a request from Concord Career College to continue a nine-week term schedule, formed a task force to draft penalty rubrics for noncompliant dental hygiene education programs and directed staff to pursue amendments to a regulation that governs registered dental hygienists in alternative practice.

The board's education committee had recommended provisional approval of California Baptist University's program after reviewing the school's feasibility study and full submission. Member Michael Long presented the committee's recommendation to the full board; the board then voted to provisionally approve the CBU program. Julie Elginer, a public member, told the board she reviewed the 400-plus page submission and called it "very thorough and exceptionally well done." The university thanked the board during public comment.

On program schedules, the board accepted the education committee's recommendation to allow Cabrillo College to admit cohorts every other year beginning with the June 2026 cohort, a change the committee concluded would keep the program compliant while matching local needs. The board also adopted the committee's recommendation to require Concord Career College's dental hygiene program to meet at least 10 weeks of instruction per term; the committee had found the program's nine-week term was inconsistent with other California programs and state requirements.

The board formed a small task force to draft a penalty rubric and consistent enforcement approach for dental hygiene educational programs that fail to meet statutory or regulatory timelines. Julie Elginer (public member) and Joanne Pacheco (licensee) volunteered to serve; the board directed staff to recruit three subject matter experts to join them. Member Justin Matthews summarized the motion as aiming to "establish consistent penalties against DHEPs in violation of DHBC laws, regulations, and CODA standards." The motion passed.

Regulatory and legislative steps: the board voted to approve proposed amended language for California Code of Regulations, Title 16, section 116.5 (registered dental hygienist in alternative practice physical facility registration) and directed staff to submit the text for departmental review and to begin rulemaking steps if no adverse comments are received. Separately, the board authorized staff to pursue statutory language in the board's 2025 omnibus bill package and approved proposed positions on multiple bills of interest.

Leadership and minutes: the board elected Joanne Pacheco as president after a nomination from Michael Long; the vote was taken by roll call and the motion passed. The board also approved past meeting minutes for November 15 and November 16, 2024 after clerical date corrections.

Votes at a glance:
- Provisionally approve California Baptist University dental hygiene program — Motion: accept education committee recommendation (mover: Michael Long; seconder recorded). Outcome: approved on roll call; board recorded ayes from members present; motion passed.
- Approve change in enrollment pattern for Cabrillo College to admit 20 students every other year — Motion: accept committee recommendation (mover: Justin Matthews). Outcome: approved on roll call; motion passed.
- Disapprove Concord Career College request to keep nine-week term schedule; require minimum 10-week instruction per term — Motion: accept committee recommendation (mover: Sherman King). Outcome: approved on roll call; motion passed.
- Form Dental Hygiene Education Program (DHEP) penalty rubric task force (2 board members + 3 SMEs) — Motion: accept volunteers and form task force (mover: Justin Matthews; seconder: Michael Long). Outcome: approved; Julie Elginer and Joanne Pacheco volunteered as board members and the motion passed.
- Amend 16 CCR §116.5 (RDH in alternative practice facility registration) and submit for DCA/agency review and rulemaking steps — Motion: approve proposed amended language and authorize executive officer to proceed. Outcome: approved on roll call; motion passed.
- Pursue specified statutory amendments for the 2025 omnibus bill and review language for sponsorship — Motion: accept committee recommendation and seek sponsored legislation. Outcome: approved on roll call; motion passed.
- Elect Joanne Pacheco as board president — Motion: nominate and vote (mover: Michael Long; seconder: Justin Matthews). Outcome: approved by roll call; motion passed.
- Approve November 15 and November 16, 2024 minutes (with date corrections noted) — Motions: approve minutes (mover: Shree Poonala for Nov. 15; mover: Michael Long for Nov. 16). Outcome: motions passed on roll call; minutes approved.

Discussion versus decisions: board staff and members repeatedly distinguished committee recommendations and informational updates (which the full board received) from formal rulemaking steps and legislative sponsorship, which require additional administrative processing and, for regulations, posting of notices and a public comment period. Executive Officer Anthony Lum and staff were authorized to take administrative steps needed to move drafts to departmental review or to set rulemaking hearings if no adverse comments are received.

Context and next steps: staff will recruit subject matter experts for the DHEP penalty-rubric task force, bring draft rubric language back to the education committee and then to the full board, and submit the proposed CCR language to the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency for review. The board asked staff to return with updates on implementation steps and to post regulatory materials for public comment when appropriate.