Dental Restorative Materials - Dentistry - Business & Professions - CA

Section § 1648.10

This law requires the Dental Board of California to create a fact sheet that talks about the different types of materials used for dental repairs. It needs to describe the materials, weigh their pros and cons, compare their costs, and suggest that patients talk with their dentists about their options. Dentists in California must have access to this information, and the fact sheet should be updated as needed.

(a) The Dental Board of California shall develop and distribute a fact sheet describing and comparing the risks and efficacy of the various types of dental restorative materials that may be used to repair a dental patient’s oral condition or defect. The fact sheet shall include:

(1) A description of the groups of materials that are available to the profession for restoration of an oral condition or defect.

(2) A comparison of the relative benefits and detriments of each group of materials.

(3) A comparison of the cost considerations associated with each group of materials.

(4) A reference to encourage discussion between patient and dentist regarding materials and to inform the patient of his or her options.

(b) The fact sheet shall be made available by the Dental Board of California to all licensed dentists.

(c) The Dental Board of California shall update the fact sheet described in subdivision (a) as determined necessary by the board.

dental restorative materials dental repairs risks and efficacy

Section § 1648.15

This law requires dentists to give every new patient, and existing patients before dental restoration, a specific information sheet about dental procedures. They need to give it only once if done correctly, and patients must sign to confirm they received it. If the information on the sheet changes, dentists need to provide the updated version. Patients can also ask for this sheet anytime.

The fact sheet set forth by Section 1648.10 shall be provided by a dentist to every new patient and to patients of record prior to the performance of dental restoration work. The dentist needs to provide the fact sheet to each patient only once pursuant to the previous requirements of this section. An acknowledgment of the receipt of the fact sheet by the patient shall be signed by the patient and a copy of it shall be placed in the patient’s dental record. If updates to the fact sheet are made by the board, the updated fact sheet shall be given to patients in the manner provided above. A dentist shall also provide the fact sheet to the patient upon request.

dental restoration fact sheet patient acknowledgment

Section § 1648.20

This law section explains that the rules in this article do not apply to certain dental procedures—specifically, surgical, endodontic, periodontic, or orthodontic procedures—if they don't involve the use of dental restorative materials. Dental restorative materials are things fitted in a patient's mouth designed to stay there for a long time, like fillings or repairs to natural teeth, but they do not include dental implants meant to replace missing teeth completely.

(a) This article shall not apply to any surgical, endodontic, periodontic, or orthodontic dental procedure in which dental restorative materials are not used.

(b) For purposes of this article, “dental restorative materials” means any structure or device placed into a patient’s mouth with the intent that it remain there for an indefinite period beyond the completion of the dental procedure, including material used for filling cavities in, or rebuilding or repairing the organic structure of, a tooth or teeth, but excluding synthesized structures or devices intended to wholly replace an extracted tooth or teeth, such as implants.

dental restorative materials surgical procedures endodontic procedures