§ 1903. — 1903. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 592, Sec. 6.)

(a)
(1)
The dental hygiene board shall consist of nine members as follows:
(A)
Seven members appointed by the Governor as follows:
(i)
Two members shall be public members.
(ii)
One member shall be a practicing general or public health dentist who holds a current license in California.
(iii)
Four members shall be registered dental hygienists who hold current licenses in California. Of the registered dental hygienist members, one shall be licensed either in alternative practice or in
extended functions, one shall be a dental hygiene educator, and two shall be registered dental hygienists. No public member shall have been licensed under this chapter within five years of the date of their appointment or have any current financial interest in a dental-related business.
(B)
One public member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(C)
One public member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(2)
The first appointment by the Senate Committee on Rules or the Speaker of the Assembly pursuant to this subdivision shall be made upon the expiration of the term of a public member that is scheduled to occur, or otherwise occurs, on or after January 1, 2019.
(3)
For purposes of this subdivision, a public health dentist is a dentist whose primary employer or place of employment is in any of the following:
(A)
A primary care clinic licensed under subdivision (a) of Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B)
A primary care clinic exempt from licensure pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code.
(C)
A clinic owned or operated by a public hospital or health system.
(D)
A clinic owned and operated by a hospital that maintains the primary contract with a county government to fill the county’s role under Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b)
(1)
Except as specified in paragraph (2), members of the dental hygiene board shall be appointed for a term of four years. Each member shall hold office until the appointment and qualification of the member’s successor or until one year shall have lapsed since the expiration of the term for which the member was appointed, whichever comes first.
(2)
For the term commencing on January 1, 2012, two of the public members, the general or public health dentist member, and two of the registered dental hygienist members, other than the dental hygiene educator member or the registered dental hygienist member licensed in alternative practice or in extended functions, shall each serve a term of two years, expiring January 1, 2014.
(c)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to subdivision (e), the Governor may appoint to the dental hygiene board a person who previously served as a member of the former committee or dental hygiene board even if the person’s previous term expired.
(d)
The dental hygiene board shall elect a president, a vice president, and a secretary from its membership.
(e)
No person shall serve as a member of the dental hygiene board for more than two consecutive terms.
(f)
A vacancy in the dental hygiene board shall be filled by appointment to the unexpired term.
(g)
Each member of the dental hygiene board shall receive a per diem and
expenses as provided in Section 103.
(h)
Each appointing authority shall have the power to remove from office at any time any member of the dental hygiene board appointed by that authority pursuant to Section 106.
(i)
The dental hygiene board, with the approval of the director, may appoint a person exempt from civil service who shall be designated as an executive officer and who shall exercise the powers and perform the duties delegated by the dental hygiene board and vested in the executive officer by this article.
(j)
This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 592, Sec. 6. (SB 861) Effective January 1, 2026. Repealed as of January 1, 2028, by its own provisions.