Oral Health for People with Disabilities Technical Assistance Center Program.

Assembly Member Arambula's proposal to establish the Oral Health for People with Disabilities Technical Assistance Center Program aims to reduce reliance on sedation and general anesthesia in dental care for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The program, to be implemented by July 2027, requires the Department of Developmental Services to contract with a California public dental school or college to coordinate specialized dental services through regional centers.

The contracted institution must demonstrate prior success in implementing community-based dental programs that utilize teledentistry and minimize sedation requirements. Under the program, up to ten regional centers will partner with local dental providers to identify eligible patients, particularly those facing extended wait times for sedation-based procedures. The dental school will provide training, operational support, and ongoing monitoring to both oral health professionals and regional center staff while collecting data on program outcomes.

Regional centers must designate program leads, establish vendor agreements with dental professionals, and manage patient referrals and information. The Department of Developmental Services will develop protocols for payment systems, workflow procedures, and purchase-of-service authorizations while submitting annual progress reports to the Legislature. The bill's findings note that recent advances in dental techniques and materials offer alternatives to sedation, but these options remain limited due to practitioner training gaps and systemic barriers.