An education requirement under Arizona’s new law for oral preventive assistants is facing opposition from local dental industry professionals, the Arizona Capitol Times reported April 6.
Nine notes:
1. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill into law last year that allows dental assistants to practice as oral preventive assistants.
2. In order for a dental assistant to become an oral preventive assistant, they must complete an OPA training course with at least 120 hours of didactic and clinical instruction.
3. Prior to completing that course, they must already hold a certification in CPR, a board-approved certification for coronal polishing and radiography, and either hold a current national board certification in dental assisting or have successfully completed an accredited dental assisting educational program.
4. Dental assistants who trained at a non-accredited dental assistant school must take additional courses and exams to become an OPA.
5. Bryan Hastings, COO for the American Institute of Dental Assisting, a non-accredited school, brought concerns about the education requirement to lawmakers.
6. Sen. Shawnna Bolick filed a bill to repeal the OPA program, but the bill died in committee last month.
7. Another bill, House Bill 2336, would have changed the education provision to instead require students complete a dental assisting educational program “offered by a licensed private postsecondary educational institute” in the state. That bill also died in committee earlier this year.
8. Kiara Ortega, owner of Desert Dental and Health Academy, told the Capitol Times that the law also lacks oversight because it does not outline how the role is regulated, how training is approved or curriculum guidelines.
9. Three schools in the state are currently working to launch their curriculum for oral preventive assistants by fall 2027.
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