The board’s Education Committee on Nov. 8 received an update from the Dental Hygiene Educational Program Penalty Rubric Task Force and a rollup of recent site-visit findings.

Chair Joanne Pacheco said the task force—formed to apply the factors listed in 16 CCR §11.04.3 (nature and severity, time since the violation, consequences including harm, history, willfulness, gravity, and remediation)—has met seven times and is drafting a rubric to ensure consistent penalties and remediation timelines for programs found noncompliant. The task force will meet again on Nov. 21 to continue work.

Dr. Adena Petty presented site-visit updates: Pasadena City College and Cerritos College are on temporary compliance with follow-up plans; Taft College is in compliance after being placed on probation; West Coast University is in full compliance; multiple Concorde campuses submitted corrective information and staff are awaiting CODA approval of change reports; and Diablo Valley College (DVC) remains not in compliance while staff reviews supplemental documentation.

Committee members expressed concern that CODA’s wording uses “should” for some recommended direct‑patient‑care hours, which Petty said is interpreted as recommended rather than mandatory, creating ambiguity for enforcement. Petty noted that seniors “should be held to 12 to 16 hours of direct patient care,” and that DVC’s seniors were reported at 11 hours—below the recommended range—raising staff concern about whether programs are meeting minimum hands-on clinical experience.

Diablo Valley College’s program director, Tonette Steeb, testified that a switch from an 18‑week to a 16‑week schedule led the program to shift some clinic hours from the senior to the junior year but not to reduce total clinical hours, and described curriculum and assessment changes she said address prior weak pass rates; she reported an improving board-exam pass rate and that most recent cohorts had passed.

Why it matters: The board oversees program approval and relies on consistent penalties and remediation to protect students and patients. The task force’s rubric is intended to reduce subjectivity when violations vary in severity and duration.

What’s next: The task force will continue meeting (next scheduled Nov. 21) and will return a draft rubric to the Education Committee for review; board staff will continue program follow-up, including planned site visits for programs with outstanding compliance questions.