California AGD hired Mr. Gary Cooper as our lobbyist in 2025.

We chose three bills to actively advocate for:

AB341 (Arambula) Establish oral health training and care programs in Regional Centers for Special Needs Patients.   Passed and signed by governor!

AB350 (Bonta) Expand Medi-Cal topical fluoride benefit up to age 21.  Passed in Assembly, Stalled in Senate. Made a two-year bill.

SB386 (Limòn) Requires dental insurance companies pay dentists using a method that does not charge a processing fee as their default method (not Virtual Credit Cards).   Passed and signed by governor!

Tell us what advocacy issues are important to you by filling out this survey:  CLICK FOR SURVEY

CAGD’s first DAY IN THE CAPITAL

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

We will meet for breakfast and a briefing by our lobbyist on our day’s activities and issues we will speak on.  Then we go to legislator’s offices, return for lunch, then have afternoon meetings.

GOALS

• Meet your personal assembly and senate representative
• Meet important legislative leaders of committees
• Advocate for up to 3 proposed pieces of legislation
• Appointments will be made for you by our lobbyist
• Breakfast and lunch will be provided
• No travel expenses will be reimbursed for this event

QUESTIONS?  Contact Dr. Guy Acheson ([email protected])

Ready to commit?  Complete this short Google form and we’ll email you with details

CAGD Now has a Political Action Committee (PAC)

CAGD Needs Your Help With ADVOCACY

In order to effectively lobby for or against proposed legislation we need money to attend events and demonstrate support for legislators.  A PAC allows you to directly support CAGD’s legislative efforts.

• Continuing Denti-Cal reimbursement levels
• Continuing Denti-Cal scope of services
• Addressing efforts to expand clinical privileges of dental auxiliaries
• Improving patient safety while under sedation

In 2025 we lobbied to expand Medi-Cal topical fluoride benefits to age 21, we lobbied to require dental insurance companies to pay dentists using a method that does not charge a fee, and we lobbied to establish oral health training and care programs for special needs patients.

HELP CAGD HELP YOU—– DONATE TO THE CAGD PAC.

CAGD Advocacy Commitment on Behalf of the General Dentist

Advocacy is a priority because of the significant effort by organizations outside of dentistry that are pushing their own vision of how to deliver dental care

The late Dr. Mike Bromberg, of Reseda CA and AGD Congressional Liaison, kept advocacy efforts front and center, in person or in front of a screen.

The California Academy of General Dentistry (CAGD) is the organization that advocates exclusively on behalf of California general dentists for the right to perform the procedures for which they are trained, and provides general dentists the continuing hands-on education that teaches such procedures. The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) also provides its members the opportunity to distinguish themselves by attaining the AGD’s Fellowship and Mastership awards.

The California Academy of General Dentistry is an educational organization that also represents the best interests, needs and concerns of its 2500 member dentists and their patients. It is a constituent  of the Academy of General Dentistry, a national organization representing 40,000 general dentists.

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Watchdogs!

CAGD Past President Dr. Guy Acheson representing and looking out for the California General Dentist. He serves as the Chairman of CAGD WatchDog Committee.

We are the CAGDs advocacy program Watchdogs. We have two primary functions; attending all Dental Board of California board meetings and reporting relevant information back to our members, and lobbying for or against specific issues that the CAGD feels would impact general dentists and public oral health in California. We will keep you updated on issues important to you. You can follow our efforts in the CAGD printed and e-newsletters as well as on this page.

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Some of our efforts have included:

On the issue of mid-level dental provider: When the California Senate Bill 694 (SB-694) proposed establishing a pilot project in which people who were not qualified to attend dental school would be provided with two years of technical training and then allowed to practice limited dentistry including preparing teeth for restorations and extractions, we did not give up till the bill DIED. We spent much time writing and rewriting dialogue to present to the legislators or for our members to send to legislators. We had representatives at almost every hearing giving testimony. The result of this bill would have been the establishment of another obstacle for the poor and underserved to receive competent dental care.

On the issue of non-dentists (assistants and hygienists) removing decay and placing restorations: The California Academy of General Dentistry has issued a position statement and testified as being opposed to Assembly Bill 1174 (AB-1174) that proposed allowing Registered Dental Assistants and Registered Dental Hygienists to remove carious tooth structure with hand instruments and place adhesive restorative materials (see videos of testimonies below). We believe that patient safety is at risk by allowing non-dentists to remove tooth structure and we believe that what distinguishes a surgeon from everyone else in healthcare is the privilege to remove human tissue in the course of providing care.

The California Academy of General Dentistry exists to exclusively support general dentists. We are willing to make your voice heard on issues that matter to you and your patients but only if you let us know what your view is. Please reach out to your local AGD component or the CAGD central office to make your views known.