Nearly a dozen new or amended employment laws take effect Jan. 1, 2025, and impact employers of every size, including dental practices. The laws aim to prevent driver’s license discrimination when hiring, protect pay for independent contractors who provide marketing and other specific services, provide additional protected leave for victims of violence, and more. Practice owners should review and update workplace policies and post any required new notices. CDA will publish updated policies in the Employee Manual for members by early January.

Dentists should familiarize themselves with their local government wage order and ordinances. In some areas of California, the minimum wage is rising more quickly than the state minimum wage. Employers in at least two dozen cities are already required to pay an hourly minimum wage ranging from $16.70 to over $19. Employers always must pay the local minimum wage if it is higher than California’s minimum wage.

Under California’s Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, a patient’s consent for the use or disclosure of their health information is valid only for one year from the date they sign. This time limit also applies to a health care provider’s use of patient testimonials and photographs in articles, advertisements and other such purposes. CDA members can use our compliant patient consent and authorization forms.

CDA is aware of the challenges some Medi-Cal Dental providers are facing as a result of delayed processing times and backlogs of unpaid claims in the wake of the Change HealthCare cyberattack earlier this year. We are working closely with Medi-Cal Dental to ensure numerous issues are resolved. Find resources and guidance below to help your practice address billing and payment delays now.

A final rule issued by federal OSHA updates the Hazard Communication Standard by improving the number and quality of labels and safety data sheets. All dental practices that have hazardous chemicals in the workplace must train employees on the new labeling and update the practice’s hazard communication plan no later than July 2026.