Standing alongside the California Dental Association to advocate for patients, improve access to dental care, and help create meaningful change in California's dental insurance system.
When Patients Have a Voice, Change Becomes Possible
At the National Dental Advocacy Program (NDAP), our mission has always extended beyond helping patients navigate individual dental insurance claims, treatment plans, and barriers to care.
We believe that meaningful patient advocacy also means addressing the systems and policies that create those barriers in the first place.
In 2025, NDAP became involved in supporting legislation sponsored by the California Dental Association (CDA), known as Assembly Bill 371. The legislation sought to address two issues affecting California dental patients: restrictions on assignment of benefits and inadequate dental insurance provider networks.
What began as support for AB 371 continued into 2026 through Assembly Bill 1629, authored by Assemblymember Matt Haney and sponsored by CDA.
On September 27, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1629 into law. Click here to read the CDA article.
For NDAP, this milestone represents something deeply connected to our purpose: ensuring that the experiences of patients navigating dental insurance barriers are represented in conversations about the policies that affect their care.
It Started in 2025: Supporting AB 371
Dental insurance can create a frustrating contradiction for patients.
A person may pay premiums for years, maintain active dental coverage, and follow the rules of their insurance plan—only to discover that accessing care is far more complicated than expected.
Some patients struggle to find participating dentists accepting new patients. Others discover that the specialists they need are outside their insurance network. Still others encounter significant upfront payment requirements even when their insurance provides out-of-network benefits.
These are not simply administrative inconveniences.
For patients living on fixed incomes, managing chronic health conditions, or facing extensive dental treatment, these barriers can determine whether they receive care at all.
In February 2025, CDA announced its sponsorship of AB 371, authored by Assemblymember Matt Haney, to address assignment-of-benefits restrictions and strengthen dental network adequacy standards.
NDAP recognized how closely these issues aligned with the barriers our patient advocates encounter.
Our organization supported the legislative effort because the concerns being addressed were the same types of challenges patients were bringing to us for assistance.
Although AB 371 did not become law in 2025, the legislative effort continued.
In 2026, CDA sponsored AB 1629, carrying forward the core reforms.
Showing Up Where Decisions Are Made
Patient advocacy does not end with a phone call to an insurance company.
Sometimes, it means showing up in the rooms where healthcare policies are discussed and decisions are made.
Throughout NDAP's involvement in this legislative effort, our organization participated in the advocacy process, including attending Assembly and Senate legislative hearings.
Our purpose was to ensure that the patient perspective was not lost among discussions of insurance administration, reimbursement structures, provider networks, and regulatory requirements.
CDA brought its extensive experience representing the dental profession and addressing dental plan challenges.
NDAP brought a complementary perspective grounded in patient advocacy: the experiences of individuals trying to understand their benefits, locate providers, manage unexpected expenses, and obtain necessary care.
Behind every insurance policy is a patient. Behind every denied opportunity for care is a real person whose health, finances, and quality of life may be affected.
We stood alongside CDA in support of reforms addressing those concerns, while remaining committed to NDAP's independent mission of representing and empowering patients.
For our organization, participating in the legislative process was an opportunity to connect the everyday experiences of patients with the broader policies governing their access to care.
What AB 1629 Changes for California Dental Patients
AB 1629 addresses two important areas of dental insurance: assignment of benefits and oversight of dental provider networks.
The law is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2027.
1. Assignment of Benefits: Reducing the Upfront Financial Barrier
Assignment of benefits, commonly called AOB, allows a patient to authorize an insurance company to send payment for covered services directly to a healthcare provider.
Historically, some dental insurance arrangements have REQUIRED payments for out-of-network services to be issued to the patient rather than the dentist. REGARDLESS of the patient's request…
This can create a significant financial obstacle.
Imagine a patient needs $4,000 in dental treatment. Their insurance may provide some out-of-network coverage, but the dental office requires the entire $4,000 upfront because the insurer will ONLY reimburse the patient directly.
Even if insurance eventually reimburses part of that expense, the patient must first find a way to pay the full amount.
For many families, that simply isn't possible.
Under AB 1629, dental plans subject to the law must honor qualifying patient assignment-of-benefits requests, allowing noncontracting dental providers to receive payment directly from the insurer.
This does not mean the insurance company must cover the entire treatment cost. Patients may still be responsible for deductibles, coinsurance, noncovered services, and applicable out-of-network charges.
However, it creates an additional payment option that may reduce the amount patients must advance before receiving treatment.
2. Greater Transparency About Out-of-Network Costs
One of the most frustrating experiences for dental patients is receiving treatment without fully understanding what their insurance will pay.
AB 1629 includes requirements intended to help patients better understand a provider's network status and their potential financial responsibility before agreeing to an assignment of benefits.
For patient advocates, transparency is essential.
Patients deserve to understand:
Whether their dentist participates in their insurance network.
What their insurance is expected to cover.
What costs they may be responsible for.
How assignment of benefits affects payment.
What financial obligations remain even when insurance pays the provider directly.
Informed patients are better positioned to make decisions about their care.
3. Better Oversight of Dental Insurance Networks
Having dental insurance does not automatically mean a patient can find an available dentist.
An insurance directory may list dozens of providers, but patients may discover that some are no longer participating, are not accepting new patients, or cannot provide the specialized services they need.
AB 1629 strengthens dental network reporting requirements so California regulators can better assess whether dental plans maintain sufficient provider networks.
The goal is to provide regulators with a more complete understanding of dental provider availability.
An insurance card should represent meaningful access to care—not simply coverage on paper.
The Patients Behind the Policy: Why These Changes Matter
At NDAP, we understand the importance of legislation through the experiences of patients navigating the healthcare system.
The following examples are illustrative scenarios based on common dental insurance barriers. They are not accounts of specific NDAP clients.
The Senior Who Cannot Afford to Pay Upfront
A retired California resident lives on a fixed monthly income and needs a medically important dental procedure.
Their dental insurance provides out-of-network benefits, but the available specialist requires full payment before treatment.
The patient may eventually receive partial reimbursement, but they cannot afford to advance thousands of dollars.
How AB 1629 could help: If the plan and treatment qualify, and the provider agrees to accept assignment of benefits, the insurer can pay the provider directly. This may reduce the patient's upfront financial burden.
The Family Who Cannot Find an In-Network Specialist
A parent discovers that their child requires specialized dental treatment.
The insurance company provides a list of participating providers, but repeated calls reveal that none are accepting new patients within a reasonable timeframe.
The family must decide whether to delay treatment, travel farther, or pursue out-of-network care.
How AB 1629 could help: Expanded network reporting may help regulators identify insufficient provider networks. Assignment-of-benefits protections may also make certain out-of-network treatment arrangements more financially manageable.
The law does not, however, guarantee that a specialist will become available or that an insurer must approve every out-of-network request.
The Patient Who Thought Insurance Meant Access
A patient has maintained dental coverage for years.
When extensive treatment becomes necessary, they discover that their preferred dentist is out of network and that their benefits cover substantially less than anticipated.
They struggle to understand reimbursement, predeterminations, and their actual financial responsibility.
How AB 1629 could help: Additional financial disclosures and qualifying assignment-of-benefits arrangements may give the patient more information and payment flexibility before proceeding.
These scenarios illustrate why dental insurance reform matters.
The consequences of insurance barriers extend far beyond paperwork. They can affect treatment decisions, household finances, and the ability to obtain timely dental care.
What This Means for the Future of Patient Advocacy
The passage of AB 1629 does not mean every dental insurance problem has been solved.
Patients will still face coverage limitations, exclusions, provider shortages, denied claims, and complicated reimbursement rules.
But the legislation introduces protections and oversight mechanisms that patient advocates can help patients understand and navigate.
As the law takes effect in 2027, NDAP's advocacy work can include educating patients about assignment-of-benefits rights, helping them understand out-of-network financial disclosures, reviewing insurance communications, documenting provider access barriers, and identifying appropriate complaint or appeal pathways.
We also recognize the importance of monitoring how these changes work in practice.
Passing legislation is one step. Understanding whether patients experience meaningful improvements in access to care is another.
Recognizing the California Dental Association and Legislative Leadership
NDAP extends its appreciation to the California Dental Association for its leadership and continued work on dental insurance reform.
We also recognize Assemblymember Matt Haney, the legislative committees that considered the measures, and the individuals and organizations who participated in the legislative process.
CDA's efforts through its Fix Our Dental Insurance initiative have helped bring attention to longstanding issues involving dental insurance benefits, provider networks, and barriers to patient care.
NDAP was proud to stand alongside CDA in support of legislation addressing these concerns and to contribute the perspective of patient advocacy.
This milestone reflects the importance of collaboration among dental professionals, patient advocates, policymakers, and the communities affected by healthcare policy.
Individual Advocacy to Systemic Change
When NDAP was founded, our purpose was to help bridge the gap between patients, dental providers, insurance companies, and the healthcare system.
That mission remains at the center of everything we do.
Sometimes, advocacy means helping one patient understand a denied claim.
Sometimes, it means helping a family locate a specialist, reviewing a complicated treatment plan, or coordinating access to care.
And sometimes, it means showing up at the California State Capitol to participate in conversations that can affect patients throughout the state.
We advocate for the patient sitting across from us—and for the patients who may never know our names but deserve to have their interests represented.
From AB 371 in 2025 to the signing of AB 1629 in 2026, this legislative effort demonstrates how patient-centered concerns can become part of broader conversations about dental insurance reform.
For NDAP, our participation was never about taking credit for legislation.
It was about showing up, standing alongside others working to address barriers to care, and remaining committed to the patients our organization exists to serve.
Because the patient voice belongs not only in the dental chair, but also in the conversations that shape the future of dental care.3
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