Report of Regents Professional Practice Committee to The Board of Regents

The Professional Practice Committee held its scheduled meeting on June 14, 2022. All members were present except Vice Chancellor Josephine Victoria Finn, Regent Wade S. Norwood, , and Regent Ruth B. Turner, who were excused. Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. participated as an ex-officio member.

Regent Kathleen M. Cashin, Regent Judith Chin, Regent Luis O. Reyes, Regent Susan W. Mittler, Regent Aramina Vega Ferrer, Regent Shino Tanikawa, and Regent Roger P. Catania also attended the meeting, but did not vote on any action.  

ACTION ITEMS

Professional Discipline Cases [PPC EXS (A) 1-3]

The Committee recommends that the reports of the Regents Review Committees, including rulings, findings of fact, determinations as to guilt, and recommendations, by unanimous or majority vote, contained in those reports which have been distributed to you, be accepted in 2 cases.  In addition, your Committee recommends, upon the recommendation of the Committee on the Professions, that 32 consent order applications and 17 surrender applications be granted.

These recommendations are made following the review of 51 cases involving eleven licensed practical nurses, eleven registered professional nurses, four licensed practical nurses who are also registered professional nurses, three certified public accountants, three veterinarians, two dentists, two pharmacists, one architect, one architectural limited liability company, one chiropractor, one dentist who also holds a certificate to administer general anesthesia, one licensed master social worker, one licensed master social worker who is also a licensed clinical social worker, one massage therapist, one professional engineer, and one social work professional limited liability company.

Restoration [PPC EXS (A) 4]

The Committee recommends that the application of Juanita Orji for the restoration of her license to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse in New York State be denied.

Long-Term Clinical Clerkships [PPC EXS (A) 5]

The Committee recommends that the applications for Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Technion Israel Institute of Technology to place students in long-term clinical clerkships in New York be approved, in accordance with and subject to the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Long-term Clinical Clerkships.

Proposed Amendment of Section 61.17 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to the Use of Restricted Local Infiltration Anesthesia/Nitrous Oxide Analgesia by Dental Hygienists [PPC (A) 1 - REVISED] - Department staff presented a proposed amendment to the Commissioner’s regulations to conform them to Chapter 198 of the Laws of 2022, which effective May 9, 2022, amended the Education Law to allow dental hygienists to use local infiltration and nitrous oxide modalities to assist dentists in performing any dental service.

The Committee recommends that paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of section 61.17 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be amended, as submitted, effective June 14, 2022, as an emergency action, upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such an action is necessary for the preservation of the public health and the general welfare in order to timely implement the requirements of Chapter 198 of the Law of 2022, which became effective May 9, 2022.

The motion passed. Regent Collins abstained and Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. voted as an ex-officio member.

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD  

The Professional Practice Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee's deliberations at its meeting on June 14, 2022, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent. 

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Update on the Office of the Professions (OP) Website - Department staff presented a demonstration of the newly designed Office of the Professions (OP) website, which is planned to be released to the public in the next few months. The website redesign focuses on intuitive navigation, accessibility, and a crisp new look and feel. The website redesign project is part of the OP Modernization Program, a multi-project, multi-year initiative to improve customer service related to all licensing and renewal activities for more than 50 professions, corporations, and pharmacies regulated by the Department.   

Deputy Commissioner Sarah Benson reviewed the items on the Consent Agenda.