STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9084
IN SENATE
June 15, 2018
___________
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to registered dental
assisting
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The article heading of article 133 of the education law, as
2 added by chapter 987 of the laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
3 DENTISTRY [AND], DENTAL HYGIENE, AND
4 REGISTERED DENTAL ASSISTING
5 § 2. Section 6600 of the education law, as added by chapter 987 of the
6 laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
7 § 6600. Introduction. This article applies to the professions of
8 dentistry [and], dental hygiene, and registered dental assisting. The
9 general provisions for all professions contained in article one hundred
10 thirty of this title apply to this article.
11 § 3. Section 6603 of the education law, as amended by chapter 393 of
12 the laws of 1999, is amended to read as follows:
13 § 6603. State board for dentistry. A state board for dentistry shall
14 be appointed by the board of regents on recommendation of the commis-
15 sioner for the purpose of assisting the board of regents and the depart-
16 ment on matters of professional licensing and professional conduct in
17 accordance with section sixty-five hundred eight of this title. The
18 board shall be composed of not less than thirteen dentists licensed in
19 this state for at least five years, not less than three dental hygien-
20 ists licensed in this state for at least five years, and not less than
21 one [certified] registered dental assistant licensed in this state for
22 at least one year. An executive secretary to the board shall be
23 appointed by the board of regents on recommendation of the commissioner
24 and shall be a dentist licensed in this state.
25 § 4. Section 6608 of the education law, as amended by chapter 239 of
26 the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
27 § 6608. Definition of practice of [certified] registered dental
28 assisting. The practice of [certified] registered dental assisting is
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15948-02-8
S. 9084 2
1 defined as providing supportive services to a dentist in [his/her] his
2 or her performance of dental services authorized under this article.
3 Such support shall include providing patient education, taking prelimi-
4 nary medical histories and vital signs to be reviewed by the dentist,
5 placing and removing rubber dams, selecting and prefitting provisional
6 crowns, selecting and prefitting orthodontic bands, removing orthodontic
7 arch wires and ligature ties, placing and removing matrix bands, taking
8 impressions for study casts or diagnostic casts, removing periodontal
9 dressings, and such other dental supportive services authorized by the
10 dentist consistent with regulations promulgated by the commissioner,
11 provided that such functions are performed under the direct personal
12 supervision of a licensed dentist in the course of the performance of
13 dental services. Such services shall not include diagnosing and/or
14 performing surgical procedures, irreversible procedures or procedures
15 that would alter the hard or soft tissue of the oral and maxillofacial
16 area or any other procedures determined by the department. The practice
17 of [certified] registered dental assisting may be conducted in the
18 office of any licensed dentist or in any appropriately equipped school
19 or public institution but must be done under the direct personal super-
20 vision of a licensed dentist. Direct personal supervision, for purposes
21 of this section, means supervision of dental procedures based on
22 instructions given by a licensed dentist in the course of a procedure
23 who remains in the dental office where the supportive services are being
24 performed, personally diagnoses the condition to be treated, personally
25 authorizes the procedures, and before dismissal of the patient, who
26 remains the responsibility of the licensed dentist, evaluates the
27 services performed by the registered dental assistant. Nothing herein
28 authorizes a registered dental assistant to perform any of the services
29 or functions defined as part of the practice of dental hygiene in
30 accordance with the provisions of subdivision one of section sixty-six
31 hundred six of this article, except those functions authorized pursuant
32 to this section. All dental supportive services provided in this section
33 may be performed by currently registered dental hygienists either under
34 a dentist's supervision, as defined in regulations of the commissioner,
35 or, in the case of a registered dental hygienist working for a hospital
36 as defined in article twenty-eight of the public health law, pursuant to
37 a collaborative arrangement with a licensed dentist in accordance with
38 subdivision one of section sixty-six hundred six of this article. Such
39 collaborative arrangement shall not obviate or supersede any law or
40 regulation which requires identified services to be performed under the
41 personal supervision of a dentist.
42 § 5. Section 6608-a of the education law, as added by chapter 494 of
43 the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
44 § 6608-a. Practice of [certified] registered dental assisting and use
45 of title "[certified] registered dental assistant". Only a person
46 certified under section sixty-six hundred eight-b of this article or
47 exempt pursuant to section sixty-six hundred ten of this article shall
48 practice [certified] registered dental assisting. Only a person certi-
49 fied pursuant to section sixty-six hundred eight-b of this article shall
50 use the title "[certified] registered dental assistant".
51 § 6. Section 6608-b of the education law, as added by chapter 494 of
52 the laws of 1994, subdivision 4 as amended by chapter 300 of the laws of
53 2006 and subdivision 5 as amended by chapter 565 of the laws of 1995, is
54 amended to read as follows:
55 § 6608-b. Requirements for certification as a [certified] registered
56 dental assistant. To qualify for certification as a [certified] regis-
S. 9084 3
1 tered dental assistant, an applicant shall fulfill the following
2 requirements:
3 (1) Application: file an application with the department;
4 (2) Age: be at least [seventeen] eighteen years of age;
5 (3) Fees: pay a fee of forty-five dollars to the department for
6 initial certification and a fee of fifty dollars for each triennial
7 registration period;
8 (4) Education and experience: (A) have received a high school diploma,
9 or its equivalent, and (B) have successfully completed, in accordance
10 with the commissioner's regulations, (i) an approved one-year course of
11 study in dental assisting in a degree-granting institution or a board of
12 cooperative educational services program which includes at least two
13 hundred hours of clinical experience, or an equivalent approved course
14 of study in dental assisting in a non-degree granting institution which
15 shall not be a professional association or professional organization or
16 (ii) an alternate course of study in dental assisting acceptable to the
17 department which shall be provided by a degree-granting institution or a
18 board of cooperative educational services program which includes at
19 least one thousand hours of relevant work experience; [and]
20 (5) Examination: pass an examination in dental assisting given by an
21 organization which administers such examinations [for certifying dental
22 assistants] and which is acceptable to the department[.]; and
23 (6) Character: be of good moral character as determined by the depart-
24 ment.
25 § 7. This act shall take effect immediately.