Senate Bill S3058

                                BILL NUMBER:S3058

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to amending the definition of
the scope of practice of dentistry to authorize dentists who are
adequately trained to perform any procedure in the oral and
maxillofacial area

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would permit maxillofacial surgeons who have been granted
privileges to perform oral and maxillofacial surgery by a hospital to
perform any procedure in the oral and maxillofacial area regardless
of its relation to the oral cavity. It would eliminate the need to
rely on the emergency exception for those surgeons who do perform
such procedures.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
This bill would amend section 6601 of the education law, as added by
chapter 576 of the laws of 2001. It divides the scope of practice
section into two subdivisions. The second adds express authorization
for oral and maxillofacial surgeons to perform any procedure in the
oral and maxillofacial area provided the oral and maxillofacial
surgeon has been granted privileges by a hospital licensed by the
health department.

              

JUSTIFICATION:
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are surgical specialists of the dental
profession. Like medical surgeons, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
undergo long residencies of between four to six years. These
nationally accredited residencies involve hundreds of facial
surgeries, schooling in advanced biomedical sciences, hospital
surgery rotations and general anesthesia/deep sedation. surgical
concentrations are in four main areas: 1) trauma; 2) pathology; 3)
jaw surgery and 4) reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Most Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgeons serve on hospital trauma teams to repair
facial injuries on accident victims. In 2001, chapter 576 expanded
and amended the scope of practice for dentistry to include the entire
oral and maxillofacial area as it related to restoring or maintaining
dental health.
This amendment would continue the scope's modernization by allowing
any procedure within that area to be performed by those Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgeons who have been granted privileges to perform
the procedure/s in a hospital licensed by the health department.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2010 - Referred to Higher Education
2008 - Referred to Higher Education

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Not Applicable.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.