Committee denies reinstatement of RDA registration after felony conviction; cites lack of substantial evidence to show public interest

The Licensing Committee considered an application to reissue the registration of a Texas registered dental assistant whose registration was revoked after a felony conviction. The applicant told the committee he has completed three years of a ten‑year community‑supervision term and had been working in administrative and non‑RDA roles while seeking reinstatement.

Staff presented the investigative record and said the statute and board rule require a specific finding that reinstatement be "in the best interest of the public and the licensee" before a registration revoked under the relevant section may be reissued. Staff recommended denial because the agency had not been able to confirm compliance details with supervising probation officials and the investigative record did not provide sufficient evidence to meet the statutory standard.

The applicant appeared and told the committee he had been "doing what I'm supposed to be doing" and submitted letters of recommendation. Committee members pressed staff about whether reinstatement would provide more oversight or less; staff and counsel explained that some drug‑control and nitrous monitoring authorities are tied to the RDA registration, but other patient‑facing duties may be performed without an RDA registration in the office setting.

After an executive‑session consultation with counsel the committee returned to public session and voted to deny the reissuance request, following staff’s recommendation that the investigative record lacked sufficient evidence that immediate reinstatement served the public interest. The committee’s motion to deny carried unanimously.

The committee chair instructed staff to notify the applicant of the committee recommendation and to forward the committee’s action to the full board for final consideration.