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Texas State Board of Dental Examiners adopts staff recommendations in multiple disciplinary and licensing matters
Summary
At its Feb. 21 meeting in Austin the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners adopted administrative orders including license revocations and denials following administrative-law summary dispositions, and referred a high-profile patient complaint to an informal settlement conference.
The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners on Feb. 21 adopted a series of staff-recommended orders in disciplinary and licensing matters and referred one pending patient complaint to an informal settlement conference.
The board voted to adopt administrative findings and revoke or deny licenses or registrations in multiple cases where administrative law judges had granted staff motions for summary disposition. In each matter the board recorded motions to accept the administrative proposals, held roll-call votes and announced the outcomes on the public record.
Why it matters: These actions close administrative enforcement tracks in several cases and publicly record the board’s reliance on the administrative-law process and statute when revocation or denial is mandatory.
Decisions and key votes
- Revocation of Texas dental license (Terry Lee Carano, Texas license no. 15481; docket 5042502360): The board moved to adopt the administrative-law judge’s proposal for summary disposition and revoke the license. Motion: Miss Jones; second: Dr. McNeil. Dr. Henderson recused. Roll-call votes recorded the remaining board members as voting in favor; Miss Palermo was absent. The chair announced the motion carried.
- Denial of dental hygiene licensure application (Mildred Hale; docket 5042506856): Staff recommended adoption of the ALJ’s proposal for summary disposition and denial of the application. Motion: Dr. Burke; second: Dr. Morehead. The board called roll and approved the staff recommendation by recorded vote; Miss Palermo was absent. The decision followed the administrative-record process outlined in the proposal for decision.
- Denial of dental licensure application (Rashmi Malhotra; docket 5042502355): Staff recommended adoption of the ALJ’s proposal for summary disposition and denial of the application (foreign graduate, exam older than the 7‑year grace period discussed by staff). Motion: Dr. McNeil; second: Dr. Maldonado. The board recorded a roll-call vote in favor and adopted the order.
- Revocation of registered dental assistant registration (Daniel Ramirez, RDA no. 9074804; docket 5042502421): The board moved to adopt the ALJ’s order and revoke the RDA registration following staff’s motion for summary disposition. Motion: Dr. Burke; second: Dr. Morehead. The board approved the order by roll-call vote; Miss Palermo was absent.
- Referral to informal settlement conference (case 202301203): The board received an in-person statement from the complainant and voted unanimously to refer this matter to an informal settlement conference (ISC) so that the parties could present additional material in a more focused, private setting rather than resolve the matter on the public meeting agenda.
Committee and other enforcement votes
- The board also approved multiple committee-recommended enforcement dispositions in bulk: agreed settlement orders, remedial plans, agreed administrative penalties, consent orders, and pre- and post-ISC dismissals were accepted as presented in committee packets. Votes on those committee items were taken in the meeting and carried unanimously, except where committee minutes or the record indicate otherwise.
What the board said: Board staff repeatedly cited statutory limits and prior ALJ findings in recommending adoption of the orders. For example, staff referenced the board rule requiring mandatory revocation where applicable and the statutory requirement discussed in one case (statute cited in the discussion as 257.002) that limits board discretion after a license has been expired for the statutorily specified period.
Process notes: Several of the matters adopted were the product of an administrative‑law process that included prior court or ALJ rulings granting summary disposition. In multiple cases the board explained that the administrative record contained no exceptions and staff recommended adoption of the attached orders.
What's next: Adopted revocations and denials are reflected in the board’s public orders. The complainant whose case (202301203) was referred to ISC will receive contact from agency legal staff to schedule the conference; the board said the referral will allow more time and a private setting to review detailed allegations and supporting materials.
Speakers quoted
- “Staff recommends that the board move to adopt the order of the board as attached and revoke Texas Dental license number 15481 issued to Terry Lee Carano,” (staff presentation summarizing the administrative-law proposal for summary disposition).
- “Since it’s mandatory that the application be denied ... outside of that it’s a mandatory requirement that we deny the license application,” (agency counsel describing statutory limits in a denial matter).
