Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
secretary
Health and Human Resources
Agency
Department of Health Professions
Board
Board of Veterinary Medicine
Petition 229
Petition Information
Petition Title Amendment to definition of surgery
Date Filed 10/13/2015    [Transmittal Sheet]
Petitioner Amy Schlake 
Petitioner's Request

To amend the definition of surgery to allow veterinary technicians to perform single layer closure of the gingival flap created by a veterinarian.

 
Agency's Plan

The petition will be published on November 2, 2015 in the Register of Regulations and also posted on the Virginia Regulatory Townhall at www.townhall.virginia.gov to receive public comment ending December 2, 2015.

Following receipt of all comments on the petition to amend regulations, the Board will decide whether to make any changes to the regulatory language. This matter will be on the Board’s agenda for its first meeting after the comment period, which is tentatively scheduled for February 10, 2016.

 
Comment Period Began 11/2/2015    Ended 12/2/2015
33 comments
Virginia Register Announcement Submitted on 10/13/2015
 
The Virginia Register of Regulations
 
Published on: 11/2/2015     Volume: 32  Issue: 5
Agency Decision Take no action [Transmittal Sheet]    
Response Date 2/22/2016
Decision Publication Date Published on: 3/21/2016     Volume: 32  Issue: 15
Agency Decision Summary

At its meeting on February 10, 2016, the Board considered the petition and all comments in favor of and in opposition to the request for an amendment.  Its conclusion was that closure of the gingival flap involves tissue and is different from a skin closure.  While the procedure can be simple in some cases, it is often complex and difficult to achieve the desired result.  The Board has affirmed its guidance on the allowable duties of a veterinary technician adopted in Guidance Document 150-2 in February of 2015, in which it stated that:  The Board determined that oral mucosa is not skin, therefore, an LVT would not be permitted to perform closure of a previously created gingival flap.


Contact Information
Name / Title: Elaine J. Yeatts  / Agency regulatory coordinator
Address: 9960 Mayland Drive
Henrico, 23233
Email Address: elaine.yeatts@dhp.virginia.gov
Telephone: (804)367-4688    FAX: (804)527-4434    TDD: ()-