Are you a dentist or dental assistant facing negligence, accusation, criminal charges, or probation by a dental board? Being accused of malpractice or criminal charges impacts your reputation and puts your career at risk.
Instead of trying to handle the situation yourself, which can complicate matters even further, you should consider hiring a dentistry license defense attorney. Their expertise will help you get the best possible outcome, save your reputation, and ensure you keep your license to practice. How can they do that, and why should you consider hiring them? Find out in this article.
Who is a dental license defense lawyer?
If the dental board has initiated disciplinary proceedings against you, you may wonder what a defense lawyer can do for you. They specialize in defending their clients against disciplinary actions by the board. An attorney will work hard to help you avoid disciplinary action and get your license back if it has been suspended or revoked.
How does the appeal process work?
The first step toward regaining your dental license is filing an appeal with the board to bring forward new evidence that might persuade them not to uphold their decision on appeal. Once they deny this request, several options are available, including the one mentioned below.
Appealing again
It involves filing another appeal after having filed one previously (i.e. if someone’s case was denied once). The goal here would be to try again until finally getting relief from the board. However, each case involves different circumstances, and rules apply differently depending upon those circumstances (for example: how long ago did this happen?
Therefore, it’s essential to not only know what kind of documentation needs to be submitted but also understand what type(s) should be submitted. This is to make sure to include all crucial details needed during the presentation, such as dates/times when the incident occurred, type(s) involved, etc.
Reasons to hire an attorney
While getting a license back is not easy, knowing that you have legal representation is essential.
Help you avoid costly fines
A dental license defense lawyer will be able to help you avoid costly fines and penalties by proving that the state did not have probable cause to suspend or revoke your license. They can also assist in preventing criminal charges from being filed against you, which would result in reduced fines and penalties.
Prevent lawsuits
Hiring an attorney can also help prevent lawsuits from being filed against you for negligence or other types of harm caused by negligent acts during treatment procedures performed by licensed health professionals such as dentists.
Protect your rights during legal proceedings
A licensed attorney can help you navigate the legal system and protect your rights during court proceedings. They also have experience working with judges and prosecutors, so they know how they think and what they will require from both sides of an issue before making decisions that may affect their client’s life or career.
Make a timely response
Your attorney will respond promptly to the accusation filed against you and the complaint made against you by the dental board. The average time to respond is six months from filing the complaint and response time.
Some information on dental board disciplinary action
The CSBDE is responsible for licensing dentists and may take disciplinary action against a dentist the court has found guilty of unprofessionalism or violation of any laws or regulations relating to their profession. It can also take disciplinary action against a dentist if they have been found guilty of malpractice, fraud, or other criminal activity that harms public health and welfare.
Some reasons behind disciplinary actions include negligent conduct, substance abuse, breach of the standard of care, a misdemeanor of felony criminal charges, sexual misconduct, and billing fraud.
You should hire a dentistry license defense attorney if you have been accused of malpractice, disciplinary action, accusations, and criminal charges. They will assist you in every stage of the defense process and protect your interest at all times.