Asheville Dental License Defense Lawyer

Asheville Dental License Defense Attorney

Doug Edwards Law helps Asheville, NC, dentists protect their licenses when they have received a complaint, are under investigation, or are facing disciplinary action from the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners.

It can be worrisome and stressful when a North Carolina dentist, dental tech, or dental hygienist faces license suspension, investigation, or revocation. After all, in a profession where your reputation and license to practice is your livelihood, facing an investigation, license suspension, or revocation could jeopardize your ability to earn a living.

You have worked too hard to take this situation lightly. When facing investigations, suspensions, revocation, or other disciplinary actions, you have a right to counsel to protect your reputation, license, and livelihood.

Our Asheville dental license defense attorneys are prepared to defend you against allegations of ethics violation, professional misconduct, professional incompetence, and violation of fiduciary responsibility.

If you’re a licensed, permitted, or certified dental practitioner in Asheville or anywhere in North Carolina and need help, please call (828) 702-8743 to schedule a free consultation with the skilled professional license defense attorneys at Doug Edwards Law.

Table of Contents

• What Are The Most Common Complaints Against Dentists?
• How Are Dental Disciplinary Investigations Conducted?
• What Disciplinary Penalties Can a Dentist Face?
• Possible Defense Strategies for the Dental Profession
• How Will an Asheville Dental License Defense Attorney Help Your Case?
• Protect Your Dental License Today! Work With Doug Edwards Law

What Are The Most Common Complaints Against Dentists?

The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners has power over the licensure of the dentistry profession in North Carolina. The Board is also responsible for regulating the dental profession and hygiene to ensure that the dental profession merits and receives the public’s confidence.

Through the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, anyone can file a complaint against any person holding a dental license. This includes dentists, dental techs, and dental hygienists as well.

Suppose a complaint or allegation made against such professionals is validated by the Board. In that case, they could be subjected to harsh disciplinary measures. For this reason, please do not take professional dental license defense in Asheville lightly.

Common complaints against dental professionals holding a dental license include:

• Negligence
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Mental disability
• Patient abuse
• Conviction of a felony crime in North Carolina or other states
• Inadequate supervision of staff
• Permitting or aiding unlicensed persons to practice dentistry
• Practicing dentistry with an expired license or no license
• Improper drug prescription
• Fee splitting with unauthorized partners
• Improper record keeping
• Fraudulent practice, inclusive of insurance fraud, and other fraudulent billing issues

Negligence is the most common reason for dental investigations and disciplinary actions against dentists. The most prevalent incidents of negligence include:

• Treating or extracting the incorrect tooth
• Failure to correctly assess or diagnose treatment options
• Failure to properly record a patient’s existing conditions
• Lack of informed consent
• Performing extractions without offering less-invasive alternatives or without sufficient justification
• Delayed treatment
• Perforating a patient’s tooth during a root canal procedure
• Permitting or aiding unlicensed or unqualified staff to perform cleaning, X-rays, or other professional responsibilities

Dental Board investigators are often veteran law enforcement investigators with vast experience conducting investigations, sting operations, and interviews. Let us fight for you!

If you’re a dental practitioner in Asheville currently facing an investigation by the NC Board of Dental Examiners, please do not hesitate to speak with a dental license defense lawyer. When you work with our legal team, you are demonstrating your right to have a license. We take your career seriously and work tirelessly to lighten some of the stress of defending dental license claims.

How Are Dental Disciplinary Investigations Conducted?

The NC State Board of Dental Examiners investigates complaints and allegations thoroughly and as expeditiously as practicable. The entire disciplinary investigation process, however, can take months and even years, depending on the complexity of the topics involved.

Once a complaint is filed with the Board, it is sent to you, and a response is requested. On other occasions, dentists and other dental practitioners first become aware of an investigation when they receive an unannounced investigator office visit or a Board request for an interview or records. Once you’re aware of the investigations, it’s wise to consult a qualified dental license defense lawyer. An experienced attorney should review your response to incorporate legal considerations.

Next, interviews are conducted by staff investigators. Using the information gathered after the investigation, a panel comprising 1 Board member, 3 staff members, and the Board’s lawyer – determines if any dental law or professional ethics were violated. If evidence determines a violation occurred, a hearing may be held, and you may be required to testify as a witness.

Unfiltered interaction with the Board’s seasoned investigators can easily work against you. Hiring an experienced dental license defense lawyer in Asheville can help ensure that your rights and license to practice are protected.

What Disciplinary Penalties Can a Dentist Face?

Suppose a complaint or allegation against a dental practitioner is brought before the North Carolina State Board of Examiners; in that case, the dental practitioner in question shall, after notice, have the opportunity to be heard by the Board before the Board can take any action.

Suppose an investigation by Board investigators determines a licensed dental practitioner has violated dental regulations, and these violations meet the standard of discipline. In that case, the case is brought before the State Attorney General’s Office for review. If the Deputy Attorney general determines there’s sufficient evidence of a violation, a formal accusation is filed and becomes a public record.

The North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners typically asks for one of the following types of penalties in disciplinary action:

• License probation
• Citation
• Public reprimand
• License suspension
• Citation with fine
• License revocation
• License revocation

When accusations are not resolved through negotiation, then the final verdict for your situation will be decided through an administrative hearing before an NC administrative judge that handles dentist cases.

During the hearing, your Asheville dental license defense attorney and the Deputy Attorney General will present evidence, argue their case, and cross-examine witnesses. An administrative hearing should be treated as a serious matter and is best handled by an experienced dental license defense attorney to incorporate defense strategies.

Possible Defense Strategies for the Dental Profession

At Doug Edwards Law, we can evaluate your situation’s best course of action and take a proactive approach to any issue that may threaten your dental license, permit, or certificate. Our Asheville dental license defense attorneys pride themselves on taking a comprehensive approach when defending your license and livelihood.

Depending on your circumstance, our defense strategies may include:

• Contacting the Board’s investigators and providing mitigating evidence to either refute the allegation that professional negligence or misconduct occurred or support the position that the penalties imposed are unjustified.
• Retain a standard of care experts to refute allegations of misconduct or negligence.
• Work with defense investigators to interview witnesses and conduct sting operations, secure computer metadata, issue subpoenas, evaluate evidence, and prepare a comprehensive report for the defense.
• Develop an emotional or mental rehabilitation plan or a rehabilitation plan if drug or alcohol dependency is at issue, which may mitigate allegations with the NC Board of Dental Examiners.
• Assist you with gathering necessary rehab documentation to prepare for the hearing.

How Will an Asheville Dental License Defense Attorney Help Your Case?

Doug Edwards Law’s dental license defense lawyers have represented dentists, dental labs, dent techs, dental radiographers, and dental hygienists throughout North Carolina.

The highly regulated dental industry has many laws and regulations that can impact dental practitioners and their businesses. Our Asheville dental license defense attorneys have immersed themselves in professional license laws and developed a deep understanding of the profession’s nuances.

We can handle all complex dental licensing issues, including:

• Disciplinary actions: Restrictions, suspensions, administrative complaints, revocations, Board Of Dental Examiner hearings, investigations, modifications, and appeals
• Licensing: Denial, difficulty obtaining a license, denial, reporting convictions, etc.
• Compliance: Fraud and abuse law, billing guidelines, state regulations, DEA compliance, etc.
• DEA: Renewal issues, applications, DEA inspections, enforcement actions, DEA registration issues, etc.

Working with our dental license defense legal team significantly increases your chances of redeeming yourself. Our team brings a lot to the table, including but not limited to:

• Sufficient experience in dental license defense in North Carolina
• Knowledge of the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners
• Dedication and commitment
• Expert negotiation skills

Doug Edwards Law is a firm that has a legal team with years of experience handling all types of dental license defense cases. Losing your ability to practice can cost you not only your career but also your quality of life and more. We understand how important your dental license, permit, or certification is to you because we have professional licenses too.

You don’t need to fight alone! Work with a team that will vigorously fight to defend your dental profession and reputation. Call (828) 702-8743 to go over the details of your situation.

Protect Your Dental License Today! Work With Doug Edwards Law

Allegations of dental misconduct and felony criminal arrests and convictions can be and have been used by the NC State Board of Dental Examiners as grounds for license suspensions and revocations. However, with the help of an experienced Asheville dental license defense lawyer, you stand a strong chance of protecting your license and reputation.

Remember, your career and reputation are on the line. Even if you feel the accusations are meritless, the issue seems minor, or you are confident in the facts, consider talking to a lawyer. Having our lawyers by your side is vital for protecting your interests, understanding how the process works ahead of time, and ultimately ensuring your future.

At Doug Edwards Law, we have years of experience successfully handling license defense cases. Dental license investigations can have severe and long-lasting implications on a dentist’s practice, income, and reputation. If you’re facing a license investigation, contact our Asheville law firm today at (828) 702-8743 for a free consultation.