Professional License Defense for Dentists in Charlotte NC
North Carolina’s state regulations have control over the power of the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners. It is to this board where anyone can conceivably file a complaint against any professional holding a dental license. This includes not only dentists but also dental hygienists and dental techs as well. Such professionals can, if the complaint is validated by the board, be subject to harsh disciplinary measures. For this reason, professional dental license defense in Charlotte, NC should be taken very seriously.
Common allegations made against dental license holders include criminal conduct, practicing under the influence of drugs or alcohol, addiction, mental disability, failing to keep proper records, patient abuse (both physical and sexual), allowing duties to be completed by untrained staff, negligence, false claim filing, and practicing beyond the scope of training, expertise, and licensure.
Commonly, disciplinary actions taken by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners can include public reprimand, fines, and even license suspension, denial, or revocation. Bear in mind that a complaint, even a validated one with disciplinary action, is not a guarantee of guilt. You could have done nothing wrong at all. For these reasons, if you hold a dental license in the state of North Carolina, and a complaint is filed against you, it is imperative that you contact a professional license defense attorney in North Carolina.
Remington & Dixon Represents Charlotte Dentists
Here at Remington & Dixon of Charlotte, NC, we appreciate the sacrifices and hard work that comes along with being a dental professional. Our North Carolina dentists, on the whole, work very hard each day to provide their patients with nothing less than the best possible care, and it can be devastating to have that integrity called into question. The dental field is an industry that is very demanding, and when patients and family are not entirely satisfied with the outcome of a treatment or procedure, and all too often they can blame dental staff for their disappointment, pain, or grief.
If you are a dental professional in North Carolina who is currently faced with a complaint resulting in action by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, do not hesitate. Our North Carolina lawyers will steadfastly fight to protect your reputation, your assets, and your license to practice dentistry. We take the careers and lives of our clients very seriously and work every day to help lighten some of the stress that comes along with defending dental license claims. We will fight for you.
Let Remington Dixon Fight for Your Dentistry License
Having any allegation of ethical or professional misconduct can ruin your professional career. As a dentist, you put in much effort to establish your job and get your license. In a moment, you could find yourself fighting for your license. It’s much easier to lose your license than most professionals understand. If a complaint has been filed against you, you need to be proactive. The more time that we have to build your case, the better your defense will be. Even if the complaint is unfounded, it could still cost you your license. This is why you should take every board hearing seriously.
Remington & Dixon, PLLC is a firm that has experience handling many types of license defense cases. Losing your professional license can cost you your career, quality of life, and more. How can you support yourself and your family if you no longer have a job? We know how important your professional license is to you because we have them too. You deserve a team that will fight for you, to help protect your license. Contact us today to go over the details of your case.
If you are currently facing a claim against your dental license, you need a dental licensing lawyer who has experience in Charlotte, NC. Remington & Dixon has the knowledge, experience, and expertise to defend you and your dental license. As we do so, we will endeavor to help you keep your record spotless, and our lawyers will tirelessly defend your reputation as a dental professional. Call our attorneys and counselors at 704-247-7110 before you speak to anyone else regarding your case.
License Defense Claims are Very Common for Dental Professionals in Charlotte
Though it is never pleasant to endure a complaint and a threat against your license, you are certainly not alone. Dental professionals are among our most common clients for professional license defense in Charlotte, NC, along with fields such as medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. As professionals who are charged with the care of patients’ health, all of these professions are at risk of having their licenses threatened. Some of the common complaints against dentists, hygienists, and dental techs include allegations of improper sanitation, negligent care, professional misconduct, inadequate records management, and drug or alcohol abuse.
What is Professional Dental License Defense in North Carolina?
A professional license defense is necessary when one or more accusations are made which threaten your professional reputation as a dental care provider, and which could cause your dental license to be revoked or suspended. Not only can this result in the loss of your vocation as a dental professional, but some allegations may prevent you from finding new employment in the future. Even in instances where a claim of misconduct does not result in your North Carolina dental license suspended or revoked, the existence of a record of this allegation could remain on your license indefinitely.
Among some of the allegations which can result in suspension of your dental license in North Carolina are theft, fraud, drug abuse or diversion, impairment while working as a dental health professional, a positive result on a drug test, criminal charges or convictions, and sexual misconduct. Other serious allegations include neglect, breach of confidentiality, and failure to maintain accurate patient records and documentation.
It would help if you protect your reputation
Having a complaint on your history can jeopardize your future employment. Even if your claim is dismissed, the charge will always be on your record. Hiring an experienced attorney can help keep your reputation intact. Board hearings can be exhausting, and you could provide them with information that doesn’t show you in the best light. Some dentists feel like being overly honest will prove their innocence, but this can backfire. A lawyer can help protect you in the hearing by advising you of your rights. They can also let you know what information you need to provide. So, you can avoid further tarnishing your reputation.
Protect Your Reputation as a Dental Practitioner in Charlotte
If you find yourself in the position of being accused of any of the above, you should know that you have a right to representation by qualified legal counsel, and you should exercise that right. If the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners is advising you to contact them directly, by contacting them yourself and providing a premature statement you are placing yourself at undue risk. Even though you may feel that you were not in the wrong, we urge you to not make a statement until after you have contacted a dental license defense lawyer in North Carolina.
Once a complaint has been lodged against you, the best thing any dentist can do is to contact an attorney with experience and expertise in dental license defense in Charlotte immediately, before speaking to anyone. The danger of raising additional suspicions or incriminating yourself is real even if the complaint is unfounded, so it is important to protect yourself, your reputation and your career by hiring a dental license defense attorney right away.
Ideally, experienced dental license defense lawyer from Remington & Dixon should review your case before you need to speak in front of the Board. Your reputation and career are on the line, even if you feel that the allegation is meritless, and so it is vital for the protection of your interests to have a dental licensing lawyer by your side, to help you to ensure your future, and keep you advised of how the process works ahead of time. This way, you can proceed to defend yourself effectively, and with peace of mind.
Professional dental license defense is complex, so you need to ensure that you are taking the proper steps because a mistake could result in losing your dental license – take the proper precautions to ensure your future, by hiring a license defense attorney from Remington & Dixon today.
Who can file a complaint?
Many people could file a complaint against you. Most commonly, patients, coworkers, and employers file claims. However, other citizens can file complaints as well. The board is in place to protect dentists as well as the people that file these complaints. The public has a right to safety, and they are protected through board hearings.
Who Can File a Dental Misconduct Claim in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, it is mandatory for every citizen to report in certain cases, including child or elder abuse, exploitation of a disabled or elderly person, or suspicion of physical or sexual abuse. In the case of dental misconduct, however, anyone can raise a suspicion of professional misconduct, including patients, family members, co-workers, or organizations.
No matter who files the initial report, however, a simple report could theoretically begin an investigation that threatens both your reputation and your livelihood. Your level of trust is vital not only to ensure your current and future employment as a dentist, dental hygienist, or dental tech, but your patients also need to know that they are working with a trustworthy professional before they place their oral health in your hands. Once a complaint is filed, however, your employer’s faith in you may falter, and you could find yourself losing patients.
Don’t rely on your employer to rush to your defense, even against a claim that is meritless. You may think that providing your employer with a statement as soon as possible is a positive step that you can take, but those words could be used against you during any subsequent investigation. Before you speak to anyone about your case, including coworkers and your employers, get advice from a dental license defense attorney.
Take the initial steps toward preserving your dental license and your reputation as a professional. Contact Remington & Dixon today. We will advocate for you, not your employer, so if your license is in jeopardy, allow us to help you.
How can I lose my license?
The easiest way to lose your license is through a complaint. Once a claim is filed, you may have to go through a board hearing. If the board determines that the complaint is valid, it can file a disciplinary action against you. So, it can take your license if that’s what the board decides.
Another way you can lose your license is through criminal charges. If you get convicted of a crime, you could lose your license. If you are facing criminal charges, you need to contact a lawyer immediately. Generally, if you can plead out to a lesser charge or get your case thrown out, you could save your license. However, you might still have to face a hearing because you got in legal trouble in the first place. We recommend hiring an attorney the minute that you are facing a criminal charge. You need experienced legal help in this matter.
If You Have Been Accused of Dental Misconduct, What Happens Next?
Accusations of dental misconduct can be and have been, used as grounds for dismissal from your job, and they could cause your dental license to be revoked in the worst case. Due to the serious nature of these allegations, your workplace will likely want to perform an investigation before any decisions are made in regards to your job.
That is where the impartial investigators from the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners step in. Over the course of several weeks, or months, depending on the case and the severity of the accusations, they will visit the offices and homes of any and all parties involved in the complaint in order to ask questions. They will review all records and files pertaining to the persons involved and will attempt to locate incriminating evidence. They will also be looking for a history of misconduct at prior workplaces. All of these searches and interviews will be used in their determination as to whether any disciplinary action will be necessary.
The investigator or investigators assigned to your case may reach out to you directly for an interview, or they may give you an opportunity to provide a written statement directly to the Board of your misconduct claim. The investigators may seem to be a kind and professional person, who earnestly wishes to treat you fairly and settle the issue as quickly as possible.
Even in this case, the best possible decision that you can make when faced with misconduct allegations is to talk to a license defense attorney before meeting with any investigators or providing any kind of statement. You may, of course, choose to have no contact at all with the investigators, but in the case that you decline this opportunity, your case will be decided solely based upon the weight of the evidence gathered from records, files, and interviews with others. By hiring an attorney as early as possible during the investigation process, you can ensure that your side of the situation is heard and understood by the investigating team, without placing you at risk of incriminating yourself or raising further suspicions.
How a Dental Professional Could be Penalized without Charges
Before you are charged formally for any misconduct, any claim or investigation around you stands to have a negative impact on your reputation as a dental professional, and on your future career options, particularly if your allegation represents a threat to the patients who trust you. With this in mind, your dental license could be flagged by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners in order to notify potential employers of the allegations and ongoing investigation, and you may be named on their public facing website.
In certain cases, you could face some kind of disciplinary action even if you are not found to be guilty. These disciplinary actions could include probation, a public reprimand, fines, or suspension of your license.
Since the stakes here are at their highest, from the first moment that you learn that you are being accused of misconduct as a dental professional, we urge you to contact a dental license defense lawyer from Remington & Dixon in Charlotte, NC, and let us start fighting for you starting on day one.
Will the board be impartial?
It is their job to be impartial, but that doesn’t mean they are on your side. The only way to have someone in your corner is to hire an attorney. Having representation ensures that someone is watching out for your interests. You don’t want to risk losing your license when a lawyer can help improve your odds.
Get a Dental License Defense Consultation with Remington & Dixon of Charlotte, NC
By serving the state of North Carolina as a dentist, dental hygienist, dental tech, or another dentistry practitioner, you have worked hard to earn your privileges as a professional. An accusation of professional misconduct deserves to be taken seriously, and you have an imperative right to defend yourself against such accusations in order to protect your position, your reputation, and your livelihood.
By hiring a professional license defense lawyer in North Carolina, you are taking the best possible first step toward protecting yourself from a damaged reputation and diminished employment prospects in the future. An experienced license defense attorney understands the investigative processes used by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners and will work hard to protect you against these allegations.
Hire the best
Remember, not every attorney can help you in a professional license defense case. We have years of experience successfully handling professional license defense cases. If you are facing the loss of your license, contact us today. Call us to schedule your consultation.
Don’t place your future as a dental professional at risk. Contact Remington & Dixon of Charlotte, NC online or call 704-247-7110 today for a consultation with a professional license defense attorney, and discuss the facts of your case with us before you speak to anyone else.
