“Dentist” isn't just a profession. It's a position of public trust. Whether we go in for a routine cleaning or a root canal, we want to know that our dentist knows what they're doing, that they will treat us with respect, and that they'll maintain confidentiality about our health concerns. But as a community, we also expect our dentists to set standards of ethics and professionalism, standards we expect from few others.
Dental schools like the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry (COD) understand these expectations and work hard to instill a sense of responsibility in their graduates. As a result, you can expect the school to demand the very best from you, not just academically but personally.
Of course, no one is perfect, and as a student, it's almost your job to make mistakes. It's how you learn. You'll find most faculty and administrators at OU COD understand that fact, but occasionally, you'll come across an instructor or an official who doesn't. What do you do when someone's trying to hold you accountable, not to “high” standards but rather to “unreasonable” standards?
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is here to help. If you're facing dismissal from the OU College of Dentistry, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are on your side. They know the pressures you face, and they're committed to the proposition that a mistake or even two shouldn't stand in the way of earning your degree. They know the law; they know the OU COD system, and they're ready to do what it takes to make sure you're treated fairly.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
Dental school dismissals at the OU College of Dentistry usually happen for one of two reasons: either you're struggling to meet the school's high academic expectations, or you've been accused of committing some form of professional misconduct.
- Academic Standards: Your first job as a dental student is to master the theory and practical application of dentistry. If you struggle to do that, you can find yourself assigned a remediation plan, placed on probation, or even dismissed from the program altogether. For example, should you fail the Human Structure for Dental Students course, you're automatically dismissed. Any D or F in a term means probation. An F or two Ds in a simulation lab course will result in having to repeat the year.
- Professional Misconduct: As strict as the COD's academic policy is, its policy towards ethics and professionalism is even stricter. Of course, as a university student, you're expected to abide by OU policies concerning academic integrity, general campus conduct, and sexual discrimination and harassment. As a dental student, though, you have additional responsibilities. The Student Handbook is careful to point out that it's the school's responsibility to teach you how to conduct yourself as a dentist, but it also notes that questions of the “ethics, integrity, or abilities of the student” can result in sanctions up to and including dismissal. In concrete terms, this means you must maintain honesty and integrity, strive for patient-centered care, respect others, work well within teams, demonstrate responsibility, and constantly strive for self-improvement.
Your cohort has its own Periodic Assessment Committee (PAC) that meets mid-term and after grades are released to review student progress in both academics and professionalism. The PAC has the authority to impose remediation requirements, to place students on probation, and, if necessary, to dismiss students from the program.
The Adjudication Process at the OU College of Dentistry
Knowing what your school expects from you is vital to staying out of trouble. Sometimes, though, trouble finds you despite your best efforts. When it does, you need to know how to defend yourself.
If you have been accused of violating university policy, you are entitled to an investigation and a hearing. At this hearing, you may submit evidence, call witnesses to testify on your behalf, and raise questions of witnesses against you. If you are cleared of charges, you may very likely avoid further scrutiny from the PAC.
Unfortunately, there are no mechanisms at the OU College of Dentistry for challenging an academic sanction or an allegation of professional misconduct directly, before the PAC has dismissed you.
You can appeal the PAC's decisions, and if your appeal is granted, you are entitled to make your case in a full hearing. However, the only grounds for appealing a PAC decision are that the decision was made capriciously or that it was based on some form of prejudice. In addition, the burden of proof in these appeals lies with you.
This is a high bar to reach, and you don't want to try and develop your case on your own. Luckily, you're entitled to select an advisor, someone to help you prepare your case and to accompany you to all meetings and proceedings. This advisor can be an attorney.
The Student Defense Team attorneys at the Lento Law Firm have the background and experience to help you develop a defense strategy. In addition, they can work with you to collect evidence and draft documents. While they cannot speak for you during proceedings, they can coach you in presenting your case and can sit beside you during proceedings and offer advice.
Fighting for Your Future
Make no mistake: if you're facing dismissal, everything is on the line. You've worked for many years to get to this point. You earned an undergraduate degree; you spent hours studying for the Dental Admissions Test; you filled out applications, convinced referees to write on your behalf, and sat through difficult interviews. You've also put in the work since you were admitted to dental school: long hours of studying and even longer hours of clinical work. Expulsion means all of that work comes to nothing. It means trying to find an entirely new career. It means having to pay back any student loans you've accumulated without a dental degree to help you do it.
You don't want to go into this situation alone. Not only is everything at stake, but if your school is considering dismissal, it's already actively working against you. You need someone who's on your side, who has your best interests at heart, and who is willing to fight for those interests. You want an attorney from the Lento Law Firm.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team was built to help students. The Lento Law Firm Team knows the law as it applies to education. They also know how campus judicial systems work. They're highly experienced with all aspects of investigation, adjudication, and appeals processes and have helped hundreds of students just like you get the justice they deserve.
If you're facing disciplinary action, don't wait to see what might happen. Find out exactly what the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can do for you. Contact the firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
