If you've been at the Virginia Commonwealth School of Dentistry for more than a minute, you've had time to realize that the school holds you to the very highest standards, both as a student and as a pre-professional. The fact is, dentists aren't just experts in oral health. They're expected to uphold ethical standards, serve the public good, and develop into strong community leaders. Virginia Commonwealth takes seriously its responsibility to graduate the very best dentists.
You want your dental school to have high standards. The more rigorous a school's requirements, the more impressive its reputation and the more prestigious your degree. Beyond this practical advantage, a difficult program means once you graduate, you'll be able to trust your own skills implicitly.
There's a fine line, though, between “rigorous” and “impossible.” It does sometimes happen that a professor decides to present students with unreasonable tasks or that an administrator sets school standards that no student can possibly reach. What do you do if you run into people like this? How do you protect yourself?
If you're facing dismissal—or any other academic or disciplinary sanction—at Virginia Commonwealth, you need to know that the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is here for you. How is a lawyer supposed to help you get through graduate school? It turns out success in dental school can often be as much about learning to navigate bureaucracy as it is about acing exams and impressing your clinical supervisors. No one understands bureaucracy better than attorneys. And no attorneys understand educational bureaucracy better than the Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
First things first: just what is it that can get you dismissed from dental school? For the most part, dismissals at Virginia Commonwealth SOD happen for one of two reasons: either you're struggling to meet academic expectations, or you've been accused of some form of misconduct. Unfortunately, the school doesn't publish its rules and procedures online. Here's what you can expect generally, though.
- Academics: As a dental student, you're expected to excel in your coursework and to master the practical application of dentistry. Just as you did in college, you have instructors and supervisors who will evaluate your work and give you a sense of your academic progress in particular subjects. In addition, a student progress committee evaluates your overall progress at the end of each term, taking all of your grades into account. Should you fall behind or fail a course, this committee will usually design a Remediation program to help get you back on track. However, should you continue to struggle, this committee also has the power to assign academic sanctions up to and including dismissal.
- Misconduct: In most cases, misconduct can get you dismissed far faster than academic deficiencies can. Of course, like any other university student, you're expected to abide by the Student Code of Conduct, follow the guidelines for academic integrity, and adhere to federal Title IX rules concerning sexual misconduct. In addition, the SOD requires you to develop ethical and professional standards, and any lapse can lead to dismissal. For example, you're expected to treat all patients with respect and to communicate effectively with other members of your team. As with academics, most progress decisions related to misconduct are in the hands of the student progress committee.
The Adjudication Process
Knowing what can get you dismissed is a good start, but you also need to know how to go about defending yourself. That can depend on the specific nature of the charges against you.
- Misconduct Allegations: Typically, you have the right to an investigation and a full hearing any time anyone makes a misconduct allegation against you. If you've been accused of violating university policy, you'll likely face a university hearing before a panel made up of general faculty and administrators. If the allegation concerns sexual misconduct, a Title IX hearing officer will decide your fate. If you're facing charges of professional misconduct, the dental school's student progress committee will hear your case.
In any event, you should have the chance to lay out your full defense. That includes submitting evidence, calling witnesses, and raising questions of witnesses against you.
- Academic Deficiencies: Academic dismissals can sometimes be harder to fight than misconduct dismissals. That's because academic deficiencies aren't usually subject to discussion. Either you've passed the necessary courses, or you haven't. As a result, student progress committees don't usually conduct investigations or hold hearings. Instead, they review your records and make their decisions in closed-door sessions. However, you should have an opportunity to appeal the progress committee's decisions. If, for instance, you can point to an extenuating circumstance as the reason for your deficiency or you feel you've been mistreated during the evaluation process, you can petition the dean of the school to set aside your dismissal and give you more time to improve.
Whatever the specifics of your situation, you can count on the Student Defense Team attorneys at the Lento Law Firm to help you develop and implement a plan for keeping you in school. Beyond any other services they may render, they can ensure that you are treated fairly and that Virginia Commonwealth affords you all the rights to which you are entitled.
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 Team.
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 can do for you. Contact the firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
