Midwestern University's College of Dental Medicine–Arizona gives students the opportunity to pursue a rigorous and rewarding dental education program in a special environment. Midwestern University's Glendale campus lies just northwest of Phoenix, surrounded by natural beauty, in a vibrant and growing metropolitan area. The College of Dental Medicine–Arizona structures its classroom and clinical curriculum to meet all American Dental Association and Commission on Dental Education standards. CDMA thus assures that graduates enter dentistry prepared for safe, competent, high-quality practice.
Yet those same standards present College of Dental Medicine–Arizona students with substantial challenges. Dental education, like other medical education, must be especially rigorous to ensure patient and public safety. And with its community-based clinical curriculum, CDMA takes that obligation seriously. CDMA students who do not make satisfactory academic progress or whose comportment raises professionalism concerns can face dismissal. Life happens during medical school, too, bringing illness, loss of a loved one, childbearing and rearing obligations, and other challenges that can contribute to dental student issues. Don't face those issues alone. Retain the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team if CDMA officials threaten you with dismissal. Act wisely and strategically to defend against dental school dismissal and protect your CDMA dental education.
College of Dental Medicine–Arizona Causes of Dismissal
CDMA's Academic Progression Requirements
Students at the College of Dental Medicine–Arizona and nationwide face common causes for dismissal. Those dismissal causes begin with the dental program's rigorous academics, including not just coursework and exams but also clinical evaluations. CDMA, like other federally funded schools, maintains a satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy that students must meet to maintain their federal student loans and stay in school. CDMA's SAP policy requires that you maintain at least a C grade, complete at least two-thirds of the course credits you attempt, and complete your four-year program within no more than six years. Low grades, course incompletes and withdrawals, and terms off can lead to your financial aid ineligibility and your effective dismissal from school unless prevailing in CDMA's SAP appeal process. SAP appeals require proof of extenuating circumstances and a sound recovery plan.
CDMA's Professionalism Requirements
The College of Dental Medicine–Arizona maintains a dismissal policy authorizing program expulsion for a “failure to exhibit the personal qualifications and ethical standards necessary to the practice of dentistry” or for “violation of Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona rules and regulations….” Professional standards address things like attending clinical studies while intoxicated, disrespecting patients or supervisors, skipping patient assignments, and incompetent clinical care. Misconduct can also include threats, trespass, harassment, theft, and criminal convictions reflecting dishonest or unsafe character, among many other issues. As disciplined and mature as CDMA students generally are, behavioral and professional misconduct charges can arise in a challenging dental program.
College of Dental Medicine–Arizona Adjudication Process
Informal Resolution
The College of Dental Medicine–Arizona relies on Midwestern University's Student Complaints/Grievances Procedures to adjudicate the above disciplinary issues. Procedures are important, protecting the student's right to a fair outcome. Midwestern University's procedures first offer an opportunity for informal resolution. Resist offers of voluntary resolution that result in findings on your school record of misconduct affecting your graduation and employment. Especially fight dismissal threats and proposals for your voluntary withdrawal leaving disciplinary charges unresolved.
Formal Resolution
If your matter does not resolve informally to your satisfaction, allowing you to proceed undeterred with your CDMA dental education, Midwestern University's Student Complaints/Grievances Procedures also offer formal hearing procedures. Those procedures require the dean of students to recommend a formal resolution to the college dean based on an investigation that should include witness interviews and a review of other evidence. The college dean then notifies the accused student of the outcome.
College of Dental Medicine–Arizona Appeal Process
If the dean of students recommends dismissal or other serious sanction, and CDMA's dean approves your dismissal, you may appeal that decision under Midwestern University's Student Complaints/Grievances Procedures. An appeal goes to the university president for a decision on the record that the investigation produced. Your defense case must be in that record of investigation results, or your appeal will face additional challenges.
College of Dental Medicine–Arizona Sanctions
CDMA's dean and Midwestern University's president have the authority to dismiss a student who fails to meet the college's academic or professionalism standards. But sanctions must generally be proportionate to the wrong and imposed only after fair procedures. And your strategic representation by a skilled and experienced attorney advisor may lead either to a dismissal of all charges or to an acceptable lesser sanction cast as remedial training or education. CDMA's dean or the university president may require repeated coursework, extra assignments, or restriction of privileges rather than crippling suspension or dismissal.
Attorney Advisor Services at CDMA
Don't face dismissal on your own. Your best move is to retain a skilled and experienced student defense attorney advisor to strategically and diplomatically pursue your dental school appeals and other protective procedures. Your retained attorney advisor may help you evaluate charges and form your defense to communicate and negotiate effectively with school officials for early voluntary resolution. Your retained attorney can also answer the charges, attend meetings, conferences, and hearings, research and prepare written submissions, and, if necessary, help you evaluate and pursue outside relief.
College of Dental Medicine–Arizona Special Relief
You may have another good option even if you have already exhausted all CDMA procedures and appeals but still face dismissal. National student defense attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team have earned a good reputation and developed respectful relationships at colleges and universities across the country. Attorney advisor Lento has been able, in some cases, to draw on those resources to negotiate alternative special relief through general counsel offices or other oversight channels. Exhaust every option to preserve and protect your CDMA dental education.
Premier Defense Team for Midwestern University CDMA
The Lento Law Firm Education Law Team and national student defense attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento have helped hundreds of students nationwide avoid college or university dismissal. Call 888.535.3686 or go online now to retain the premier student defense services you need at the College of Dental Medicine–Arizona.
