Getting into dental school is an enormous accomplishment, one you can be proud of. It doesn't guarantee you a degree, though. For that, you're going to have to put in three years of hard work. How hard? Not everyone makes it to the end. Plenty of students drop out. Plenty of students wind up dismissed from their program.
What do you do to keep yourself on track? How do you deal with problems, and how do you respond if you find yourself threatened with dismissal?
- First, you make sure you know all there is to know about how the UPR Dental School of Medicine operates. What's expected of you, and just what is it that can get you dismissed?
- Next, you learn how to defend yourself. Your school can't just dismiss you without affording you due process. How does the judicial system work, and how can you use it to protect yourself.
- Last but certainly least, you get help. You don't have to just accept dismissal, but it's no easy task taking on a dental school. You need someone on your side with the background and experience to protect your rights, someone with experience helping students get the justice they deserve. You need an attorney from the Lento Law Firm.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
Education is a game. That's true of dental school the same way it is of earning an undergraduate degree or, for that matter, getting through high school. If you're going to win the game, you've got to know the rules. Dental school dismissals usually happen for one of two reasons. Either you're failing to meet academic standards, or you've violated some disciplinary policy.
- Academic Standards: Every class you take now is essential to your career, and the School of Dental Medicine doesn't just expect you to do well; it requires you to do well. According to the UPR Medical Sciences Catalog, you don't graduate with a GPA lower than 2.5. In addition, you must earn at least a C in all coursework. Finally, you must also master all the elements of clinical rotations, learning how to work as part of a team and how to treat your patients with care and respect. If you can't keep up with the curriculum, you can be asked to complete a remediation program. This can put you behind in your timeline and separate you from your cohort. If remediation isn't enough, though, you can also face academic probation, suspension, and, ultimately, dismissal.
- Misconduct: Dental students are sometimes surprised to learn that their conduct can get them dismissed far faster than any academic weaknesses. Being a dentist is a professional position, and success demands you earn the trust of your patients and your community. That means there is no room for personal or professional failings. Like any Medical Sciences student, you're subject to the school's code of conduct, the academic integrity policy, and the Title IX sexual misconduct policy—all described in the School Catalog. You're also expected to maintain the highest ethical and professional standards in terms of how you treat others in the workplace and how your deal with patients. Finally, you should keep in mind that as part of these policies, your personal life can get you into trouble. The Code of Conduct, for example, bars you from violating any local, territorial, or federal laws. A DUI or a domestic abuse complaint can be enough to get you dismissed from the program.
A student promotion committee will likely review your academic progress at the end of every semester and evaluate any allegations of misconduct. It has the power to assign a remediation program or to issue sanctions up to and including dismissal.
The Adjudication Process at the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine
Just because someone has mentioned the prospect of dismissal doesn't mean your dental career is necessarily doomed. You have the right to due process. The School of Dental Medicine must allow you to defend yourself from any and all charges. How you defend yourself will depend on the specific nature of the charges.
- If you're facing misconduct charges of any kind—disciplinary, academic, sexual, or professional, you'll likely have a chance to respond to those charges. You can offer your side of the story, submit evidence, and perhaps even call witnesses to testify on your behalf. As you might expect, the Student Defense Team from the Lento Law Firm can play a crucial role in this process, from helping you develop your defense strategy to working with you to collect evidence.
- Academic issues can be trickier to defend against. You can't, for instance, debate whether or not you passed a course. However, you can debate whether your instructor judged you fairly. That is, maybe you should have passed the course, even if you didn't. Extenuating circumstances can also be a factor in avoiding dismissal. Most often, academic appeals don't require a full investigation and hearing. Instead, you file paperwork, including a statement of your situation and any documentary evidence to back your claims. An attorney from the Lento Law Firm can be just as important in these situations. They are experienced at coming up with arguments and drafting written documents. They know what committees look for in these documents and how to make you look your best on paper.
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 can do for you. Contact the firm today at 888-535-3686, or use our automated online form.
