Dentists are not only expected to restore a tooth with a filling or diagnose a cavity, but also to provide comprehensive care. They are also expected to consider patients’ well-being, interact professionally with patients and colleagues, and honor the gravitas of the profession in everything they do. Naturally, the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Dental Medicine (SDM) expects students to exhibit professional characteristics throughout their time at the school.
Being accused of unprofessional behavior can result in failure of a course, mandatory remediation, and even suspension and expulsion in serious cases. Even the sanctions you consider least severe can tarnish your reputation in a competitive, close-knit dental community, limiting your professional options and ultimately diminishing your quality of life.
There is one prerogative for any dental student accused of unprofessionalism: Defend yourself. Better yet, let an experienced attorney from our team defend you.
Do not wait to call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to complete your consultation about our services.
What Qualifies as “Unprofessional” Conduct at the UB School of Dental Medicine?
Though the UB SDM restricts access to student handbooks and other resources containing the school’s most specific policies, we know that a dental student may be accused of unprofessional conduct for alleged:
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Academic misconduct, which can include plagiarism, cheating off peers’ work, and using artificial intelligence in an unauthorized way
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Falsification of records, which might include fabricating the records of real or hypothetical patients
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Tardiness or failures to appear, as timeliness and reliability are critical features of a dental student’s professionalism
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Communication deficits, which might include being insufficiently communicative, rude, combative, or otherwise inadequate in their communication
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Violating patient confidentiality, which is one of the most serious allegations a dental student can face
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Unsafe conduct, which may include any behavior that places patients’ or colleagues’ safety at risk
A “professional” dental student is one who is generally considered ethical, reliable, respectful, and reflective of the expectations of a successful dentist (or dental assistant). Any behavior or failure to act that falls beneath this expectation can result in formal sanctions against the accused student.
Addressing the Subjectivity That Taints Accusations of “Unprofessionalism”
The term “unprofessional” is subjective. Who is the arbiter of what conduct qualifies as unprofessional? Whose standard serves as the line between unacceptable and acceptable behavior by dental students at UB SDM?
Student handbooks are only so helpful. While the handbook can cite general categories of behaviors that are considered unprofessional, rarely do specific cases fit squarely into the archetypes portrayed by student handbooks. To illustrate how subjective allegations of unprofessionalism can be, consider hypothetical scenarios in which:
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A dental student is late to an academic activity due to a family emergency: UB SDM policies tend to have a narrow scope. They are concerned with students’ conduct in the context of their dental education, but do not always account for the day-to-day realities that students face as people. If a student is late or absent from a school-related activity due to a personal emergency, they might face an allegation of unprofessionalism—yet, they may be wholly justified in their tardiness or absence.
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A dental student is accused of providing unethical assistance to another student: A dental student might be accused of unprofessional conduct for helping another student in their academic work, even though they may have thought they were being ethical in their assistance to that fellow student.
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A student is accused of being impaired by a prescribed medication: Dental students are expected to be alert and attentive, as patients deserve as much. If a student appears impaired by a medication that they are legally prescribed, it raises questions about whether that student was unprofessional in taking the medicines per their doctor’s orders.
Rarely are issues of unprofessionalism cut-and-dry. Dental students at UB SDM can become victims of:
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Overly general descriptions of their behavior (which lack the nuance that is almost always present in behaviors coined as “unprofessional”)
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Investigators whose default view is that students are guilty of unprofessional behavior until proven innocent
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Prior history with their professors and administrators, which can introduce bias into the adjudication process
These are factors that our Student Defense Team is well aware of and takes measures to guard dental students against.
What Can Happen to a UB SDM Student Accused of Unprofessional Conduct?
The nature of an unprofessionalism allegation can dictate the potential consequences that the student faces. Some of the outcomes our Student Defense Team protects UB SDM dental students from include:
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Failing courses, which is one of the most immediate sanctions a student can face as a result of allegations of unprofessionalism
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Remediation, which can consist of the mandatory re-taking of academic work
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A formal reprimand, which can be a glaring blemish on a student’s record that affects their academic and professional opportunities
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Suspension, which is generally reserved for egregious or repeated instances of unprofessional conduct
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Expulsion, which is a devastating outcome, is most common when students are accused of severe or repeated instances of unprofessional conduct
When we accept your case, we will promptly assess the potential consequences you may face.
How a Representative from Our Student Defense Team Can Benefit You in the Aftermath of an Unprofessionalism Allegation
Dental students tend to be serious students. We are sure you have every intention of completing your education and pursuing a fulfilling career in the dental industry, but a mere allegation of unprofessionalism can derail those plans in an instant.
The LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team advocates for UB SDM students by:
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Securing evidence and testimony that portrays the true story, rather than the story that the accusers are telling
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Working with you to create a personalized defense strategy
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Preparing you for every step of the disciplinary process
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Fighting, for the outcome you deserve
If we need to lead any necessary appeals on your behalf, we are prepared to do so. Do not wait to call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to complete your consultation and find out the next steps in crafting your defense.