If there was ever a time to embrace the “Fight! Fight! Fight!” lyric in the “Sons of Westwood,” it’s in the face of an unprofessionalism allegation. Students at UCLA School of Dentistry (UCLA SOD) face a winding adjudication process with stakes that could not be any higher.
Even if you consider the allegation(s) leveled against you to be frivolous, you must recognize that UCLA may view the matter with the utmost seriousness. You may realistically face a range of sanctions—from a formal reprimand to expulsion—that could dash many of your professional goals before you have a chance to achieve them.
The definition of the term “professionalism” is fluid, as one person’s definition of unprofessional conduct may be drastically different from another’s. When you’re defending yourself from an unprofessionalism allegation, then, you need a team that deals solely in facts and evidence.
Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online. Let’s discuss why we are the firm to rely on when your career in blue and gold becomes threatened with a reputational black eye.
Why You Might Be Accused of Unprofessional Conduct at UCLA
Movers and shakers in white-collar professions, such as dentistry, place a premium on professionalism. A dentist’s conduct and reputation in the workplace and out can dictate whether patients and employers trust them—what else could be more critical to the trajectory of your career than trust from patients and employers?
The emphasis on professionalism starts during your collegiate dentistry training, and students at UCLA SOD are expected to:
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Be respectful in all interpersonal interactions
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Honor confidentiality expectations, including when it comes to patient records and conversations
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Be on time
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Never cause harm to patients
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Follow their instructors’ commands
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Maintain a professional appearance
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Adhere to the highest safety standards
Exercise good judgment, common sense, and integrity in every aspect of their dentistry work
If a professor, administrator, or even fellow student decides that you’re deficient in one or more of these categories, they may file a formal accusation of unprofessionalism.
You Might Also Be Accused Because of an Accuser’s Bias or Misinterpretation of Events
Not all allegations of unprofessionalism are accurate, fair, or as they seem. Because the very term “professionalism” is defined by the eye of the person alleging unprofessionalism, you may be vulnerable to:
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Allegations from a professor, peer, or administrator who has animus towards you
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Miscommunications or misunderstandings that leave a false impression of unprofessionalism
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Exaggerated claims
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Inconsistent professionalism standards (one professor may be far more stringent than another, which can set a student up for failure)
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Other hazards that lead to you being unfairly accused of misconduct
Regardless of the origins of the unprofessionalism allegation you face, we will insist upon a fair, bias-free adjudication process.
The Allegation Is Just the First Domino to Fall. Here Are the Steps That Follow the Accusation.
Many types of alleged unprofessionalism are serious matters, as they cast doubt upon a student’s very fitness to practice dentistry. They might involve patient safety, dynamics with peers and professors, and other issues that call your character and trustworthiness into question. It should be no surprise, then, that an allegation of unprofessionalism may immediately thrust you into UCLA’s Student Conduct Procedures.
The standard protocol for resolving allegations of misconduct (possibly including alleged unprofessional conduct) is:
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The initial review: The Dean of Students reviews the initial allegation(s) against the accused student. The Dean will either find sufficient evidence to proceed (in which case they will notify the accused student) or find insufficient evidence of wrongdoing and dismiss the matter.
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A meeting with the Dean of Students (or their designee): If the disciplinary matter proceeds, you will have the chance to meet with the Dean and “resolve the matter.” Keep in mind that, if you do not actively participate in the disciplinary process, the Dean can resolve the matter unilaterally—an important reason to retain the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team immediately after receiving notice of an accusation.
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A resolution by the Dean: After meeting with the student (or in lieu of a meeting with the student), the Dean may issue a letter of admonition (essentially a warning), impose sanctions, impart amnesty, close the matter without action, reach an Agreement Resolution with the student, or refer the case to the Student Conduct Committee.
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A Hearing with the Student Conduct Committee: The Student Conduct Committee oversees hearings for certain disciplinary cases. After hearing both sides’ cases, the Committee will provide its findings and recommendations to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students or their designee will make a decision, taking into account the report from the Student Conduct Committee. School literature notes that, if the Student Conduct Committee finds insufficient evidence to impose sanctions, the Dean will generally not sanction the accused student.
This process is dynamic. You might encounter different procedures based on the Dean’s initial review, their decision about how to (or whether to) resolve your case informally, and their choice in whether to refer your case to the Student Conduct Committee.
Let a similarly dynamic team guide you through every twist and turn in the disciplinary process. Speak with our Student Defense Team right away so we can prepare and protect you immediately.
Appeal or Not to Appeal? In Many Cases, There’s No Question
Whether or not your case reaches the Student Conduct Committee, the Dean of Students (or their assigned party) ultimately decides whether to sanction you.
You have the right to appeal both unilateral sanctions imposed by the Dean and sanctions imposed following a student conduct hearing. When you have suffered an outcome that would cause you reputational harm (and the life-changing impacts such harm can precipitate), appealing is a no-brainer.
Add our Student Defense Team’s extensive record of successfully appealing to the list of reasons to hire us for your defense.
A Career to Lose: What’s on the Line When You’re Accused of Unprofessional Conduct
A seemingly minor disciplinary sanction can become an albatross that drags down an otherwise promising career in dentistry. Remember, now is the time to Fight! Fight! Fight! like only a proud Bruin can—and that means retaining the firm known for making students’ fights our own.
Nobody advocates more passionately for dentistry students’ rights and futures than we do. Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online.