When you think of a “mountaineer,” you don’t typically think of a well-coiffed, tie-wearing, punctual dentist speaking calmly to patients about their six cavities. Yet, any student attending the West Virginia University School of Dentistry (WVU SOD) is expected to conduct themselves like a dentist, rather than someone who can trap and skin their own meal.
In fact, the expectations of professional conduct at WVU SOD are stringent. The slightest perceived shortcoming may not only earn the attention of instructors and administrators, but could potentially jeopardize your very enrollment at the School of Dentistry. Even if you are not expelled, sanctions for alleged unprofessional conduct may affect your dentistry career for years (if not decades) to come.
You have a brief window in which to steel yourself against sanctions and the significant secondary harm they cause. That time is now. Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to learn how we will fight for you at every stage of the disciplinary process.
How WVU SOD Students Are Evaluated for Professional Conduct
The WVU SOD’s Academic and Professional Standards document establishes the expectation for “professionalism” in academic and clinical settings. Some of the demands listed in this document are:
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Dress and appearance: The School of Dentistry has a policy specifically dedicated to students’ dress and appearance. One’s hygiene, attire, and grooming practices should be in line with those of a professional dentist.
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Respectful communication: Mountaineer Dentistry students are expected to be calm, composed, respectful of their peers and instructors, and direct in their communication.
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Compliance with the law: Violating state or federal law also means violating the School of Dentistry’s professionalism standards.
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Concern for patient safety and privacy: Patient safety is everything in the dental profession. The confidentiality of patients’ conversations and records is nearly as important. Any student perceived to jeopardize patient safety or undermine patients’ right to privacy may be severely disciplined.
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Sobriety: Students are expected to be alert and unimpaired throughout their time at the West Virginia School of Dentistry.
It’s safe to say that the typical student studying dentistry at WVU has every intention of complying with these standards of conduct.
Why Any Accusation of Unprofessionalism Should Be Second-Guessed and Scrutinized
Since your professionalism has been second-guessed, it’s only fair that we scrutinize the judgment of the party (or parties) doing the second-guessing. Whenever a student is accused of unprofessionalism, we consider:
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Whether the accuser may have bias—conscious or not—that may contribute to the accusation
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If the accusation arose from an honest misunderstanding
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Whether a reasonable person may have viewed the student’s conduct as acceptable (rather than unprofessional)
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If the accuser lacked some context that would have changed their perception of the student’s “unprofessional” conduct
Professionalism is almost always a matter of judgment. For instance, grooming and dress trends change substantially over time, and an older faculty member might misconstrue the latest trends as unprofessional.
That is just one of countless examples of how allegations of unprofessionalism can be merely a matter of opinion.
An Allegation of Unprofessionalism May Be Quickly Followed by a High-Stakes Adjudication Process
The School of Dentistry’s policy on Academic and Professional Standards suggests that professionalism concerns can be addressed in several ways. If the issue is considered serious or is not rectified through informal means, the student may face the following adjudication process:
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A party identifies a professionalism concern: WVU SOD students face intense scrutiny from all angles, as course directors, clinical supervisors, administrators, and other WVU faculty may lodge a professionalism complaint.
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The party who observes the behavior may attempt to resolve the matter with the student: It may be up to that faculty member’s discretion whether the student can, or should, be given the opportunity to rectify the perceived unprofessionalism without formal intervention.
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The case may be referred to the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards (CAPS): Such a referral means that the formal adjudication process has begun, and the student is at imminent risk of suffering an adverse outcome. Such a referral is more likely if the reporting party considers the unprofessional conduct to be serious, repeated, or in defiance of the observer’s instruction for rectifying the conduct.
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CAPS completes a professional review: The Committee should get the student’s perspective on the alleged unprofessional contact. It will also speak with the complainant, evaluate the student’s behavioral history, and take any other investigative measures it deems necessary.
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CAPS will make a determination: It may determine that the student did not violate any WVU SOD policies, dismissing the matter. Conversely, CAPS could find that the student did violate SOD policies and hand down sanctions.
Should CAPS rule that you committed a professionalism-related infraction, you should exercise your right to appeal. Your representative from our Student Defense Team can lead the appeals process for you, as a punctual, comprehensive appeal is the last line of defense against unfair or overzealous discipline.
Sanctions (and Other Harm) That Can Result If You Don’t Wage an All-Out Defense
The Committee on Academic and Professional Standards and other adjudicative bodies can issue several potential sanctions against a student it determines has committed a professionalism infraction, including:
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Counseling
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A formal warning
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Probation, which may require the student to complete a Professional Improvement Plan (PIP)
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Loss of privileges, which may delay one’s graduation and reflect on their transcript
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Course failure
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Suspension
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Dismissal
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Withholding of a degree
Yes, these potential sanctions vary in their severity. No, you should not assume that decision-makers responsible for your case will give you a slap on the wrist.
Even if you received a disciplinary decision you did not consider to be severe—probation or temporary loss of privileges, for example—you may be underestimating how damaging any collegiate discipline can be.
Sanctions you suffer at WVU may be immediately harmful, but it’s the effect on your dentistry career that you should be most cognizant of. Our Student Defense Team fights passionately for students, knowing that sanctions could affect them for the remainder of their professional lives.
Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team Today
Don’t wait to speak with us, as we will immediately start building your defense. Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online now.