Dental school is a competitive graduate school setting. Students are expected to uphold specific values and standards of conduct. For instance, at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee, students are expected to not only collaborate with the other students but to learn how to address the oral health needs of their communities and the world beyond Nashville, as well as excel in research and teaching. There is also the added pressure of ensuring you progress through the program on an appropriate timetable. Dental schools determine the longest amount of time a student should be allowed to pursue their degree, and if a student fails to perform accordingly, they face potentially being dismissed.
With such high expectations and pressure, it's no wonder some students crumble. If you or someone you love has experienced a harder than necessary time in dental school, whether they've been accused of academic misconduct, cannot pass their remediation, or are undergoing some other issue, an attorney-advisor can help. Call Lento Law Firm today to schedule a consultation.
Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry Code of Conduct
At Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry, students are expected to abide by a particular code of conduct, which includes academic and professional responsibilities, such as:
- Upholding the standards of the dental profession with ethical behavior and professional behavior.
- Refraining from stealing or misappropriating funds.
- Abstaining from using the college's facilities without permission.
- Not providing proper patient care or failing to obtain signed informed consent before providing a service to a patient.
Among these policies, students are instructed to abstain from academic misconduct. Every school in the country has a specific definition for academic misconduct, but generally, it means cheating or using information without permission during an exam, assignment, or course. At Meharry, academic misconduct is defined as the following:
- Cheating: copying someone else's exam or assignment or using materials while taking an exam or doing an assignment without the express permission of the professor
- Helping others cheat on an exam or assignment
- Submitting an assignment for multiple courses without permission
- Plagiarism: using someone else's work or thoughts as if they were your own on an exam or other assignment
When a student is caught violating the code of conduct, they run the risk of being dismissed early from the program. If you have been accused of academic misconduct, it is important to work with an attorney-advisor who can ensure you do not suffer any unnecessary consequences and are able to continue with your dream of becoming a dental professional.
Remediation at Meharry College School of Dentistry
At the end of every semester or academic year, student progress is reviewed by the faculty and staff. If they determine that a student has not progressed through the semester or year appropriately, maybe their grades were lower than the requirements or they did not perform well in their clinicals, the college will refer the student to remediation.
Remediation allows a student the ability to retake a course or exam in order to achieve the required grade. Students have a particular amount of time to achieve remediation, and if they are unable to, they may be referred for dismissal.
If you are given the opportunity to remediate a course or exam and are still unable to pass, or if Meharry College does not offer you the option to remediate, it is important to remember that an attorney-advisor can help.
Dismissal Proceedings at Meharry College School of Dentistry
Graduate programs across the country have dismissal proceedings for when a student has violated the code of conduct or failed to progress through the program appropriately. Once a recommendation for dismissal is made, the Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs will notify the Student Affairs office within one working day. The Dean will then notify the student in person and in writing within three days and ask them to sign a letter that states they were notified.
If a student objects to the dismissal, they can petition the Dean for a review of the issue. The petition is heard by an Academic Appeals Committee, and they will have three days to make a decision.
The student's appeal must be in writing and include the following:
- A description of the action they would like the Academic Appeals Committee to consider.
- Their justification for the appeal. Make sure to fully describe it and provide supporting evidence.
The appeal must be made within five business days from the date of the original recommendation for dismissal being made. The Academic Appeals Committee will review the recommendation and the student's appeal and decide whether to uphold the decision, strike it, or modify it in some way. This decision is final and cannot be appealed further. It should be noted that students who are dismissed can only appeal to be readmitted to repeat that year of academics.
How an Attorney-Advisor Can Help
Getting into dental school can seem like a dream come true, but sometimes prospective dentists bite off more than they can chew and underestimate how difficult their graduate program will be. Some students are unable to uphold the code of conduct or Meharry College's high standards, and when that happens, they may be subject to a dismissal proceeding. If you or someone you love has been accused of academic misconduct, refused remediation, found you were unable to pass remediation, or have been referred for dismissal for some other reason, Attorney Joseph D. Lento and Lento Law Firm can help.
Attorney Lento has spent years helping students navigate the complex issues that could pop up in dental school. He will ensure you the best possible outcome for your case. Call our offices today at 888-535-3686 to schedule a consultation or visit us online.
