The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 26 : Professions and Occupations

Chapter 012 : Dentists, Dental Therapists, Dental Hygienists, and Dental Assistants

Subchapter 002 : Board of Dental Examiners

• § 584. Unprofessional conduct

  The Board may refuse to give an examination or issue a license to practice dentistry, to practice as a dental therapist, or to practice dental hygiene or to register an applicant to be a dental assistant and may suspend or revoke any such license or registration or otherwise discipline an applicant, licensee, or registrant for unprofessional conduct. Unprofessional conduct means the following conduct and the conduct set forth in 3 V.S.A. § 129a by an applicant or person licensed or registered under this chapter:

  (1) abandonment of a patient;

  (2) rendering professional services to a patient if the dentist, dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant is intoxicated or under the influence of drugs;

  (3) promotion of the sale of drugs, devices, appliances, goods, or services provided for a patient in a manner to exploit the patient for financial gain or selling, prescribing, giving away, or administering drugs for other than legal and legitimate therapeutic purposes;

  (4) division of or agreeing to divide with any person for bringing or referring a patient the fees received for providing professional services to the patient;

  (5) willful misrepresentation in treatments;

  (6) practicing a profession regulated under this chapter with a dentist, dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant who is not legally practicing within the State or aiding or abetting such practice;

  (7) gross and deceptive overcharging for professional services on single or multiple occasions, including filing of false statements for collection of fees for which services are not rendered;

  (8) permitting one’s name, license, or registration to be used by a person, group, or corporation when not actually in charge of or responsible for the treatment given;

  (9) practicing dentistry or maintaining a dental office in a manner so as to endanger the health or safety of the public; or

  (10) holding out to the public as being specially qualified or announcing specialization in any branch of dentistry by using terms such as “specialist in” or “practice limited to” unless:

  (A) the American Dental Association has formally recognized the specialty and an appropriate certifying board for the specialty;

  (B) the dentist has met the educational requirements and standards set forth by the Commission on Dental Accreditation for the specialty; or

  (C) the dentist is a diplomate of the specialty certifying board recognized by the American Dental Association. (Added 2011, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; amended 2015, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 2016.)