California Dental License Defense Attorney
If you are dealing with a Dental Board investigation, accusation, or dentist criminal charge, you should consult an experienced dental license defense attorney as early as possible. It is easy for you or your staff to make mistakes that can inadvertently weaken your defense.
Interactions with investigators and the Dental Board of California (DBC) can be stressful and create serious risks to your license, reputation, and practice. Often counsel can help present a response that can result in a matter being closed with no accusation or license action.
Former Dental Board Prosecutor now defending you
Chudnovsky Law’s renowned team of California dental license defense lawyers includes a former Deputy Attorney General in the Department of Justice with over 20 years of experience as a prosecutor for Dental Board license investigation and enforcement cases.
Our lawyers, Gillian Friedman, Robert Weinberg, Melissa DuChene, and Suzanne Crouts have decades of experience handling thousands of dentist license defense, criminal defense, dentist DUI, and Dental Board disciplinary action cases. They specialize in representing dentists, registered dental assistants, and dental hygienists with state agencies and law enforcement.
Our Dental Board of California investigation lawyer can assist you in understanding and resolving any issue affecting your license, including:
- Dental Board of California discipline process
- DBC and Department of Consumer Affairs investigations
- Gross negligence, unprofessional conduct and incompetence accusations
- Dentist DUI and criminal convictions
- Dentist diversion program
- Dental Practice Act standard of care violations
You care for patients – Now let us take care of you
We understand the stress you’re feeling and our dental license attorney is 100% focused on protecting you and your license. We do not judge, we are only here to help.
Don’t let a mistake ruin your career. Call (844) 325-1444 to learn your legal options.
We represent dentists throughout all of California, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, Santa Barbara County, Santa Clara County, Alameda County, Sacramento County, Contra Costa County, and Ventura County.
We offer affordable fees and flexible payment plans.
About our dentist license attorneys
When your reputation and practice are at risk, your choice of attorney matters. Expert counsel from a smart, strategic attorney can help you navigate the dangerous situation you are facing and secure the best possible outcome. In dentist defense cases, there is no substitute for experience and inside knowledge of the system.
With decades of experience as a former Deputy Attorney General in the Department of Justice, pursuing dentist investigations and disciplinary actions, our team has an unparalleled understanding of Dental Board enforcement actions. We have the invaluable experience dentists need when facing high-stakes investigations and accusation proceedings.
Chudnovsky Law is rated Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers, an honor given to a select group of trial attorneys from across the country who have demonstrated exceptional qualifications in their area of law.
The firm’s dentist defense attorneys, Gillian Friedman, Robert Weinberg, Melissa DuChene, and Suzanne Crouts, have decades of experience handling thousands of cases, investigations, administrative hearings, criminal cases, and writ appeals. They are known and respected by clients, judges, and prosecutors as honest, compassionate, and highly skilled attorneys.
Our team has rare expertise in the complex intersection of licensing and criminal law for dentists and healthcare corporations. They have decades of experience representing dentists, doctors, pharmacists, and nurses in professional license defense and federal and state criminal matters.
We take a comprehensive, holistic approach to defending dentists and will employ every resource we have to secure a favorable outcome for you.
Awards and professional ratings
A dedication to client service and delivering exceptional results has made Chudnovsky Law amongst the top-rated dental license defense attorneys in California:
- 5 Star Rating by Martindale
- 5 Star Rating by Lawyers
- 5 Star Rating on Google
- 5 Star Rating on Findlaw
- 10.0 Superb Rating on Avvo
To speak with an attorney about your case and see if we are the best dental license defense attorney for you, call (844) 325-1444.
The 3 Stages in dental license defense:
Even the best dentists can get blindsided by an unexpected complaint or claim of misconduct they never expected. Dentists are easy targets for disgruntled patients or others looking to damage a reputation. It is important to understand your rights, the DBC Enforcement Program, and when to obtain legal counsel.
While some complaints such as fee disputes or unhappy clients may seem minor, they can grow into different, more serious issues. For example, a records request could reveal HIPPAA violations or deficient record keeping. It is smart treat all complaints as serious matters and respond with care.
1. Investigation or complaint
Investigations and disciplinary actions can be triggered many ways, such as:
- A complaint filed by a patient, insurance company, co-worker, or anonymous party.
- Notice of a criminal arrest or conviction.
- Disciplinary action in another state.
- Malpractice settlement disclosure.
In many cases, dentist disciplinary actions start with something innocuous – perhaps a patient’s record request or letter in the mail requesting some basic information. The communication often comes from the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Division of Investigation, not the Dental Board. Many unsuspecting dentists or their front office staff may be unaware this indicates a Dental Board investigation is underway.
Interviews/investigations are a key opportunity to show discipline is unwarranted. If the case is resolved in the investigation stage, the allegation will not be published on your public license.
Given what is at stake, it is crucial not to take an investigation lightly, no matter how confident you feel about the facts. You are dealing with skilled investigators who can cause devastating consequences in your life. Getting an investigation closed with your license and practice intact is the main goal.
Steps to take during an investigation
Depending on your situation and what is being investigated, we may take some or all of the following steps to prepare a robust defense and demonstrate to the board why disciplinary actions are not warranted:
- File the notice needed to preserve your right to defense.
- Thoroughly review the facts and all available evidence.
- Obtain any records needed.
- Analyze the laws governing the alleged misconduct.
- Develop defense arguments to refute allegations.
- Meet with the Investigator to present information to refute the allegation or minimize the severity of the alleged offense.
- Prepare you for any investigator interview with practice interviews and strategizing.
- Utilize a defense investigator to obtain any needed evidence or witnesses.
- Have an expert review relevant records.
- Obtain an expert psychological assessment and rehabilitation plan, if appropriate.
- Develop a rehabilitation plan for any chemical dependency issue.
- Identify any potential criminal liability and how that affects your defense.
According to Dental Board enforcement statistics, dental professionals typically have on average 6 months between when a complaint is made and a formal Dental Board of California accusation is filed.
Formal accusations, if filed, will be publicly posted on the Dental Board website. The objective is to move quickly to avoid a disciplinary review altogether.
2. Accusation
If the DCA investigator comes to the conclusion that sufficient evidence exists to warrant disciplinary action, they will forward the matter to the Attorney General’s Office. A Deputy Attorney General will review the investigator’s report to determine whether the legal standard has been met to file a formal Accusation.
If a formal Accusation is filed, you typically only have 15 days to respond or the board will revoke your dental license via a default decision. When you retain our law firm, we must quickly file a ‘Notice of Defense’ to begin a dual track defense:
- Negotiate: Work directly with the Attorney General’s office and your licensing agency to attempt to get the Accusation withdrawn, or negotiate the best possible terms for a Stipulated Settlement (plea agreement). If terms are reached that you agree with, a Stipulated Settlement and Disciplinary Order will be executed to resolve the matter. The order will outline the terms you will abide by in order to keep your dental license.
- Prepare for hearing: If a fair settlement isn’t possible, we will vigorously fight your case in a Hearing at the Department of Justice, Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH).
If you have received an Accusation, contact us as early as possible in the process to review your case and preserve your rights to defend yourself.
3. Administrative hearing
If your Accusation cannot be satisfactorily resolved via negotiation with the Deputy Attorney General, it will be decided via a hearing at the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). Administrative hearings are court trials held at four OAH court locations in Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, and San Diego.
The hearing will occur at OAH with an administrative Judge, your attorney, and a Deputy Attorney General from the State of California Department of Justice. The prosecution and defense will argue their cases and present evidence subject to administrative court rules of evidence. The Judge will consider the information presented and has 30 days to render a proposed decision (CA Govt Code § 11517).
Attorneys Robert Weinberg, Gillian Friedman, Melissa DuChene, and Suzanne Crouts have decades of experience defending healthcare licensees in OAH proceedings, Superior Court, and Federal courts for administrative law, licensure, and criminal law matters. They have handled thousands of cases and trials and are prepared to defend you against any allegations vigorously.
Dentist criminal and DUI defense attorney
Law enforcement investigations, arrests, and criminal charges can pose a serious risk to your dental license. Even a minor misdemeanor dentist DUI can trigger license investigations and disciplinary actions that put your reputation and practice at risk.
It is crucial that dentists hire a specialized dentist criminal defense attorney or dentist DUI lawyer that is an expert in both administrative licensing and criminal laws. Dentists have unique criminal defense needs that must be carefully balanced to achieve the best possible outcome.
Attorneys Robert K. Weinberg, Gillian Friedman, Melissa DuChene, and Suzanne Crouts are rare criminal defense lawyers for dentists with expertise in both dental license defense and criminal defense. They are adept at navigating the complex intersection of California administrative and criminal laws.
They have decades of experience defending dentists and healthcare companies dealing with every kind of criminal matter, including:
- All misdemeanor and felony offenses
- Dentist DUI, DUI drugs, felony DUI
- Prescription offenses, positive drug test results
- Drug trafficking, RICO or unlawful prescribing of controlled substances
- Health care fraud, Medicare fraud, Medicaid fraud, Medi-Cal fraud
- HIPAA violations
- Domestic violence
- Sex crimes, sexual misconduct
- State, DEA, and DOJ Federal criminal investigations
Dentist criminal charges need to be carefully resolved in a way that balances plea and other license considerations critical to protecting your dental license, your reputation and ability to practice.
The period immediately after you become aware of an investigation or criminal charge is a critical window to make every effort to get the charge dismissed or reduced.
If you are under investigation or have been arrested for any alleged criminal offense, contact us as early as possible to schedule a consultation with our physician license attorney to review your case and how to best protect your license and practice.
RELATED: The 17 Best Criminal Defense Strategies
RELATED: The 20 Best DUI Defense Strategies
Dental Board of California
The Dental Board of California (DBC) is an agency under the California Department of Consumer Affairs that licenses and regulates over 100,000 licensees, including: dentists (DDS), registered dental assistants (RDA), and registered dental assistants in extended functions (RDAEF) with the highest priority to protect the public. The DBC also regulates the duties and functions of unlicensed dental assistants.
The DBC Enforcement Program vigorously investigates complaints, allegations of substandard care, and reports of criminal activity. The DBC can revoke or suspend licenses, place licensees on probation, or otherwise discipline licensees for violations of the Dental Practice Act and other Dental Board Regulations.
Address
Dental Board of California, 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1550, Sacramento, CA 95815
(877) 729-7789 Toll free | (916) 263-2300 | (800) 344-9940 TDD
Dental Hygiene Board of California
The Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC) is an agency under the California Department of Consumer Affairs that issues, reviews, and enforces licenses for: Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), Registered Dental Hygienist Extended Functions (RDHEF), and Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP) licensees.
The DHBC’s mission is to protect the public and meet the oral hygiene needs of all Californians. The board’s other functions include: developing the Law and Ethics examinations, promulgating regulations, establishing and maintaining fees, oversight and approval of dental hygiene educational programs, and continuing education requirements for all dental hygiene licensure categories.
The DHBC Enforcement Program vigorously investigates complaints, allegations of prohibited conduct, and reports of criminal activity. The DHBC can revoke or suspend licenses, place licensees on probation, or otherwise discipline licensees for violations of DHBC laws and regulations.
Address
Dental Hygiene Board of California, 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1350, Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 263-1978
Dentist diversion program
The DBC offers a confidential, voluntary Diversion Program for licensed Dentists, Registered Dental Assistants, and Registered Dental Assistants in Extended Functions whose ability to practice may be impaired by alcohol and/or drug abuse. Deciding whether to enroll in the program is a major decision that should be carefully considered. The Diversion Program is invasive and expensive and can still end in disciplinary actions against your license.
The program offers a path of recovery without the loss of a license by providing appropriate intervention programs and treatment services as defined in BPC § 1695.
For some dentists, it can be a helpful way to achieve sobriety and refocus on living a healthy life. Other dental licensees find that the Diversion Program i inappropriate for them. If the DBC sends you a letter offering the Intervention Program, it is important to contact us to review with an experienced lawyer to understand your legal options and what is appropriate for your situation.
Resources
Client testimonials
“I can highly recommend attorney Robert Weinberg to anyone needing an expert healthcare license defense attorney. He did an outstanding job resolving a dental license matter for our family. Robert and his team really made a difference in a very stressful situation. He got the matter closed with no action taken. We cannot thank him enough!”
LEON
“Suzanne Crouts provided excellent representation in a very stressful professional license defense matter. Our case involved a disgruntled former partner filing a false allegation that triggered a high stakes Medical Board investigation. Suzanne gave us her cell phone number and was always responsive and highly effective in defending our Medical license. She was able to get the matter closed with no action taken. We highly recommend her and Chudnovsky Law for anyone needing a skilled, dedicated medical license defense attorney.”
WILLIAM
Service area
When looking for a dental license defense attorney near me, please note we represent Dental Board licensees in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, Santa Clara County, Alameda County, Sacramento County, Contra Costa County, and all of California:
Los Angeles County: Agoura Hills, Alhambra, Arcadia, Baldwin Park, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Buena Park, Burbank, Canoga Park, Carson, Cerritos, Chatsworth, Compton, Culver City, Diamond Bar, Downey, Downtown Los Angeles, El Monte, El Segundo, Encino, Gardena, Glendora, Glendale, Granada Hills, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Hollywood, Huntington Park, Inglewood, La Canada-Flintridge, La Habra, La Mirada, Lakewood, Lancaster, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Lynwood, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, North Hollywood, Northridge, Norwalk, Pacoima, Palmdale, Pasadena, Pico Rivera, Pomona, Rancho San Fernando, Redondo Beach, Reseda, Rosemead, San Dimas, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Simi Valley, South Pasadena, Sylmar, Tarzana, Thousand Oaks, Toluca Lake, Torrance, Van Nuys, Venice, Walnut, West Covina, West Hollywood, Whittier and Woodland Hills.
· · ·
Orange County: Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster and Yorba Linda.
· · ·
Riverside County: Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta, Jurupa Valley, Indio, Hemet, Perris, Palm Desert and Palm Springs. | San Bernardino County: San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Victorville, Rialto, Hesperia, Chino, Upland, Apple Valley and Redlands. | San Diego County: San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, El Cajon, Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas and National City.
· · ·
Santa Barbara County: Carpinteria, Gaviota, Goleta, Isla Vista, Lompoc, Los Olivos, Montecito, Orcutt, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Solvang, and UC Santa Barbara. | Ventura County: Camarillo, Fillmore, Simi Valley, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Thousand Oaks, and Ventura.
· · ·
Alameda County: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Union City. | Alpine County: Alpine Village. | Amador County: Ione, Jackson, Plymouth, Sutter Creek. | Butte County: Oroville, Chico, Durham, Gridley, Magalia, Oroville, Oroville East, Palermo, Paradise, South Oroville, Thermalito. | Calaveras County: Angels Camp, Arnold, Copperopolis, Rancho Calaveras, San Andreas, Valley Springs. | Colusa County: Arbuckle, Colusa, Maxwell, Williams. | Contra Costa County: Antioch, Brentwood, Concord, Danville, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek. | Del Norte County: Crescent City, Bertsch-Oceanview, Klamath. | El Dorado County: Cameron Park, Diamond Springs, El Dorado Hills, Placerville, Pollock Pines, Shingle Springs, South Lake Tahoe.
· · ·
Fresno County: Clovis, Coalinga, Fresno, Reedley, Sanger, Selma. | Glenn County: Hamilton City, Orland, Willows. | Humboldt County: Arcata, Cutten, Eureka, Fortuna, Humboldt Hill, McKinleyville, Myrtletown, Ridgewood. | Imperial County: Brawley, Calexico, Calipatria, El Centro, Imperial, Salton City. | Inyo County: Big Pine, Bishop, Lone Pine, West Bishop. | Kern County: Arvin, Bakersfield, California City, Delano, McFarland, Ridgecrest, Shafter, Taft, Tehachapi, Wasco. | Kings County: Avenal, Concoran, Hanford, Lemoore, Lemoore Station. | Lake County:Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks, Clearlake Riviera, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Lucerne, North Lakeport. | Lassen County: Janesville, Susanville, Westwood. | Madera County: Ahwahnee, Bonadelle Ranchos, Chowchilla, Coarsegold, Madera, Madera Acres, Madera Ranchos, Yosemite Lakes. | Marin County: Corte Madera, Larkspur, Marin, Mill Valley, Novato, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Sausalito. | Mariposa County: Lake Don Pedro, Mariposa, Midpines, Yosemite Valley. | Mendocino County: Brooktrails, Fort Bragg, Redwood City, Ukiah, Willits. | Merced County:Atwater, Dehli, Dos Palos, Franklin, Gustine, Livingston, Los Banos, Merced, Winton. | Modoc County: Alturas, California Pines. | Mono County: Crowley Lake, Mammoth Lakes.
· · ·
Monterey County: Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Castroville, Gonzales, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas, Seaside, Soledad. | Napa County: American Canyon, Calistoga, Napa, St Helena, Yountville. | Nevada County: Grass Valley, Lake of the Pines, Lake Wildwood, Nevada City, Truckee. | Placer County: Auburn, Granite Bay, Lincoln, Loomis, North Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville. | Plumas County: Chester, East Quincy, Portola, Quincy. | Sacramento County: Antelope, Arden-Arcade, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Fair Oaks, Florin, Folsom, Foothill Farms, Galt, North Highlands, Orangeville, Rancho Cordova, Rosemont, Sacramento, Vineyard. | San Benito County: Aromas, Hollister, Ridgemark.
· · ·
San Francisco County: Bayview, Chinatown, Japan Town, Mission District, Pacific Heights, Richmond District, San Francisco, Stonestown, Sunset District, Union Square. | San Joaquin County: Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Ripon, Stockton, Tracy. | San Luis Obispo County: Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Grover Beach, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo. | San Mateo County: Belmont, Burlingame, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, South San Francisco.
· · ·
Santa Clara County: Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale. | Santa Cruz County: Aptos, Ben Lomond, Capitola, Interlaken, Live Oak, Rio Del Mar, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel, Watsonville. | Shasta County: Anderson, Bella Vista, Cottonwood, Happy Valley, Palo Cedro, Redding, Shasta Lake. | Sierra County: Loyalton, Sierra Brooks. | Siskiyou County: Dunsmuir, Lake Shastina, Mount Shasta, Weed, Yreka. | Solano County: Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo. | Sonoma County:Healdsberg, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Windsor. | Stanislaus County: Ceres, Modesto, Oakdale, Patterson, Riverbank, Salida, Turlock. | Sutter County: Live Oak, Sutter, Yuba City. | Tehama County:Corning, Lake California, Los Molinos, Red Bluff. | Trinity County: Hayfork, Lewiston, Post Mountain, Weaverville. | Tulare County: Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, Porterville, Tulare, Woodlake, Visalia. | Tuolumne County: Jamestown, Mono Vista, Phoenix Lake, Sonora. | Yolo County: Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, Woodland. | Yuba County: Linda, Loma Rica, Marysville, Olivehurst, Plumas Lake, Wheatland.
· · ·
Written by Gillian Friedman and Suzanne Crouts.