The WDA believes it’s important that dentists are aware of the types of issues that lead to disciplinary actions by the Dentistry Examining Board. These DEB disciplinary orders were announced from January 2018 through March 2019:
Case 1
Dr. X was reprimanded for failure to inform patient of severe bone loss present on cone beam scan prior to any dental work being done and failure to note this bone loss in the treatment plan. Dr. X ordered to complete 12 hours of education on diagnosing with cone beam scan, 4 hours on treatment planning difficult implant cases; and pay $470.53.
Case 2
Dr. X license is limited due to irregular prescribing practices. On multiple occasions, Dr. X prescribed substances Percodon and Dilaudid for five different patients. Most prescriptions were for between 20 and 40 tablets, one patient received nine prescriptions for Dilaudid in quantities of 80 to 150 tables (also additional prescriptions for smaller quantities). Some prescriptions were not entered in the patient record nor were the patient oral conditions or services rendered. Dr. X had already been reprimanded in the State of Illinois for prescriptions issued for other than dental therapeutic purposes and in excess of the patients’ dental needs. Dr. X was ordered to review the Board’s Best Practices for Prescribing Controlled Substances Guidelines and file quarterly reports with a department monitor for one year.
Case 3
Dr. X was reprimanded for performing substandard restorations. Patient presented with multiple cavities, a soft tissue impacted lower right wisdom tooth and a partially impacted lower left wisdom tooth. After completion, patient returned three days later with irritation and swelling in which Dr. X prescribed chlorhexidine rinse and MI paste and recommended warm salt water rinses. Patient saw another dentist who found recurrent caries on #30 and #31 and the restoration on #31 defective. Second dentist removed existing restorations and completed composite resin restorations again. Dr. X was ordered to complete six hours of education on operative dentistry and pay $534.
Case 4
Dr. X’s license has been limited and must meet with a professional mentor for the next 18 months and provide six satisfactory quarterly reports to the Board. Dr. X was reprimanded for poor endodontic preparation and fill technique, not taking radiographs of the tooth prior to endodontic treatment, failed to meet minimum standard of care by not taking sufficient radiographs on regular intervals, and substandard documentation of procedures that lacked necessary detail, critical diagnostic and procedural information. Dr. X must also complete four hours of education on radiography in pediatric dentistry, four hours of patient health care record-keeping, eight hours of treatment planning, and 12 hours of endodontics with at least six of those hours being hands-on; and pay $2,516.02.
Case 5
Dr. X has been reprimanded for failing to timely diagnose decay on a tooth that resulted in deterioration and needed to be extracted. Patient presented to the office on three separate occasions in which Dr. X failed to diagnose caries from radiographs and clinical exams. Dr. X must complete eight hours of education on diagnosis and treatment planning, eight hours on radiographic evaluation and interpretation and eight hours of risk management; and pay $375.03.
Case 6
Dr. X has permanently surrendered his license to practice dentistry after multiple complaints arose regarding providing care below accepted minimal standards to pediatric patients. Dr. X also failed to inform the Board of misdemeanor charges filed on two separate occasions. Dr. X was ordered to notify all current patients, in writing or email, that the practice is closing.
Case 7
Dr. X was reprimanded for not meeting the standard of care when treating a patient with a cracked tooth on #11 and pain on #12. Dr. X ordered staff to take a panoramic film and 12 periapical x-rays on same day of service, records lack specific documentation that Dr. X explained the risks and benefits of a recommended crown on #11, nor provided any alternative treatment options. Dr. X also ordered two adult prophylaxis and gingival irrigation and only documented 2-3 mm pockets and no justification for the prophylaxis and irrigation. Dr. X was ordered to complete, in person (no webinars, online or self study shall be approved) four hours of education on record-keeping and informed consent, eight hours on exposures and correct use of radiographs and eight hours of diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease, use of gingival irrigants and use of prophylaxis.
Case 8
Dr. X’s license has been limited, and then suspended for multiple reasons. Dr. X failed to diagnose an abscess on several occasions even after patient reported a foul drainage around tooth #15 where a crown was recently placed. Dr. X was ordered to complete 16 hours of education on recognizing, diagnosing, treating and prevention of oral infections. In addition to this order, Dr. X also failed to disclose to the Board a conviction and other charges pending within the required timeframe and was also unresponsive to the Board about the proceedings. Dr. X also reported on the renewal application, “no” to the question inquiring if there are any pending charges or convictions to report. Since Dr. X has not responded, the Board has suspended the license until compliance to the terms of the order, and ordered payment of $2,080.87.
Case 9
Dr. X was reprimanded for practicing below the minimal standards of care for over a 10-year time span on a patient, failing to take sufficient radiographs, taking no images of anterior teeth at all, not documenting clear evidence of decay in clinical notes, making no clinical notation of evident bone loss and calculus, no evidence of periodontal charting, not documenting a referral to a periodontist or the patient response and failing to inform the patient of existing decay. Dr. X was ordered to complete four hours of education on record-keeping, four hours on diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease and four hours on radiographs in dentistry; and pay $552.85.
Case 10
Dr. X was reprimanded for issuing at least 22 prescriptions for controlled substances to multiple patients without documenting the need for the prescriptions in the corresponding patient chart. Dr. X was ordered to complete four hours education on documentation regarding the prescribing of controlled substances and pay $1,164.00.
Case 11
Dr. X’s license has been permanently surrendered and the doctor may never petition the board for renewal due to a conviction of fraud/rendering income tax return (intentionally misreported income), as a party to a crime, which is a Class H felony.
Case 12
Dr. X was reprimanded for extracting the wrong tooth on two separate patients. To resolve the issue, Dr. X agreed to provide implants at no cost to both patients but resigned from the clinic before providing the restorative care. Dr. X was ordered to complete eight hours of education on risk management, four hours on treatment planning and four hours on interpersonal communications; and pay $750.00.
The DEB has granted full reinstatement of license with all limitations removed of 12 other dentists who completed and fulfilled their orders.
Complete summaries of DSPS decision are publicly available on the DSPS website at https://online.drl.wi.gov/orders/searchorders.aspx.
