Florida Dentists: Accused of Fraud or Misrepresentation? Hire a Lawyer!
November 1, 2017 | By Jeff Howell
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If you are a licensed dentist in the state of Florida and are found guilty of fraud or misrepresentation in the practice of medicine, you can lose your license, and with it your ability to earn a living. You can also face administrative fines of up to $10,000 for each offense, and these fines may not be covered by your liability insurance.
If you are a Florida-licensed dentist and have received an administrative complaint from the Department of Health (DOH), you are probably concerned about how this may affect your license. To set up a FREE no-obligation consultation with attorney Jeff Howell or attorney Rickey Strong, contact the law firm of Howell, Buchan & Strong, Attorneys at Law at 850-877-7776. We represent licensed dentists statewide, including out-of-state clients who are concerned about the status of their Florida license.
According to Sections 456.072(1)(a) and 466.028(1)(l), Florida Statutes, the Florida Board of Dentistry may discipline your license if you are found to have “[m]a[de] deceptive, untrue, or fraudulent representations in or related to the practice of “dentistry.”
The administrative penalties for fraud are among the most severe. According to Rule 13.005(1)(l), Florida Administrative Code, the penalty for even a single violation is a fine in the amount of $,1000 to $10,000 for each violation and a six-month probation of your license. A second offense brings anywhere between a one-year probation to six-month suspension, and fines between $1,000 and $10,000 for each violation. A third offense brings a fine between $2,500 and $10,000 for each violation and anywhere between a two-year suspension to outright revocation of your license. Your disciplinary history is a matter of public record, and will be viewable by patients and prospective employers.
However, these penalties are not set in stone. The Board of Dentistry can take into account any number of aggravating or mitigating factors to increase or lesson the penalties set down in the rules. When you have an experienced health care attorney fighting for you, you stand a much better chance of receiving the lowest possible penalty, and even of getting the complaint against you dismissed.
Contact the law firm of Howell, Buchan & Strong, Attorneys at Law at 850-877-7776 to set up your FREE no-obligation consultation with attorney Jeff Howell or attorney Rickey Strong today. DOH has experienced attorneys on its side. So should you!