Upholding the Standard of Care in Dentistry
As dental professionals, we are responsible for our patients’ health and well-being. However, demanding schedules, high patient volumes, and ingrained habits can create unintended gaps in care. Dentists may go years without scrutiny—until a reported incident places every aspect of a patient’s care under review.
When a complaint is filed or an audit is triggered, the Florida Board of Dentistry and the Florida Department of Health do not limit their investigation to a single incident. They examine the patient’s entire record, evaluating documentation, treatment decisions, and adherence to professional standards. This comprehensive review can lead to far-reaching disciplinary action, as seen in the case of Dr. A.R.
Over the next six weeks, we’ll break down the case of Dr. A.R., examining the multiple violations that led to disciplinary action. Each week, we’ll take a closer look at one of these violations—what happened, why it mattered, and how it could have been avoided. But before we dive into the specifics, we need to start with the foundation of every dental practice: the minimum standard of care.
Whether you’re a new dentist finding your footing or a seasoned professional with decades of experience, these cases serve as a stark reminder: the minimum standard of care is not a goal—it is the legal baseline every practitioner must meet.
📝 Download a PDF copy of the case
Understanding the Minimum Standard of Care
Many dental professionals focus on achieving the highest standard of care, yet legally, we are only held to the minimum standard. Alarmingly, some practitioners may unknowingly fall short of even this baseline—not because they lack skill or concern, but because they don’t fully understand what the minimum standard actually entails.
In Florida, the minimum standard of care is defined as:
“The level of care, skill, and treatment that is recognized as acceptable and appropriate by reasonably prudent similar professionals practicing under the same or similar circumstances.”
This standard is not a measure of excellence—it is the bare minimum required to legally protect you and your practice. While striving for the highest standard should always be the goal, failing to meet the minimum standard puts your license, career, and patient safety at risk.
Through this blog series, my goal is to help dentists recognize potential gaps in their own practices and empower them to take proactive steps to protect themselves—and their patients.
Why This Blog Series Matters
Upholding the highest standard of care is something I strive for in my own career. I do my best to stay up to date with the laws and rules in my state, as well as the professional guidelines that shape dentistry. However, throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand how many dental professionals struggle—not because they don’t want to do the right thing, but because the standards themselves are not clearly outlined in one centralized place.
The reality is that there is no single, centralized resource that defines the standard of care in an accessible and easy to understand manner. Instead, practitioners are left trying to piece together information from multiple sources—guidelines from professional organizations, best practices shared by mentors, and their own clinical experiences—all while reading through complex, vague, and often difficult-to-interpret legal language. The laws and rules that govern dentistry don’t always provide clear, real-world guidance, leaving many professionals wondering whether their clinical decisions truly meet the required standard.
To make things more complex, the Board of Dentistry does not create these standards—it enforces them. It relies on organizations like the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and the American Dental Association (ADA) for guidance, but without a direct reference point, practitioners are left navigating gray areas with little clarity. However, I have found one place where the standards are much clearer with real-world examples.
So, where can we see the standard of care clearly defined? One of the most direct and clear sources is disciplinary cases.
Why Disciplinary Cases Matter
Disciplinary cases are one of the most valuable, yet underutilized, resources for learning in dentistry. They provide real-world examples of where things went wrong, how the violations were identified, and most importantly, what could have been done differently.
Each case outlines:
- A clear violation – What happened and why it was flagged.
- The standard that was violated – The exact rule, law, or expectation the dentist failed to meet.
- What should have been done differently – The corrective action that could have prevented the violation.
Unlike this blog, these cases do not redact sensitive information. They are a public record and include the dentist’s full name, license number, and practice address. This public exposure can be devastating for the dentist involved, but the reality is that these cases serve a much larger purpose—they allow others to learn from mistakes before making them themselves.
While it’s unfortunate that a professional is put on full display, the lessons these cases offer are invaluable. They bring clarity to gray areas, showcase how the law is applied in real-world situations, and highlight the specific actions (or inactions) that led to consequences. These cases aren’t just about punishment—they are an opportunity for every dentist to learn, reflect, and make adjustments to their own practice before they find themselves in the same situation.
You can search disciplinary cases in Florida for yourself here.
Before We Begin: Understanding the Role of the Board of Dentistry
Before we analyze the violations in Dr. A.R.’s case, it’s critical to understand the role of the Florida Board of Dentistry.
Many dentists assume the Board sets the standard of care—but that’s not entirely accurate. The Board does not create these standards; it is responsible for enforcing them. The Board’s authority comes from the Florida Department of Health, and its primary function is to protect the public by ensuring dentists practice safely and ethically. This means that when a complaint is filed, the Board is required to investigate, review patient records, and determine whether a violation has occurred.
In the next blog, we will take a deeper dive into the role of the Board of Dentistry—how it operates, how disciplinary actions are determined, and why many dentists are unaware of what actually happens when an investigation begins. Understanding this process is essential because once a case is opened, every aspect of a dentist’s practice is examined—not just the initial complaint.
The decisions made by the Board can have lasting consequences on a professional’s license, reputation, and career.
Final Thoughts
The standard of care isn’t just an abstract concept—it’s the foundation of everything we do as dental professionals. Yet, many dentists unknowingly put their careers at risk simply because they don’t have a clear understanding of what’s required of them.
By learning from real cases, we gain insight into how violations occur and, more importantly, how to prevent them. This blog series is designed to bring these lessons to light in a way that is both practical and actionable.
In the next blog, we will explore the role of the Board of Dentistry in depth—what they do, how complaints are handled, and why every dentist should be aware of how investigations unfold.
Download the PDF of the Case
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko
