North State Law helps North Carolina Dentists Protect Their License When They Have Received a Complaint, Facing Investigation or Facing Disciplinary Action from the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners.
When a North Carolina dentist faces an investigation, license suspension, or revocation, it can be worrisome and stressful. In a profession where your license to practice and your reputation are your livelihood, everything you have worked for and your ability to provide care are in jeopardy. A North Carolina dental license defense lawyer can navigate the complexities of your case with a focus on protecting your ability to practice dentistry.
You have worked too hard to face this situation alone. North State Law helps North Carolina dentists protect their licenses against complaints, investigations, and disciplinary action from the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners.
Nick Dowgul of North State Law has experience in representing professionally licensed individuals in front of North Carolina Licensing Boards. As a licensed professional himself, he has a passion for helping clients protect what they have worked so hard to obtain. When facing disciplinary actions, investigations, suspension, or revocation, you have the right to hire an attorney who can work to protect your license and livelihood.
In any legal matter, an attorney’s job is to zealously represent their client’s interests. In this situation, hiring an experienced dental license defense lawyer can provide you with an advocate who has experience in dealing with licensing boards in North Carolina.
A North Carolina dental license defense attorney understands the administrative process, and they can use that knowledge to defend your license in front of the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners.
This process can quickly become confusing and overwhelming to those unfamiliar with the administrative procedures associated with defending a professional license. If you’re trying to defend yourself with no experience, that can prove disastrous. Your defense can easily fail due to clerical mistakes or missed deadlines.
Ultimately, hiring an experienced lawyer helps you because you have someone on your side looking out for you and working as hard as you are to protect your license. This support can be particularly important when dealing with a Medical License, Medical Board, Nurse Practitioner License, or Nurse License matter.
North Carolina Dental Hygienists are supervised and regulated by the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners, the very same authority that controls the licensing for dentists.
The regulations and requirements for obtaining a dental hygienist’s license in North Carolina, along with other pertinent topics, are outlined in the North Carolina General Statute Chapter 90, Article 16, also known as the Dental Hygiene Act.
If you are a Dental Hygienist in North Carolina who is dealing with licensing challenges, we at North State Law encourage you to reach out to us to obtain some peace of mind about your licensing situation.
As with any legal issues, it is generally ideal to hire an attorney as soon as possible.
Being hired early in the process allows the attorney to launch their own investigation into the claims. It also enables them to better prepare their client for all the events in the process, such as hearings. In a hearing, the client will have to answer questions from the state licensing board. North State Law knows how to prepare our clients for this type of situation, including matters involving a Pharmacist License, Physical Therapy License, Occupational Therapist License, Nursing Home Admin License, Chiropractic License, Veterinarian License, or CPA License.
Additionally, hiring an attorney earlier gives you more time to build a defense against the allegations. Naturally, the more time you give your attorney to prepare your defense, the more detailed and defined it can be when presented to the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners.
The North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners may decide to revoke, suspend or launch an investigation for many reasons. The following are the most common we see in North Carolina at North State Law:
In a situation where your career and financial means are in jeopardy, you need to contact an experienced North Carolina dental license defense lawyer as soon as you can. You’re going to need someone on your side who has experience in administrative legal settings.
In the hours and days right after you receive the notification, you will have many questions that need answers. While this site and others provide some excellent information, you must understand that your situation is unique. When speaking with a lawyer, you must give them as much information as possible so they can inform you of your options.
Consulting a lawyer can allow you to assess the situation and better understand it. While this will not make the complaint or investigation go away, you can gain a more precise idea of how the process works and how the lawyer can help you. This may be especially useful when facing Real Estate Commission License Defense, an Insurance License matter, Legal License concerns, an Engineer License issue, or Engineers & Land Surveyors License Defense.
As of August 2026, North Carolina had 8,143 licensed dentists. From January through October 2024, the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners received 436 complaints. It also reported 11 license suspensions and four revocations or permanent surrenders. When someone files a complaint with the Board, which is headquartered at 2000 Perimeter Park in Morrisville, it can initiate an investigation.
The outcome of an investigation can lead to a dentist losing their license and suffering reputational harm through local news reporting. In March 2025, WRAL reported that the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners denied one dentist’s request to regain his dental license. The license had been suspended for 10 years after the Board found that he over-sedated a 63-year-old patient, who went into cardiac arrest and later died.
A complaint in North Carolina made against a dentist can lead to an investigation and potential disciplinary action against their license. The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners follows an established process for reviewing allegations and determining whether a dentist violated state laws or standards:
A formal complaint can come from any number of parties, from patients to employees to other healthcare workers. When the Board receives a written complaint, its members generally notify the dentist of the allegations and request a response.
The Board does not investigate fee disputes, complaints about rude behavior, or scheduling issues. The dentist can reply to the Board, providing information and records as needed. Similar licensing guidance may also be relevant to a General Contractor License, GC License Application Assistance, GC Intermediate/Unlimited License Assistance, GC Business Formation Service, or Landscape Contractor License matter.
The Board can assign an investigator to gather additional information about the allegations. This can include interviewing the dentist and complainant, speaking with witnesses, and obtaining patient records or other documentation. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-27, the Board has authority to subpoena witnesses and documents as part of its proceedings.
Some cases may proceed to a conference, where the dentist has an opportunity to address the Board’s concerns before formal disciplinary proceedings occur. A matter may be resolved through a consent order or another voluntary agreement.
These agreements can impose conditions, restrictions, discipline, or other requirements on a dentist’s license. An attorney can negotiate with the Board and advocate for terms that minimize the impact on the dentist’s ability to practice.
When the Board determines that formal disciplinary proceedings are warranted, a dentist has the right to contest the allegations at a hearing. North Carolina dental disciplinary proceedings are governed in part by the North Carolina Administrative Procedure Act under Chapter 150B.
The dentist can:
After considering the evidence and testimony, the Board determines whether disciplinary action against the dentist’s license is appropriate.
The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners can impose different disciplinary actions based on the nature and severity of a violation:
Whether you reside in Five Points, NoDa, Ardmore, or elsewhere in the state, an investigation by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners can quickly jeopardize your reputation and ability to practice dentistry. When you hire a dental license defense lawyer from North State Law, you gain unwavering support from a legal team that understands how complex dental license cases are managed and which dental license laws could apply to your defense.
Our North Carolina dental license defense attorney founded this firm in 2019 to focus on helping dentists, doctors, engineers, and other licensed individuals in the state protect their reputation and livelihood. His exceptional support and advocacy for clients have earned him recognition as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers and a 2025 recognition as an Elite Lawyer.* The firm also assists licensed professionals with matters involving Child Care Licensing, NC Administrative Law, HVAC License Application Assistance, or Massage Therapy License Defense.
What can cause a dentist to lose their license in North Carolina depends on the nature of the accusations and the actions the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners decides to take. Forms of professional misconduct that can potentially result in the suspension or revocation of a dentist’s license include serious issues involving:
When a complaint is filed against a dentist in North Carolina, the State Board of Dental Examiners may review the allegations before deciding whether to investigate the matter. During that process, they may request a response from the dentist and conduct independent fact-finding to further understand the validity of the accusations. Depending on their findings, the Board may close the matter with no further steps or pursue disciplinary action.
Yes. The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners can suspend a dental license for violations of state dental laws and professional standards. Grounds for disciplinary action can include:
The Board can also issue a reprimand or even revoke a license, making legal support crucial from the onset of an investigation.
After receiving notice of a Board investigation, a dentist should carefully review the allegations, preserve relevant patient and practice records, and identify all applicable response deadlines. Dentists should also avoid submitting statements or documents without understanding how the information could affect the investigation. Legal support can have a crucial role in guiding the case to a favorable outcome.
If you have received a complaint, face an investigation, or are at risk of disciplinary action from the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners, contact Nick Dowgul of North State Law to discuss your situation.
*Awards and recognition are not a guarantee of future outcomes. Criteria vary by organization.
North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners
Website
Physical + Mailing Address:
2000 Perimeter Park Dr., Suite 160
Morrisville, NC 27560
Phone Number(919) 521-8810
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