Md. Code Regs. 10.44.31.06 - Disciplinary Guidelines

The following guidelines shall be used by the Board when sanctioning licensees and certificate holders in formal and informal actions and proceedings:

A. Abuse - Physical and Emotional.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Unnecessary or disruptive behavior which may include verbal comments, directed to a patient, resulting in minimal harm or a risk of harm	Reprimand	Suspension for up to 5 years, and probation for up to 5 years, and conditions	Reprimand to suspension and probation for up to 5 years
	(2) Physical abuse resulting in significant physical or emotional injury	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 30 days and probation for 3 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation for 3 years to revocation

B. Advertising.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
N/A	Violation of advertising laws and regulations	Reprimand	Suspension for up to 2 years, and probation for up to 2 years, and conditions	Reprimand to suspension for up to 2 years, and probation for up to 2 years

C. Criminal Convictions or Plea of Nolo Contendere.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or to a crime involving moral turpitude	Suspension for 1 year and probation for 1 year, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 1 year and probation for 1 year, to revocation
	(2) Convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a sexual offense	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 60 days, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 60 days, and probation for 5 years, to revocation

D. Disciplined by Another Licensing or Disciplinary Authority.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Conduct resulting in no physical or psychological harm	Reprimand	Reprimand and probation for up to 3 years, and conditions	Reprimand to probation for up to 3 years
	(2) Conduct resulting in financial injury	Reprimand	Revocation	Reprimand to revocation
	(3) Conduct resulting in physical or psychological harm or a risk of physical or psychological harm	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 10 days, and probation for 3 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 3 years, at least 10 days without stay, and probation for 3 years to revocation
	(4) Misrepresentation or fraud	Suspension for 2 years, without stay for at least 5 days, and probation for 2 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 2 years, without stay for at least 5 days, and probation for 2 years to revocation
	(5) Conduct not provided for in (1)"(4) above	Reprimand	Revocation	Reprimand to revocation

E. Diversion of Controlled Substances or Prescription Drugs.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Diversion without harm to self or others	Reprimand and conditions, and probation for 1 year	Suspension for up to 5 years, and probation for up to 5 years, and conditions	Reprimand and probation for 1 year to suspension for up to 5 years and probation for up to 5 years
	(2) Diversion creating risk of harm	Suspension for 3 years and probation for 3 years, and conditions	Suspension for up to 5 years and probation for up to 5 years, and conditions	Suspension for 3 years and probation for 3 years to suspension for up to 5 years and probation for up to 5 years
	(3) Diversion with harm	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 5 years, to revocation

F. Infection Control Guidelines - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Failure to document compliance with CDC guidelines	Reprimand	Reprimand and probation for up to 3 years, and conditions	Reprimand and probation for up to 3 years
	(2) Failure to comply with CDC guidelines	Probation for 1 year, and conditions	Suspension for up to 3 years and probation for up to 3 years, and conditions	Probation for 1 year to suspension for up to 3 years and probation for up to 3 years

G. Late License and Certificate Renewal When the Licensee or Certificate Holder Has Continued to Practice.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Renewal of a dental license, or dental hygiene license, or dental radiation technologist certificate after the late period has expired, but for not longer than 1 year after the late period has expired	Performance of pro bono work and the payment of the monetary penalty	Performance of pro bono work and the payment of the monetary penalty	Performance of pro bono work and the payment of the monetary penalty
	(2) Renewal of a dental license, or dental hygiene license, or dental radiation technologist certificate after the late period has expired, for 1 year or longer after the late period has expired	Suspension for 2 years, and probation for 2 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 2 years, and probation for 2 years, to revocation

H. Noncompliance with Board Orders.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Failure to comply with a Board order	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 10 days, and probation for 3 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 10 days, and probation for 3 years, to revocation
	(2) Failure to comply with a Board order with additional unprofessional conduct	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation for 3 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation for 3 years, to revocation
	(3) Failure to comply with a Board order with serious physical injury or death of a patient, or the risk of significant physical injury or death	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 1 year, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 1 year, and probation for 5 years, to revocation

I. Practice Below Acceptable Standards of Care.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Practice below acceptable standards with a low risk of patient harm	Reprimand and conditions	Suspension for 1 year, and probation for 1 year, and conditions	Reprimand to suspension for 1 year, and probation for 1 year
	(2) Practice below acceptable standards with patient harm or risk of patient harm	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation, to revocation
	(3) Practice below acceptable standards with serious physical injury or death of a patient, or a risk of significant physical injury or death	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 3 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 3 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 3 years, to revocation

J. Sexual Misconduct.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Unsolicited conduct of a sexual nature excluding physical contact that serves no diagnostic or treatment purpose	Reprimand and conditions	Suspension for 1 year, and probation for 1 year, and conditions	Reprimand to suspension for 1 year, and probation for 1 year
	(2) A personal relationship that violates professional ethics	Suspension for 1 year, and probation for 1 year, and conditions	Suspension for up to 5 years, and probation for up to 5 years, and conditions	Suspension for 1 year, and probation for 1 year, to suspension for up to 5 years, and probation for up to 5 years
	(3) Physical contact of a sexual nature that does not include force, intimidation, or the use of drugs, or alcohol, and that serves no diagnostic or treatment purpose	Suspension for 2 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 2 years, and conditions	Suspension for up to 7 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for up to 7 years, and conditions	Suspension for 2 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 2 years, to suspension for up to 7 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for up to 7 years
	(4) Sexual conduct involving, but not limited to force, intimidation, the use of drugs, or alcohol, or multiple victims	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 1 year, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 1 year, and probation for 5 years to revocation

K. Substance Abuse.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Misuse of drugs or alcohol without harm to others	Suspension for 2 years and probation for 2 years, and conditions	Suspension for up to 5 years, and probation for up to 5 years, and conditions	Suspension for 2 years and probation for 2 years, to suspension for up to 5 years and probation for up to 5 years
	(2) Misuse of drugs or alcohol with patient harm or a risk of patient harm	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 5 years to revocation

L. Unauthorized Practice.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Dentist knowingly allows an unauthorized individual to practice outside their scope of practice without patient harm or minimal patient harm	Reprimand and conditions	Suspension for 2 years, and probation for 2 years, and conditions	Reprimand to suspension for 2 years, and probation for 2 years
	(2) Dentist knowingly allows an unauthorized individual to practice outside their scope of practice with greater than minimal patient harm	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation for 5 years to revocation
	(3) An unauthorized individual practices outside their scope of practice without patient harm or minimal patient harm	Reprimand	Suspension for 2 years, and probation for 2 years, and conditions	Reprimand to suspension for 2 years, and probation for 2 years
	(4) An unauthorized individual practices outside their scope of practice with greater than minimal patient harm	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation, to revocation

M. Unprofessional Conduct.

Severity	Tier/Conduct	Sanction Range		Duration
		Minimum	Maximum
Least to Greatest	(1) Unprofessional conduct resulting in no physical or psychological harm	Reprimand and conditions	Suspension for up to 2 years, and probation for up to 2 years, and conditions	Reprimand to suspension for up to 2 years, and probation for up to 2 years
	(2) Unprofessional conduct resulting in financial injury	Suspension for 3 years, and probation for 3 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 3 years, and probation for 3 years, to revocation
	(3) Unprofessional conduct resulting in physical or psychological harm or a risk of physical or psychological harm	Suspension for 3 years, and probation for 3 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 3 years, and probation for 3 years, to revocation
	(4) Willfully, and without legal justification, fails to cooperate with a lawful investigation conducted by the Board	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 30 days, and probation for 5 years, to revocation
	(5) Unprofessional conduct resulting from misrepresentation or fraud	Suspension for 5 years, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, and probation for 5 years, to revocation
	(6) Threatens, forces, intimidates, or influences a person to change or withhold evidence before the Board or the office of Administrative Hearings.	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 5 years, and conditions	Revocation	Suspension for 5 years, without stay for at least 90 days, and probation for 5 years, to revocation
	(7) Unprofessional conduct resulting from any violation not provided for in (1)"(6) above	Reprimand	Revocation	Reprimand to revocation

Notes

Md. Code Regs. 10.44.31.06