Facing a complaint before the Georgia Board of Dentistry: a dentist’s starting guide
Facing a complaint before the Georgia Board of Dentistry is unsettling, but a complaint is only the start of a defined process — and most never reach a hearing. This starting guide explains who can complain, what the Board can and cannot act on, and what happens first.
Key takeaways
- The Georgia Board of Dentistry investigates complaints through its Compliance and Investigations Division under the Dental Practice Act (O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 11).
- Complaints must be in writing; the Board accepts anonymous complaints only where there is enough evidence to act without the complainant’s identity.
- The Board first decides jurisdiction; fee disputes, rudeness, and employer disputes fall outside its authority.
- Investigative materials are confidential and privileged by statute and are released only to other licensing or enforcement agencies.
- Grounds for discipline are set out in O.C.G.A. § 43-11-47 and the Board’s unprofessional-conduct rule, Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 150-8-.01.
Who handles complaints in Georgia?
The Georgia Board of Dentistry (GBD) enforces and regulates the Georgia Dental Practice Act (O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 11) and the Board’s rules. Complaints are investigated by the Board’s Compliance and Investigations Division, which reviews the allegations to determine whether they may violate the laws and rules governing dentistry. The Board’s jurisdiction is limited to an individual’s license to practice — it can only discipline where it finds a violation of those laws and rules.
Who can file — and how
A complaint must be in writing, submitted through the Board’s online portal or on its complaint form by mail or fax. Supporting documentation — records, correspondence — strengthens a complaint. The Board does accept anonymous complaints, but only where there is sufficient evidence, absent the complainant’s identity, for the Board to determine that a violation may have occurred. One practical detail: a complaint about a dentist’s failure to provide records must include proof of the request, and patients must allow 30 days for the records to be produced.
What the Board can’t act on
Several common grievances fall outside the Board’s authority and are better directed elsewhere:
- Rudeness, poor chair-side manner, or customer-service complaints about office staff.
- Fee, billing, insurance, or refund disputes — although allegations of improper or predatory billing will be reviewed.
- Employee–employer disputes, such as wrongful termination.
- Complaints against non-dentists, or against facilities, labs, assistants, mobile or online dental companies — which must name the Georgia-licensed dentist responsible.
The jurisdictional decision
The first thing the Board does is decide whether it has authority to act. If the complaint is determined to be jurisdictional and a possible violation appears to have occurred, it is referred for further investigation, a case is opened, and it is assigned to an investigator. If the matter is outside the Board’s authority, the complainant is directed to other avenues.
What counts as a violation
The grounds for discipline are set out in O.C.G.A. § 43-11-47 — among them fraud in obtaining a license, fraudulent or deceptive representations in practice, a felony or crime of moral turpitude, inability to practice with reasonable skill and safety, impairment, and violating a statute or rule regulating dentistry or a prior Board order. The Board’s unprofessional-conduct rule (150-8-.01) adds specifics, including sexual misconduct, delegating restricted duties to unqualified staff, and — importantly — falsifying, altering, or destroying treatment records in contemplation of an investigation.
Confidentiality — and what happens first
Once a case is opened, all investigative materials become a permanent part of the Board’s files and are confidential and privileged by statute; they may be released only to other licensing or enforcement agencies. For the dentist, an investigator may or may not make contact to request a written statement or documents. The safest first steps are to note any deadline, preserve the complete record exactly as it stands — never alter it — and consider counsel; many malpractice policies include license-defense coverage.
For what the investigation involves, see what to expect during a Georgia Board of Dentistry investigation. For the response stage, see responding to the Georgia Board of Dentistry.
Related courses
If you are facing a complaint, these courses help you build the documented insight and record-keeping the Board looks for:
These are structured ethics and professional-development courses that issue a certificate of completion — they are not accredited continuing education (CE), and completion does not resolve a Board matter. Their value is as documented evidence of insight, reflection, and remediation, which the Georgia Board of Dentistry weighs in mitigation when deciding an outcome.