{"id":39773,"date":"2026-07-20T12:54:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T12:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/?page_id=39773"},"modified":"2026-07-20T19:37:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T19:37:54","slug":"how-the-michigan-board-of-dentistry-lara-handles-complaints-against-dentists","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/how-the-michigan-board-of-dentistry-lara-handles-complaints-against-dentists\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA) handles complaints against dentists"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"39773\" class=\"elementor elementor-39773\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ceb55e7 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ceb55e7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b1224d elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"4b1224d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n<!-- Healthcare Ethics Courses \u2014 US Knowledge & Support \u2014 Michigan Dentists\r\n     Article: How the Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA) handles complaints against dentists\r\n     Paste into an Elementor Custom HTML block. 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20px;}\r\n  }\r\n  <\/style>\r\n\r\n  <nav class=\"crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\r\n    <ol>\r\n      <li><a href=\"\/us\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\r\n      <li class=\"sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&rsaquo;<\/li>\r\n      <li><a href=\"\/us\/knowledge-support\/\">Knowledge &amp; Support<\/a><\/li>\r\n      <li class=\"sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&rsaquo;<\/li>\r\n      <li><a href=\"\/us\/knowledge-support\/\">Michigan Dentists<\/a><\/li>\r\n      <li class=\"sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&rsaquo;<\/li>\r\n      <li aria-current=\"page\">How complaints are handled<\/li>\r\n    <\/ol>\r\n  <\/nav>\r\n\r\n  <header class=\"head wrap\">\r\n    <h1>How the Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA) handles complaints against dentists<\/h1>\r\n    <div class=\"meta\"><span>6 min read<\/span><span class=\"dot\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&bull;<\/span><span>Last updated July 2026<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <p class=\"lead\">In Michigan, a dental complaint runs through LARA rather than a standalone board &mdash; and most close at the investigation stage. Here is who oversees the process, who can complain, how an allegation is screened, and what the first contact means for your license.<\/p>\r\n  <\/header>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"takeaways wrap\">\r\n    <h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\r\n    <ul>\r\n      <li>Dental discipline in Michigan is run by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Professional Licensing; the Board of Dentistry works within it.<\/li>\r\n      <li>Anyone can submit an allegation form &mdash; patients, dental plans, employers, or other agencies.<\/li>\r\n      <li>Board members screen each allegation to decide whether an investigation is warranted; LARA then investigates, and roughly 75% of matters close at that stage.<\/li>\r\n      <li>Sanctions, if any, are imposed by a Disciplinary Subcommittee of the Board &mdash; not by the full Board.<\/li>\r\n      <li>The governing law is the Michigan Public Health Code (MCL 333.16101 et seq.), with grounds for discipline in MCL 333.16221.<\/li>\r\n    <\/ul>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"body wrap\">\r\n    <h2>Who oversees dental discipline in Michigan?<\/h2>\r\n    <p>Michigan dentists are regulated under the Public Health Code by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), through its Bureau of Professional Licensing. The Michigan Board of Dentistry works inside that structure: it and its subcommittees review cases, but the investigative and administrative machinery belongs to LARA. Grounds for discipline are set out in MCL 333.16221, and the dentistry-specific provisions sit in Part 166 of the Code.<\/p>\r\n    <h2>Who can file &mdash; and what triggers a case<\/h2>\r\n    <p>Anyone can start the process by submitting an allegation form &mdash; a patient, a dental plan, an employer, or another agency. Many cases also begin without a traditional complainant at all: a National Practitioner Data Bank report, a failure to renew a license or complete continuing education, a criminal conviction, or disciplinary action in another state can each trigger a Michigan matter. Michigan licensees must self-report a criminal conviction or another state&rsquo;s disciplinary action within 30 days.<\/p>\r\n    <h2>How an allegation is screened<\/h2>\r\n    <p>An allegation is not automatically an investigation. Members of the relevant professional board review the allegation to decide whether an investigation is warranted; if it is, LARA conducts the investigation. The screen is meaningful: roughly <strong>75% of matters are closed at the investigation stage<\/strong> without formal action, so many allegations never become complaints.<\/p>\r\n    <h2>The role of the Disciplinary Subcommittee<\/h2>\r\n    <p>Michigan has a feature that surprises dentists from other states: the full Board of Dentistry does not impose discipline. That authority belongs to a <strong>Disciplinary Subcommittee<\/strong> &mdash; appointed by the Board chair and made up of three professional members of the Board (the chair excluded) and two public members. The Subcommittee decides both whether a violation occurred and what sanction to impose, and its determination is final. Its decisions are reported to the Board, but the Board takes no direct role in the sanction.<\/p>\r\n    <h2>Is the complaint confidential?<\/h2>\r\n    <p>During the investigatory phase, the identity of the person who filed the allegation is confidential &mdash; although, as practitioners note, it often becomes obvious once records are requested and questions are asked. The picture changes at the end: since 2015, LARA is required to publish every final decision imposing disciplinary action on its public licensing website.<\/p>\r\n    <h2>What the first letter means<\/h2>\r\n    <p>A notice of investigation from LARA is the beginning of what can be a long process, not a formality to brush off. The practical guidance from Michigan dental counsel is consistent: agree to meet with the investigator, but have an attorney involved who notifies the investigator and attends with you. Preserve your records exactly as they stand, and do not try to handle a Public Health Code investigation alone.<\/p>\r\n    <p>For the sequence and timing that follow, see <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/michigan\/investigation\/\">how long a Michigan Board of Dentistry investigation takes<\/a>. For outcomes, see <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/michigan\/discipline\/\">Michigan dentist discipline, from consent order to license suspension<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"courses wrap\">\r\n    <h2>Related courses<\/h2>\r\n    <p class=\"intro\">If you have received a notice of investigation, these courses help you build the documented insight and record-keeping the Board looks for:<\/p>\r\n    <div class=\"clist\">\r\n      <a class=\"ccard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/courses\/dealing-with-a-complaint-or-investigation-professionally\/\"><span class=\"cn\">Dealing with a Complaint or Investigation Professionally<\/span><svg class=\"arw\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><polyline points=\"12 5 19 12 12 19\"\/><\/svg><\/a>\r\n      <a class=\"ccard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/courses\/professionalism-and-professional-standards-for-dentists-and-dental-professionals\/\"><span class=\"cn\">Professionalism and Professional Standards for Dentists<\/span><svg class=\"arw\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><polyline points=\"12 5 19 12 12 19\"\/><\/svg><\/a>\r\n      <a class=\"ccard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/courses\/documentation-for-healthcare-professionals\/\"><span class=\"cn\">Documentation for Healthcare Professionals<\/span><svg class=\"arw\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><polyline points=\"12 5 19 12 12 19\"\/><\/svg><\/a>\r\n      <a class=\"ccard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/courses\/insight-for-fitness-to-practice\/\"><span class=\"cn\">Insight for Fitness to Practise<\/span><svg class=\"arw\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><polyline points=\"12 5 19 12 12 19\"\/><\/svg><\/a>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <p class=\"caveat\">These are structured ethics and professional-development courses that issue a certificate of completion &mdash; 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 Board\u2019s disciplinary subcommittee weighs in mitigation when deciding an outcome.<\/p>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"siblings wrap\">\r\n    <h2>More on Michigan dental discipline<\/h2>\r\n    <div class=\"slist\">\r\n      <a class=\"scard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/how-long-does-a-michigan-board-of-dentistry-investigation-take\/\">How long does a Michigan Board of Dentistry investigation take?<\/a>\r\n      <a class=\"scard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/michigan-dentist-discipline-from-consent-order-to-license-suspension\/\">Michigan dentist discipline: from consent order to license suspension<\/a>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"faq wrap\">\r\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\r\n    <div class=\"fitem\">\r\n      <button class=\"fq\" onclick=\"hecTF(this)\"><span>Who disciplines dentists in Michigan &mdash; the Board or LARA?<\/span><svg class=\"ic\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"5\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"19\"\/><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><\/svg><\/button>\r\n      <div class=\"fa\"><div class=\"fa-in\">LARA, through its Bureau of Professional Licensing, runs the process, and the Board of Dentistry works within it. Sanctions are imposed by a Disciplinary Subcommittee of the Board rather than by the full Board.<\/div><\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"fitem\">\r\n      <button class=\"fq\" onclick=\"hecTF(this)\"><span>Who can file a complaint against a Michigan dentist?<\/span><svg class=\"ic\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"5\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"19\"\/><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><\/svg><\/button>\r\n      <div class=\"fa\"><div class=\"fa-in\">Anyone can submit an allegation form &mdash; patients, dental plans, employers, or other agencies. Cases can also begin from data-bank reports, criminal convictions, missed renewals or CE, or another state&rsquo;s discipline.<\/div><\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"fitem\">\r\n      <button class=\"fq\" onclick=\"hecTF(this)\"><span>What is the Disciplinary Subcommittee?<\/span><svg class=\"ic\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"5\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"19\"\/><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><\/svg><\/button>\r\n      <div class=\"fa\"><div class=\"fa-in\">It is a panel appointed by the Board chair &mdash; three professional Board members (chair excluded) and two public members &mdash; that decides whether a violation occurred and what sanction to impose. Its determination is final.<\/div><\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"fitem\">\r\n      <button class=\"fq\" onclick=\"hecTF(this)\"><span>Are most complaints closed without action?<\/span><svg class=\"ic\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"5\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"19\"\/><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><\/svg><\/button>\r\n      <div class=\"fa\"><div class=\"fa-in\">Yes. Board members first screen an allegation to decide whether an investigation is warranted, and roughly 75% of matters are closed at the investigation stage without formal disciplinary action.<\/div><\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"fitem\">\r\n      <button class=\"fq\" onclick=\"hecTF(this)\"><span>Is the person who complained about me identified?<\/span><svg class=\"ic\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"5\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"19\"\/><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><\/svg><\/button>\r\n      <div class=\"fa\"><div class=\"fa-in\">During the investigatory phase the complainant&rsquo;s identity is confidential, though it often becomes apparent as records are requested. Final disciplinary decisions, by contrast, are published on LARA&rsquo;s public website.<\/div><\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"fitem\">\r\n      <button class=\"fq\" onclick=\"hecTF(this)\"><span>What should I do when I receive a notice of investigation?<\/span><svg class=\"ic\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"5\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"19\"\/><line x1=\"5\" y1=\"12\" x2=\"19\" y2=\"12\"\/><\/svg><\/button>\r\n      <div class=\"fa\"><div class=\"fa-in\">Treat it seriously. Agree to meet the investigator but involve an attorney who notifies the investigator and attends with you, preserve your records exactly as they stand, and do not attempt to handle the matter alone.<\/div><\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"Article\", \"headline\": \"How the Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA) handles complaints against dentists\", \"description\": \"How the Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA) handles complaints against dentists: who oversees it, who can file, the Disciplinary Subcommittee, and first steps.\", \"author\": {\"@type\": \"Person\", \"name\": \"Dr Shehzad Iqbal\", \"jobTitle\": \"Clinician; MRCS, MRCGP, PG Cert Healthcare Law & Ethics (University of Dundee)\"}, \"publisher\": {\"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"Healthcare Ethics Courses\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/\"}, \"dateModified\": \"2026-07-01\", \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\"@type\": \"WebPage\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/michigan\/complaints\/\"}, \"about\": \"Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA)\", \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"}<\/script>\r\n  <script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\", \"itemListElement\": [{\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 1, \"name\": \"Home\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/\"}, {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 2, \"name\": \"Knowledge & Support\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/knowledge-support\/\"}, {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 3, \"name\": \"Michigan Dentists\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/michigan\/\"}, {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 4, \"name\": \"How the Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA) handles complaints against dentists\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/us\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/michigan\/complaints\/\"}]}<\/script>\r\n  <script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Who disciplines dentists in Michigan &mdash; the Board or LARA?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"LARA, through its Bureau of Professional Licensing, runs the process, and the Board of Dentistry works within it. Sanctions are imposed by a Disciplinary Subcommittee of the Board rather than by the full Board.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Who can file a complaint against a Michigan dentist?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Anyone can submit an allegation form \u2014 patients, dental plans, employers, or other agencies. Cases can also begin from data-bank reports, criminal convictions, missed renewals or CE, or another state\u2019s discipline.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What is the Disciplinary Subcommittee?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"It is a panel appointed by the Board chair \u2014 three professional Board members (chair excluded) and two public members \u2014 that decides whether a violation occurred and what sanction to impose. Its determination is final.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Are most complaints closed without action?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. 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