Regulated Professions
Lawyers for Dentists in Ontario
Employment Lawyers for Dental Practices and Dentists
Dentists in Ontario face unique risks when workplace disputes collide with professional regulation. A patient complaint, an allegation from staff, a billing dispute, or a clinical error can trigger not only employment consequences but also an investigation by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) that could affect your registration, your reputation, and your career.
At Greenwood Law, our Ontario employment lawyers represent dentists facing workplace allegations, wrongful dismissal, RCDSO complaints, and professional misconduct proceedings. We understand the regulatory pressures dentists face, and we provide the strategic defence you need when your career and registration are on the line.
The Greenwood Law Team
Greenwood Law provides employment law and regulatory defence counsel to dentists in Ontario. We have extensive experience with workplace investigations in healthcare settings and understands both the employment and regulatory dimensions that affect dental professionals.
Employment Law Services for Dentists
Our employment lawyers represent dentists in workplace disputes, including:
- Wrongful Dismissal Claims – Pursuing your full entitlements when your employment or associateship is terminated, whether you work in a group practice, dental clinic, or institutional setting
- Termination Package Review – Analyzing severance offers to determine whether they reflect your true legal entitlements under the Employment Standards Act and common law
- Constructive Dismissal – Representing dentists who have been forced out through unilateral changes to compensation, patient assignments, scheduling, or working conditions
- Associate Agreement Review – Reviewing employment contracts and independent contractor agreements before you sign to identify problematic termination clauses, restrictive covenants, or unfavourable compensation terms
- Employment vs. Independent Contractor Status – Advising on misclassification issues and pursuing entitlements when associate arrangements are improperly structured
- Workplace Harassment & Discrimination – Pursuing claims when you have been harassed, discriminated against, or subjected to a poisoned work environment
- Human Rights Claims – Representing dentists facing discrimination based on disability, family status, pregnancy, race, or other protected grounds
- Accommodation Disputes – Asserting your right to accommodation when employers fail to meet their obligations under the Human Rights Code
- Reprisal Claims – Protecting dentists who face retaliation for raising health and safety concerns, reporting misconduct, or asserting workplace rights
- Non-Compete & Restrictive Covenant Disputes – Challenging overbroad or unenforceable restrictive covenants that impede your ability to practise
- Compensation Disputes – Pursuing claims for unpaid production-based compensation, bonuses, or other earned remuneration
RCDSO Complaint & Regulatory Defence
We represent dentists facing RCDSO investigations, professional misconduct allegations, and discipline proceedings:
- RCDSO Complaint Response – Preparing strategic written responses to complaints filed by patients, staff, colleagues, or others within the 35-day response period
- ICRC Proceedings – Representation during Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) review, including document preparation, submissions, and strategy
- Discipline Committee Hearings – Defence at formal Discipline Committee hearings, which function similarly to trials with witness testimony, documentary evidence, and legal argument
- HPARB Reviews – Appealing ICRC decisions to the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board when dispositions are unreasonable or investigations inadequate
- Interim Orders – Responding to interim restrictions on your certificate of registration imposed during investigations
- SCERP Negotiations – Negotiating appropriate Specified Continuing Education or Remediation Programs when such outcomes are appropriate
- Incapacity Proceedings – Representation in fitness-to-practise matters involving health concerns affecting your ability to practise safely
- Mandatory Self-Reporting – Advising on obligations to self-report criminal charges, findings of guilt, or other reportable events to the RCDSO
Allegations We Defend
Dentists face workplace and regulatory allegations that can arise suddenly and threaten careers built over decades. We defend dentists against:
- Dental Malpractice Allegations – Defence against allegations of substandard clinical care, treatment errors, or negligence affecting patient outcomes
- Sexual Abuse & Sexual Misconduct – Defence against the most serious allegations under the Regulated Health Professions Act, which carry mandatory revocation if proven
- Professional Boundary Violations – Defence against allegations of inappropriate dentist-patient relationships, dual relationships, or boundary breaches
- Sexual Harassment Allegations – Defence against complaints from staff, colleagues, or patients under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and practice policies
- Billing Fraud & Insurance Irregularities – Defence against allegations of improper billing practices, insurance fraud, or financial misconduct
- Record-Keeping Deficiencies – Responding to allegations of inadequate, inaccurate, or falsified patient records
- Infection Control Violations – Defence against allegations of infection prevention and control failures
- Prescribing Violations – Responding to allegations of inappropriate prescribing, including opioid-related concerns
- Substance Use & Impairment – Navigating fitness-to-practise proceedings and protecting your registration while addressing health concerns
- Criminal Charges – Advising on employment and regulatory implications of criminal charges, including mandatory self-reporting obligations
- Conduct Unbecoming – Defence against allegations that conduct, whether inside or outside the practice, is disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional
Hear From Our Clients
Protecting Your Career, Defending Your Registration
We represent dentists across Ontario facing workplace allegations, termination disputes, RCDSO complaints, and dental malpractice allegations. When your professional standing is at stake, we bring strategic, experienced representation to protect your career, your registration, and your future.
Table of Contents
Hear From Our Clients
Protecting Your Career, Defending Your Registration
We represent dentists across Ontario facing workplace allegations, termination disputes, RCDSO complaints, and dental malpractice allegations. When your professional standing is at stake, we bring strategic, experienced representation to protect your career, your registration, and your future.
Why Dentists Choose Greenwood Law
Understanding of Dental Practice
We understand the pressures dentists face, from production expectations and patient management to infection control requirements and documentation burdens, and we contextualize allegations within the realities of dental practice
Dual Employment-Regulatory Strategy
RCDSO complaints often arise from or alongside workplace disputes. We help you manage both dimensions strategically, understanding how employment decisions affect regulatory outcomes and vice versa
Workplace Investigation Expertise
We have extensive experience conducting and advising on workplace investigations in healthcare settings, giving us insight into how investigations unfold and how to respond effectively
Discretion & Confidentiality
We understand the reputational sensitivity of dental misconduct allegations and handle matters with appropriate discretion
Frequently Asked Questions
A patient filed an RCDSO complaint against me. What should I do?
When you receive notice of an RCDSO complaint, you typically have 35 days to respond in writing to the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC). This response is critical, it shapes how the ICRC views your conduct and can determine whether the matter is dismissed, results in remedial measures, or is referred to the Discipline Committee. Do not assume the patient’s characterization is accurate or that you can simply explain your way through it. Seek legal advice before responding. An experienced lawyer can help you present your perspective, address the clinical issues appropriately, identify mitigating factors, and avoid admissions that could be used against you in subsequent proceedings.
What is the ICRC and what can it do?
The Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) is the RCDSO committee that reviews complaints and mandatory reports. The ICRC does not hold oral hearings or assess witness credibility, it reviews documents including the complaint, your written response, clinical records, and any investigation materials. After review, the ICRC can: take no action; issue advice or recommendations; require a Specified Continuing Education or Remediation Program (SCERP); require you to appear for an oral caution; or refer specified allegations to the Discipline Committee for a formal hearing. SCERPs, oral cautions, and discipline referrals are posted on the RCDSO public register and will appear on your profile. You can request a review by the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB) for most dispositions, except discipline referrals.
I've been terminated from my associate position. What am I entitled to?
Your entitlements depend on whether you’re classified as an employee or independent contractor, and whether you have an enforceable termination clause. Many associate agreements are structured as independent contractor arrangements, but courts look at the actual relationship, not just the contract label, to determine status. If you’re found to be an employee without an enforceable termination clause, you may be entitled to common law reasonable notice, which for dentists with significant tenure can be substantially higher than Employment Standards Act minimums. Courts consider your age, length of service, the character of your employment, and the availability of similar positions. Before accepting any termination package or assuming you have no recourse, have your agreement and situation reviewed by an employment lawyer.
I'm facing criminal charges. What are my obligations to the RCDSO?
Under Ontario Regulation 853 (Professional Misconduct), dentists must self-report to the RCDSO within 30 days of being charged with or found guilty of any offence. This includes criminal charges, even if they are unrelated to dental practice. Once reported, a notation appears on your public register profile indicating that you have been charged. This obligation exists regardless of whether the charges are ultimately withdrawn or you are acquitted. Criminal charges can also affect your employment, but charges alone don’t automatically justify termination for cause. If you’re facing criminal charges, you need coordinated advice addressing both the regulatory reporting obligations and the employment implications.
What happens if I'm referred to the Discipline Committee?
A referral to the Discipline Committee is serious, it means the ICRC believes there are reasonable grounds to support allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence that warrant a formal hearing. The Discipline Committee process resembles a trial: there is a Notice of Hearing setting out the allegations, disclosure of evidence, and a hearing before a panel where witnesses testify and are cross-examined. The College is represented by legal counsel who presents the case against you. If the panel finds professional misconduct or incompetence, penalties can include reprimands, conditions on your certificate, mandatory education, fines up to $35,000 per finding, suspension, or revocation. For findings involving sexual abuse of a patient, revocation is mandatory. Given the stakes, you should have experienced legal representation from the earliest stages of the process.
Contact Greenwood Law
If you’re facing an RCDSO complaint, workplace investigation, termination, or other employment dispute, contact Greenwood Law for a consultation. We understand what’s at stake for dental professionals, and we’re here to help you protect your career and your registration.
Areas We Serve
At Greenwood Law, we proudly serve clients across Ontario & throughout Canada, including:
