Fee splitting (paying someone (anyone) to have them refer a patient to you)- is unethical and should be illegal. The ADA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Begavior has listed fee splitting as unethical behavior for many years. If you just step back and think clearly about it- why should someone get rewarded for referring a patient for dental care? This is clearly a conflict of interest. If you were truly concerned with finding the best care for someone- would you need to be rewarded for ir? Paying for referals in any form causes the focus to go from what's in the best interest of the patient to "What's in it for me?" This does not lead to better care and can lead to referral to the highest bidder. Clearly not in the best interest of the patient. If this is matter is not settled, the Board will not be doing it's best to "Protect the public."

Fee splitting is already illegal in several (many) other states.

I believe the Board of Dentistry regulations say a dentist can be reprimanded for unethical behavior- but there is no reference to what ethical behavior is. The ADA and The American College of Denists both have specifc Codes. Pehaps these should be adopted by the Board to have a reference for "Ethical behavior." Again, I believe several states have adoted the ADA Code of Professional Conduct as a guideline document in reference to ethical behavior.

Patients are best served by an ethical, well behaved and intentioned profession of Dentistry. While the Board may not see itsself as the enforcer fo ethical conduct- it should be- that would help promote better dental care within the Comonwealth,and as a result, further protect the public.