It appears that this article will be the last one on this matter. I guess the only remaining issue is if these students will be granted licensure.
Jun. 24, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
UNLV inquiry backs decision to let dental students graduate
By K.C. HOWARD
REVIEW-JOURNAL
The decision by UNLV officials to allow 10 dental school students who cheated to receive diplomas was upheld Friday by a Nevada System of Higher Education internal investigation.
A report on the investigation released Friday evening states it is unlikely any patients were put in danger when 10 students in the dental school's first graduating class electronically falsified the signature of a part-time faculty member on patient records, transcripts and other university documents.
The report was written by Bart Patterson, deputy chief general counsel for the system, and reviewed by Dan Klaich, the system's vice chancellor of legal affairs, and Bret Whipple, Board of Regents chairman.
The system launched an investigation into the dental school after the Review-Journal reported on the falsified signatures, which the students carried out using a stolen computer password.
Typically, every aspect of patient care provided by students is approved by a supervising faculty member. A faculty member electronically checks off steps students complete before, during and after a dental procedure.
In the case of the 10 students, "the vast majority of the work was appropriately approved, keeping in mind that an average of over 1,000 checks are required in the fourth year" of dental school, Patterson wrote in the report.
"What this tells me is that either the students did not comprehend the importance of all the checks and/or they were simply unwilling to undertake all of the effort required to locate an appropriate faculty member."
The majority of instances in which the password was misused were "housekeeping matters," conducted during clinical hours or immediately after, according to the report. These included final approval of procedures, treatment notes and diagnoses that had already been entered into records and that licensed physicians were most likely present for when the students did the work.
There was no evidence that students altered their grades or received any financial benefit, the report stated.
"These types of administrative approvals did not impact the immediate care of a patient," Patterson wrote.
Patterson said he didn't know how the students obtained the password, but said he "suspected" they stole it by looking over the instructor's shoulder.
There were a few instances when some of the 10 students under investigation misused the signature to start procedures or to discharge a patient, a finding that concerned Patterson. He said the school is reviewing each patient chart with a signature irregularity.
"At the very least, this could create an issue for the licensed instructor because if the care was ever called into question, the records would not reflect appropriate review and approval," Patterson wrote.
Among recommendations Patterson proposed are: initiating more frequent chart audits; reviewing and enhancing computer security; and issuing letters of good standing to the graduates not involved in the cheating.
UNLV attorney Richard Linstrom said Friday that school officials are working to implement all recommendations.
President Carol Harter, along with interim Dean Richard Carr, approved sanctions that included 1,500 hours of community service for each student during the next five years. In addition, the students will have a 30-day suspension placed on their permanent record, which will be reviewed by state licensing bodies and could lead to their license applications being rejected.
An honors council originally recommended Carr require the students to repeat the academic year or pay a $75,000 fine and do 1,000 hours of community service.
"It was interim Dean Carr's judgment that performing substantial hours of community service in the form of free dental work for under-served populations would be of greater benefit to the community than requiring students to spend an additional approximately 820 clock hours repeating a fourth year," Patterson wrote.
Fines were not allowed under school policies, so Carr added another 500 hours to the council's recommendation.
The students, faculty and administrators involved in the disciplinary process are in the best position to judge the character of the students, Patterson said.
Patterson, however, concluded that courts would have likely upheld expulsions in this case.
He also found that the Nevada Board of Dental Examiners' penalties for practicing dentists who alter patient records, mostly billing matters, received $1,000 to $20,000 fines and/or community service. Patterson deemed Carr's 1,500-hour sanctions comparable.
Chancellor Jim Rogers had yet to read the report Friday, but at first blush he said he would have sought more stringent punishment.
"On things like this, on cheating, I may be a little more severe than other people; but I would have done more than require them to do 1,500 hours of community service," Rogers said. "Because my guess is the 1,500 hours they'll do will probably help them in their practice."
The 10 students have been an embarrassment to system officials, who were not aware of the scandal before the media made it public, Rogers said.
"The institutions, especially UNLV, in its isolationist approach, probably did itself a great disservice by not calling on the chancellor's office and saying, 'Look, here's what's going on. Do you have any advice,' that sort of thing," Rogers said. "It sure as hell would have been helpful had they called on regents."
Though the Board of Regents is not authorized to increase the sanctions against the students, Regent Steve Sisolak called for the students' expulsion.
The students can appeal to the university president after two years to have the suspension removed from their academic record, Sisolak said.
"They (UNLV officials) haven't gotten to the bottom of how they got the damn password to begin with. First they stole; then they cheated."
The UNLV general counsel's office will track the students' community service hours, which Sisolak noted would be an added cost to taxpayers.
Sisolak said he plans to review the school to ensure the university isn't giving out dental degrees arbitrarily.
Whipple said he felt the report vindicated the university's response and added assurances that patient care wasn't compromised.
"A number of regents wanted to do a special meeting right away," Whipple said. "But I think the report is fairly thorough. I think it's a positive report actually."
