Can criminal actions be brought simultaneously with disciplinary actions by the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not allowed
• D. Only if same conduct

Answer: (B)

In Louisiana, disciplinary actions by the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry are administrative sanctions handled by the Board itself, separate from the criminal justice system. Criminal actions are prosecutions carried out by the state in criminal court. The Board does not file or pursue criminal charges; if a practitioner commits a crime, the district attorney or appropriate state authority handles criminal prosecution, while the Board may separately pursue its own disciplinary action for professional misconduct. Because these are two distinct processes, the Board cannot “bring” criminal actions. A practitioner can face both court prosecutions and Board discipline at the same time, but they are not the same action brought by the Board.