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Lecture Description: 

This program is a special opportunity for dentists, residents, and students to hear first-hand from New York State Dental Association Ethics Council Chair Paul Teplitsky and Lance Plunkett, General Counsel for the New York State Dental Association. They will bring their collective knowledge and expertise to provide feedback and guidance on various ethical/legal scenarios posed to them by the New York County Dental Society’s Ethics Committee.

In light of all the office demands, procedures performed, and interactions with patients and staff that dentists experience, there are numerous ways things can go astray with regard to breaking ethical and legal guidelines. We hope to demystify much of the “gray area” of dentistry that you may not have been taught in school or learned along the way. This course will provide ethical and legal insights and clarity to a number of situations that can arise in the profession, using timely topics taken from real situations (presented with anonymity) or a compilation of likely scenarios.  Topics to be covered include competence, professional boundaries, professional integrity and accountability, patient trust and safety, and legal and professional ramifications. Attendees are welcome to pose their own questions too!

Meet the Panelists

Paul Teplitsky, DMD

Dr. Teplitsky is president-elect of the Second District Dental Society and the current chair of the New York State Dental Association’s Council on Ethics, having previously served on the Council on Ethics as the representative from Second District from 2018-2023. Dr. Teplitsky is in private practice in prosthodontics since 1984. Dr. Teplitsky graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and completed his GPR at Long Island College Hospital. He went on to complete his Prosthodontics Residency at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and received certification in Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Lance Plunkett, Esq.

Mr. Plunkett first joined NYSDA as its General Counsel in 1994.  Prior to that he was counsel to the New York State Education Department’s Office of the Professions from 1990-1994.  From 2000-2002, he was special counsel to the law firm Feldman, Kieffer & Herman.  From 2002 to 2008, he served as General Counsel to the American Optometric Association.  He returned to NYSDA as General Counsel in September 2008.

Mr. Plunkett received his LL.M. from New York University School of Law, his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law, and his B.A. from Bucknell University.  Mr. Plunkett is the past Executive Vice President of the New York State Administrative Law Judges Association, and a current member of the American Bar Association and New York State Bar Association.

Moderator: Steven Cho, DDS, Chair, NYCDS Ethics Committee

Dr. Cho has been in private practice in Manhattan since completing his oral surgery residency in 1995. In addition to running a private practice, he is a Clinical Associate Professor at Touro College of Dental Medicine where he devotes his time teaching dental students. Prior to joining Touro, he taught at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. He also has privileges at Mt. Sinai/Beth Israel Medical Center and Metropolitan Hospital where he helps to instruct and train oral surgery residents. Dr. Cho graduated from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. He fulfilled his General Practice Residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and continued on to complete his Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency at Westchester Medical Center. 

Dr. Cho is active in organized dentistry with several organizations. Dr. Cho has served on the NYCDS Ethics Committee since 2010, and became chair in 2020. In addition, he served on the New York State Board for Dentistry from 2007 to 2017 and was Vice Chair in his last two years.

Additional Information:

• You will receive your CE certificate of completion via email attachment within 2 weeks after the lecture.
• Please check your spam mail if you don’t see your CE certificate within 2 weeks.