Missouri Code of State Regulations
Title 20 - DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INSURANCE
Division 2110 - Missouri Dental Board
Chapter 2 - General Rules
Section 20 CSR 2110-2.114 - Patient Abandonment

(1) Any duly registered and currently licensed dentist in Missouri who moves his/her practice to a location which is inconvenient to his/her active patients or who ceases to practice dentistry or who shares a fee in any patient whose treating dentist moves to an inconvenient location or ceases to practice dentistry, upon request of that patient, or the person responsible for payment for that patient, shall refund an appropriate portion of the fee received for an unfinished treatment or make arrangements for the treatment to be completed by a dentist acceptable to the patient for no additional fee. Active patients are those who have received care and/or treatment within the previous twelve (12) months.

(2) Upon the relocation or cessation of practice described in section (1) of this rule, the treating dentist, within thirty (30) days, shall notify in writing all his/her active patients with unfinished services or treatments of their rights under section (1) of this rule. Dentists who share in the fee of any patient affected by this rule also shall notify the patient of his/her rights. This notification may be made together with the treating dentist in one (1) notice.

(3) Failure to comply with the provisions of this rule will subject the holder of a certificate of registration and license to practice dentistry in this state to disciplinary action in accordance with section 332.321.2(5), (6 and (13)), RSMo.

(4) The provisions of this rule are declared severable. If any provision of this rule is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of this rule shall remain in full force and effect, unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid.