UI College of Dentistry faculty member charged with unethical conduct

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry in Iowa City. (Photo courtesy the State of Iowa)

An assistant professor at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry is facing sanctions for multiple alleged regulatory violations including dishonest, abusive or threatening behavior.

Thiago Soares Porto of the University of Iowa’s College of Dentistry. (Photo courtesy of the State of Iowa)

The Iowa Dental Board has charged Dr. Thiago Soares Porto with practicing dentistry in a manner  harmful or detrimental to the public; unethical conduct related to actions deemed to be abusive, coercive, intimidating, harassing, untruthful, or threatening; unethical conduct for actions that interfered with a patient filing a complaint with the board; failing to comply with the standard precautions for preventing and controlling infectious diseases; and engaging in the practice of dentistry outside of the College of Dentistry without the appropriate license.

The publicly available records from the Iowa Dental Board give no indication when the alleged violations took place.

Aside from an allegation that Porto had entered into an agreement with a patient to prevent that individual from filing a complaint with the board, the specific actions that gave rise to the charges have not been publicly disclosed.

A board hearing on the charges is scheduled for June 14.

In a written statement, Porto’s attorney, Todd M. Lantz, said, “Dr. Porto has a spotless record and adamantly denies that he has done anything unethical or that would subject him to professional discipline.  He has fully cooperated with the Dental Board and looks forward to defending himself in a formal hearing.”

Porto is a state-licensed dentist who also holds a faculty permit and practices dentistry as a member of the College of Dentistry’s faculty. According to the college, Porto is an assistant professor of operative dentistry. On the school’s website , Porto writes that he is working “to shape the future of dentistry” by directing courses for second-year students.

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