01/11/2026
The state professional society is sponsoring a week's end social event at a Bier garden.
Should you attend? Maybe but better rethink the libations.
“No meetings. No presentations. Just good vibes.”
That sounds appealing — but it also raises an important professional question.
When a dental society, a licensing board, and a Practitioner Health Program operate in a closely linked ecosystem, alcohol-centered social events are not neutral spaces. PHP referrals do not require impairment or patient harm — only “credible concern.” In a system that has openly stated goals to increase admissions, even informal observation matters.
This isn’t about whether dentists should enjoy a beer.
It’s about whether professional organizations should be hosting alcohol-based events in environments where casual behavior can be reframed into regulatory consequences.
If societies want to build trust, the safest choice is simple: keep professional spaces neutral, not chemically lubricated.
Pamela Wible MD
