A dentist in Michigan is suing the state over a requirement that mandates clinicians take implicit bias training to maintain their dental licenses, according to a lawsuit recently filed in the Michigan Court of Claims.
Dr. Kent Wildern, a practicing dentist in the Grand Rapids, MI, area for 40 years, filed the suit against the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, challenging a rule implemented in 2021 requiring all healthcare professionals to complete two hours of implicit bias training for every licensing renewal cycle. Veterinary professionals are the only ones excluded from the requirement, according to the lawsuit filed on April 3.
When the mandate was announced, Wildern sought an exemption due to his "bona fide objections to the race-based trainings." However, he was allegedly told that he could take the training or lose his dental license, so Wildern opted not to renew his license.
"This case raises the question whether a state agency, operating without any legislative authorization, can force Michigan healthcare professionals to choose between undergoing 'implicit bias' training—rooted in contested ideological premises—or giving up practicing their profession entirely," according to the legal complaint.
The state's rule requires healthcare professionals to take implicit bias assessments, as well as training on any of these topics, including equitable access to healthcare, the importance of implicit bias itself, or the historical basis of implicit bias. Furthermore, the suit claims the mandated training is flooded with "ideological presuppositions."
As of September 2024, Michigan has reportedly conducted at least 132 enforcement actions against healthcare professionals who did not comply with the implicit bias training requirement. Individuals have been fined between $125 and $2,500 for noncompliance. Some have had their licenses suspended, while others chose not to renew their licenses in response to the mandate, according to the suit.
The dentist is suing to restore his "right to earn a living free from executive overreach and unconstitutional compulsion" and return to practicing dentistry, according to the suit.
Wildern is seeking a permanent injunction prohibiting the state agency from enforcing the rule as well as costs associated with the litigation.
