A Salisbury physician assistant with a “history of substance abuse” has surrendered his medical license to the N.C. Medical Board, according to documents from that agency.
Beecher Tate Denton III surrendered his license on Sept. 17. Reached at his home at 306 Ferndale Drive Monday afternoon, Denton, 46, said he had been working in Greensboro with the Hooper Medical Group.
Denton said he’s not sure what he’ll do now.
Dale Breaden, spokesman for the N.C. Medical Board, which licenses all medical professionals in the state, said he could not comment on Denton’s case beyond the surrender of his license.
In general, however, Breaden said that in “99 out of 100 cases” in which a person surrenders his or her medical license voluntarily, they do so because of a “pending investigation or disciplinary action.”
A person who simply wants to stop practicing for a time can allow his or her license to become “inactive,” which does not require “giving up your license altogether.”
N.C. Medical Board records show that this is the second time Denton has surrendered his license.
In a December 2000 consent order, the N.C. Medical Board noted that Denton “has a longstanding history of substance abuse.”
“In 1998, Mr. Denton’s substance abuse, specifically abuse of hydrocodone, lead him to surrender his physician assistant license on Dec. 3, 1998,” the state board wrote.
The board’s records show that Denton graduated from Wake Forest University’s Bowman Gray Medical School in 1987, and the state initially issued Denton a license
onJan. 3, 1987.
In its consent order, the board said Denton had worked in the Salisbury area until he surrendered his license the first time.
After surrendering his license in 1998, Denton “sought and obtained continuing out-patient treatment for his substance abuse,” and in December 2000 was “a participant in the N.C. Physicians Health Program with a contract in which he commits not to drink or consume controlled substances not prescribed by his personal physician and to follow the treatment recommended” by the Physicians Health Program, the board said.
At the time, Denton told state officials he had “maintained his sobriety since Aug. 20, 1999” and was involved “in an active recovery program with Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Caduceus.”
On Dec. 14, 2000, the board issued Denton a temporary license, through March 14, with several conditions. The board:
- Prohibited him from using any mind- or mood-altering substance, including alcohol, unless “lawfully prescribed for him by someone other than himself.”
- Required him to supply “urine, blood, hair or any other bodily fluid or tissue sample” state officials thought necessary to show he was complying with the agreement.
- Required him to give a copy of its consent order — and all the conditions attached to his license — to all his supervising physicians, “any colleagues with whom he works or shares call” and to all present and future employers.
- Ordered him to maintain his contract with the Physicians Health Plan and regularly attend meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Caduceus.
State officials also ordered Denton to appear before the board again in January 2001.
Records show that on Jan. 26, 2001, the Medical Board extended Denton’s temporary license through July 31 and on July 19 extended it again until Jan. 31, 2002.
Contact Frank DeLoache at 704-797-4245 or fdeloache@salisburypost.com
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