CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) – Two dental organizations allege they have been damaged by a purported conspiracy between other organizations in the field regarding specialist certifications.
United States Board of Oral Implantology and International Congress of Oral Implantologists filed a complaint on Sept. 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against American Board of Dental Specialties, et al. alleging conspiracy and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege the defendants "enrich themselves by monopolizing the ability to confer specialist certifications in the field of oral implantology, foreclosing competition and permitting defendants to set prices for a range of required services, courses, memberships, and professional materials above competitive levels."
The plaintiffs allege that the defendants conspired to prevent USBOI to enter two markets and that as a result, the plaintiffs have lost members and fees associated with certifications and ancillary services.
"As a result of defendants’ unlawful conduct, plaintiffs have been directly harmed because the USBOI has been prevented from entering either defined market and because the ICOI has been prevented from meaningfully competing in the market to provide professional services associated with certifying dentists as oral implantology specialists (e.g., continuing education courses, journal and other publication subscriptions and conferences)," the suit states.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek order to terminate the anticompetitive conduct and ongoing conspiracy, award of treble damages, attorneys' fees, costs and such other relief as the court deems appropriate. They are represented by Michael Lacovara of Latham & Watkins LLP in New York.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois case number 1:18-cv-06520