The board shall receive complaints by a person against a licensee and shall require a complaint to be submitted in written form. Upon receipt of the complaint, a person designated by the chairman shall investigate the allegations in the complaint and make a report to the board concerning his investigation. In instances where a board member makes the initial investigation or complaint, he may not sit with the board at the hearing of the complaint. If the board then desires to proceed further, it may, in its discretion, file a formal accusation charging the licensee with a violation of a provision of this chapter. The accusation must be signed by the chairman or vice-chairman. When the accusation is filed and the board has set a date and place for hearing on the accusation, the board shall notify the accused in writing not less than thirty days before the hearing, and a copy of the accusation must be attached to the notice. The notice must be served personally or sent to the accused by registered mail, return receipt requested, directed to his last mailing address furnished to the board. The post office registration receipt signed by the accused, his agent, or a responsible member of his household or office staff, or, if not accepted by the person to whom addressed, the postal authority stamp showing the notice refused is prima facie evidence of service of the notice.

The accused may appear and show cause why his certificate should not be suspended or revoked or other disciplinary action taken. The accused has the right to be confronted with and to cross-examine the witnesses against him and the right to counsel. For the purposes of the hearings, the board may require by subpoena the attendance of witnesses, the production of documents, may administer oaths, and hear testimony, either oral or documentary, for and against the accused. All investigations and proceedings undertaken under the provisions of this chapter are confidential.

Every communication, whether oral or written, made by or on behalf of any complainant to the board or its agents or any hearing panel or member of the panel, pursuant to this chapter, whether by way of complaint or testimony, is privileged. No action or proceeding, civil or criminal, may lie against a person by whom or on whose behalf the communication has been made, except upon proof that the communication was made with malice.

No part of this chapter may be construed as prohibiting the respondent or his legal counsel from exercising the respondent's constitutional right of due process under the law, nor to prohibit the respondent from normal access to the charges and evidence filed against him as a part of due process under the law.