The Department may investigate the actions of any applicant or of any person or person holding or claiming to hold a license. The Department shall, before refusing to issue, renew, or discipline a licensee or applicant, at least 30 days prior to the date set for the hearing, notify the applicant or licensee in writing of the nature of the charges and the time and place for a hearing on the charges. The Department shall direct the applicant or licensee to file a written answer to the charges with the Board under oath within 20 days after the service of the notice and inform the applicant or licensee that failure to file an answer will result in default being taken against the applicant or licensee. At the time and place fixed in the notice, the Department shall proceed to hear the charges and the parties or their counsel shall be accorded ample opportunity to present any pertinent statements, testimony, evidence, and arguments. The Department may continue the hearing from time to time. In case the person, after receiving the notice, fails to file an answer, his or her license may, in the discretion of the Department, be revoked, suspended, placed on probationary status, or the Department may take whatever disciplinary action considered proper, including limiting the scope, nature, or extent of the person’s practice or the imposition of a fine, without a hearing, if the act or acts charged constitute sufficient grounds for that action under the Act. The written notice and any notice in the subsequent proceeding may be served by personal delivery or by registered or certified mail to the licensee’s address or email address of record.
     The written notice and any notice in the subsequent proceeding may be served electronically to the licensee’s email address of record, or, if in the course of the administrative proceeding the party has previously designated a specific email address at which to accept electronic service for that specific proceeding, by sending a copy by email to the party’s email address on record.