The patient or dentist may appeal the recommendation of the mediation committee to an appellate body to be known as the state mediation appeals committee. A request for an appeal shall be timely filed and conducted in accordance with the prescribed rules. A party must first request an appeal with the state mediation appeals committee before proceeding with a final appeal to the Board of Dentistry. If no intermediate appeal is provided by the applicable mediation program rules, a party may proceed directly to a final appeal before the Board of Dentistry, pursuant to Section 328.68 of this title. The state mediation appeals committee may either affirm, modify or reverse the recommendation of the mediation committee, and shall issue its written nonbinding recommendation to the parties.