> Disputing a negative hit to your credit score does not mean it gets removed.

I believe it usually does get removed immediately, but temporarily, until the credit reporting agency (CRA) has come to a decision on the case.

I've heard of folks closing on mortgages soon and out of nowhere, a past dispute winds up on their credit report as a negative item, putting the mortgage closing at risk. So they immediately dispute it to resolve the issue in the short-term.