Aired WFAA July 20, 2015
Showing posts with label All About Dentistry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label All About Dentistry. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Monday, October 08, 2012
Richard Malouf’s Six Flags Over Malouf WaterPrik Park–Update!
by BYRON HARRIS
WFAA
Posted on October 8, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Updated today at 10:03 PM
DALLAS — There's a different kind of skyscraper going up in one of Dallas' most exclusive neighborhoods on Strait Lane. Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki, former Rangers owner Tom Hicks and even Mayor Mike Rawlings live close by.
This "skyscraper" is really a three-story water slide and lazy river in the backyard of Texas' most famous dentist.
Dr. Richard Malouf made millions from putting braces on children under Medicaid.
In a whistleblower lawsuit, the Texas attorney general says much of Dr. Malouf's work was fraudulent. All Smiles Dental Clinics — which Malouf founded and still owns part of — filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.
Work on the water park and an addition to Malouf's huge chateau on Strait Lane continues. 
A turquoise pigtail of a water slide curls over the backyard and peeks through neighbors' trees. A five-foot wide, concrete-lined Lazy River water feature is taking shape below.
But a News 8 investigation finds the Bentley-driving Malouf has a history of being sued for failing to pay his bills.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Police looking into kidnapping of children by All About Dentistry - Dallas Texas!
Thanks to a reader !
Police investigate Medicaid 'recruitment' claims
Updated 1:52 p.m., Friday, August 17, 2012
DALLAS (AP) — Police in Dallas are investigating allegations that children are being offered cash and gifts to come in for dental work funded by Medicaid.
The allegations reported by Dallas television station WFAA include claims from children and parents that they were "recruited" by dental practices. One teenager told the television station for its Thursday broadcast that she was paid $10 to be driven to a clinic, All About Dentistry in southeast Dallas, where she had seven fillings.
Afterward, the receptionist asked Keke Gray about her parents.
"(The receptionist) said, 'You don't have those kind of parents who would come up here and complain or anything like that, right?'" said Gray, 17.
Federal law prohibits the solicitation of Medicaid patients. Stephanie Goodman, spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said federal regulations are intended to allow Medicaid providers and other doctors to compete on equal footing.
Dallas Police spokesman Lt. Scott Walton said police were looking into the reports.
"The circumstances of these incidents are being investigated to determine what criminal offense occurred," he said. "Once this determination is made, appropriate action will be taken."
Messages were left Friday by The Associated Press for the owner of All About Dentistry, Dr. Hamid Farahani, at two of his offices.
Farahani told WFAA that he uses unmarked vans to bring children from southeast Dallas neighborhoods to his clinics. Others who have previously spoken to the station have said they were aware of cash, gift cards and meals being offered for new patients.
One woman was recorded on tape being stopped by a van from Access Dental with her kids by her side.
"Today he offered me a free pizza dinner," Juanita Bonner said.
The Texas Attorney General's office did not immediately respond to questions about whether it is investigating. Alper Ozinal, a spokesman for the federal Health and Human Services Department, said in a statement that it had seen several instances of improper Medicaid billing.
"We are working with states to fight any potential fraud — including working with states to audit dental providers, referring potential fraud to law enforcement, educating dental providers on proper billing, and more closely managing the billing processes around dental products," Ozinal said in a statement.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Brooklyn dentist arrested for what is standard procedure in Texas–Patient Recruiting
Brooklyn dentist admits fraud in Medicaid probe
Posted: Aug 13, 2012 4:19 PM CDT Updated: Aug 13, 2012 4:19 PM CDTALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York authorities say a Brooklyn dentist has pleaded guilty to fraud, admitting he paid recruiters to solicit homeless Medicaid patients with cash.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli say dentist Lawrence J. Bruckner of Plainview has also admitted failing to pay taxes on payments he received from other dentists who worked at his clinics.
They say the 62-year-old Bruckner is expected to pay nearly $700,000 in restitution and face jail time.
Sentencing is set for November in Kings County Court, where his company, Premier Dental PC, entered guilty pleas to grand larceny and violating social services law.
Investigators say Bruckner submitted hundreds of false claims to the Medicaid program.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Special needs child kidnapped off the street and taken for dental treatment at All About Dental clinic in Texas. Still no handcuffs on dentists or kidnappers.
August 3, 2012
DALLAS - "Something needs to be done before one of these children dies," Brenda Flores said.
Flores is tough, smart, and protective of her grandson, Isaac. When he didn't come home until after dark one day last March, she was about to call for an Amber Alert.
It turns out, fifteen-year-old Isaac had been taken from his neighborhood to a southeast Dallas dental clinic without her permission.
Isaac, who has severe ADD and asthma, was approached on March 6 by a man in a van.
"'I can give you $10, and a $50 dollar gift card later, and a pizza to take home,'" Isaac quoted the man as saying.
All Isaac had to do was go to the dentist. The man drove him to All About Dentistry on Scyene Road in Dallas. Billing records show All About Dentistry billed Medicaid for 25 procedures on Isaac Flores, totaling $2,041.
Medicaid rules do not allow treatment of a minor without the parent or guardian's permission.
"I'm angry," Mrs. Flores said. "I'm very angry, because I'm here to protect my grandson. And he was taken off the streets without my permission. He was sedated. And he has a medical condition."
Devon Allen has a medical condition, too.
He was taken by a recruiter to All About Dentistry last month, without his mother's knowledge. Gale Allen, his mother, has now hired an attorney, Ajay Shah.
"It truly shocks the conscience," Shah said. "These children have been truly impacted by this individual's actions."
He now represents two parents and four children in the case, but the number may be growing.
Isaac Flores said there were other children in the van with him when he was taken to All About Dentistry last March.
Blanca Flores said she filed a police report the day of the incident, and complained to the Attorney General as well. She hasn't heard back.
State Senator Royce West, (D-Dallas), urges victims to contact his office.
"I won't get stonewalled by an agency, because we will make certain that those claims get investigated by the proper authorities," West said.
Dr. Hamid Farahani, who owns the clinic on Scyene Road and two other All About Dentistry clinics, denies he has done anything wrong. He said he has been audited by Medicaid five times and never found guilty of anything. He admits he owns a van and that he employs a patient recruiter.
So far, he has refused to give any of the parents involved any paperwork on their sons' treatment.
E-mail bharris@wfaa.com