Showing posts with label Feds raid Georgia children’s dental office over accusations of child endangerment–improper use of restraints. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Feds raid Georgia children’s dental office over accusations of child endangerment–improper use of restraints. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Children’s Dentistry of Rome bills taxpayers $13,407,134.34 in less than 4 years

Bet’cha some these folks used to (or still does!) work for Small Smiles, Kool Smiles, Ocean Dental maybe… or one of the other Medicaid dental mills?

At least in Georgia, the police departments are using the tools in their toolbox. -O.C.G.A. Title 16, Section 16-5-70, Cruelty to Children. #dentalboardsareuselessinprotectingpatients

UPDATE December 4, 2012 – 9:42 AM

RN-T

Office bills $13 million in Medicaid claims since ’08

by Lauren Jones, Staff Writer

Federal agents are conducting an investigation into Children s Dentistry of Rome on Nov. 29, 2012.  (AJ Pierce/RN-T)

After numerous allegations of child abuse and fraudulent activity flooded the Rome Police Department over the weekend, detectives are continuing their criminal investigation into Children’s Dentistry of Rome, officials said on Monday.

According to the search warrant affidavit filed in Floyd County Superior Court, MCG Management Inc., doing business as Children’s Dentistry of Rome, billed more than $13 million in Medicaid claims since 2008, and some victims and other dentists alleged that dental work provided by the doctors and hygienists was unnecessary.

Employees from the dentist office issued the following statement on Monday evening: “The dentists operating their practice at the MCG facility care about patients and provide quality care. Dental visits are not always pleasant, but we believe that the practitioners will be able to show they exercised sound judgment and compassion when treating young patients with significant dental problems.”

Following complaints of improper use of restraints and improper or unnecessary performance of dental work on children, agents with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and Rome Police Department investigators executed a warrant on Thursday and searched the office for billing and medical records pertinent to the criminal investigation.
No arrests have been made in the case and Rome police Lt. Gary Clayton declined to comment on the number of reports the detectives division has received.

The affidavit listed more than 300 patients with Medicaid whose records are being thoroughly investigated.

Medicaid claims
The affidavit, written by detective Joe Costolnick, lists 11 reports of excessive dentistry work performed on 14 children that resulted in serious medical problems and trauma. Reports recounted that children left the office traumatized, scratched and bruised.

Some children were allegedly tied down on papoose boards for unnecessary dental work, and some children needed additional medical attention for improperly done dental work they received at Children’s Dentistry of Rome.

Costolnick, who is specially trained with regard investigating criminal violations relating to cruelty and abuse to children, is working with Special  Agent Connie Murray with the Department of Health and Human Services who investigates Health Care fraud.

Murray obtained a summary of the dental office’s Medicaid claims data from January 2008 to August 2012, the affidavit reported.

The Georgia Medicaid program provides health services to beneficiaries who qualify based on financial need or other circumstances.

In providers’ contracts, the provider agrees to abide by state and federal laws when submitting claims and the Medicaid program requires that providers not bill for services not performed or delivered, and not to submit false or inaccurate claims.

Providers must maintain records to fully disclose the extent of services provided to members for a minimum of five years and the records must also explain the medical necessity for the services provided.

Since 2008, the company billed Medicaid for a total of
$13,407,134.34.

  • $3,146,084.38 in 2008,
  • $3,215,831.81 in 2009,
  • $2,908,993.61 in 2010,
  • $2,395,811.79 in 2011
  • $1,740,412.75 as of August of 2012

Unnecessary dental work?
In the affidavit, some reports by parents of children who received dental work at Children’s Dentistry of Rome claimed that children went in to the office for routine checkups but left having had more dental work performed, as well as traumatized and in tears.

Monday, December 03, 2012

Parents not surprised over raid of Rome, Georgia dental office

ROME, Ga. - Police are investigating allegations of abuse at a children's dental office in Rome. Authorities say that MCG Management, Inc., doing business as Children's Dentistry in Rome, is under criminal investigation.

According to the district's attorney's office, the investigation began with allegations of Medicaid fraud. The Rome Police Department executed a search warrant last Thursday based on the criminal investigation, as well as complaints from parents that their children may have been improperly restrained. There were also allegations that some of the children they have had improper, if not necessary, dental work done.

Police seized several crates and boxes from the office in the raid. One woman told FOX 5's Patty Pan that she wasn't surprised to hear of the Medicaid allegations. "I took my daughter to the dentist office and they basically told me that she had one cavity. And took her back four days later to have her one cavity filled and they billed her insurance for nine cavities total," said the woman, who asked not to be identified.

Mary Bodkin, whose grandkids have been going to the dentist office for years, said that she doesn't believe the accusations. "It breaks my heart because they take wonderful care of both my granddaughter and a lot of other people. This is wrong," said Bodkin. Authorities say that no criminal charges have been filed. They say it is an ongoing going investigation. Anyone with claims is urged to download a form from the Rome News Tribune website, fill it out and bring it to the Rome Police Department.


childrens dentistry of rome

 



Website
Children’s Dentistry of Rome
204 Redmond Rd NW,
Rome, GA 30165
Ph: 706 291-2550 - Fax: 706 291-8349

 

Dr. Maheshvar Patel DDS Bio from website

patel“Truly it is a privilege and honor to educate my community about oral health. Along with improving oral health, it is essential that my patients feel comfortable and enjoy coming to our office. In today’s society a clean, healthy smile gives us more confidence. My motto is to live life to the fullest… Carpe Diem.“

Dr. Patel, a Georgia native, raised in Cartersville, Ga and graduated Cass High School in 2002. His scholastic abilities earned him the Etowah Foundation and Mercer University scholarship. He was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Mercer University in 2006. Then he continued on to earn his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from New York University in 2010. Dr. Patel was in the Honors program for Orofacial Pain/TMD Management clinic for two consecutive years at New York University. This experience allowed him to receive an award from the Academy of Orofacial Pain for providing excellence in the diagnostic and treatment aspects of orofacial pain. Along with his scholastic achievements he was a great leader among his peers. Dr. Patel served as President for two consecutive years at a highly acclaimed NYU Dental organization. Being a leader allowed him to be what he is great at, which is the ability to help others and motivate his colleagues.

After gaining world class education from NYU Dental, he pursued interest in treating children. With his knowledge and experience in treating anxious pediatric patients, he has acquired the ability to give them a healthy and beautiful smile. Dr. Patel’s charismatic personality allows his patients to feel comfortable and relaxed. His focus is to provide the best quality of dental treatment.

Professional Organizations:
American Dental Association
Academy of General Dentistry
Georgia Dental Society
Northwestern District Dental Society
Georgia Dental Association

In his spare time, Dr. Patel enjoys playing volleyball, golf, painting, playing with his nephew and nieces, and supporting the Atlanta Falcons. On the weekends you can find him barbequing with his friends and family

 

MCG Management Articles of Incorporation

CFO Robin Guice
204 Redmond Rd.
Rome GA 30165

CEO Christy Mcstotts
204 Redmond Rd.
Rome GA 30165

Secretary Robin Guice
204 Redmond Rd.
Rome GA 30165

More than 300 complaints of “cruelty to children” and 11 counts of unnecessary treatment spurred raid on MCG Dental Management’s Children’s Dentistry of Rome (Rome. Georgia)

Update December 3. 2012

drbiscupidlogo

 

 

Ga. dental office raided amid child cruelty charges

By DrBicuspid Staff

December 3, 2012 -- A dental office in Rome, GA, has been searched after numerous complaints were filed about the practice's alleged overuse of child restraints and the performance of unnecessary dental work on children, according to a press release sent to media outlets by Lt. Gary Clayton of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Rome Police Department (RPD).

Police investigators, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, executed a search warrant on Children's Dentistry of Rome, under the management of MCG Management, to obtain dental records pertaining to a criminal investigation. No charges have been filed.

According to an article in the Rome News-Tribune, there are more than 300 Medicaid patients named on the search warrant affidavit filed in Floyd County Superior Court. The affidavit also contains 11 reports of unnecessary treatment being performed, sometimes with the use of papoose boards, on 14 children in which trauma resulted.

As a result, authorities believe there is probable cause for investigating the practice's dentists, hygienists, and owners (if I could make these three words flash in neon, I would) for cruelty to children and payments that they were not entitled to, the article stated.

In May 2011, RPD Detective Joe Costolnick received a complaint from the parent of a 3-year-old allegedly injured during treatment at the practice and an investigation was launched. Shortly thereafter, Costolnick learned of other police reports containing abuse allegations going back to 2008.


So Mr. or Ms. Dentist, how did you decide to treat your patient this morning?

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Feds raid Georgia children’s dental office over accusations of child endangerment–improper use of restraints

Georgia, being the “Capitol” of corrupt and child abusing dental clinics, the “shit is on” as they say, when officials start raiding clinics in that state. (Yes, I realize Texas and Colorado are alternate choices, but I choose Georgia.)

To each and every dentist working for these dental clinics, such as Kool Smiles, Small Smiles, and a whole host of other “Smiles”, here is the deal:

1. If you spent last week tied children up in papoose boards for dental care, you should drop to your knees in prayer. This is no longer going unnoticed and unreported.

2. There are people out here who are determined to see that you pay dearly for your crimes against children.

Personally, I’d like to see each and everyone of you dentists UNDER the jail – each corporate head, like Al Smiles and Michael Lindley of Small Smiles, Michael and Dan DeRose as well. Jeff Lane and Dale Mayfield, of Kool Smiles - Drs. Tran and Pham too. Each and every “regional manger” should be horse whipped in my opinion.

3. Monday, when you head in to work, you better think long and hard before you try to meet those production goals - really long and really hard. This is just a wild guess, but I bet you are someone’s “list”, and it’s not Santa’s “Nice” list either. In case you need a refresher on the AAPD guidelines here they are – AAPD Guideline on Behavior Guidance  (yeah, I realize the some of the folks who wrote these are up to their eyeballs in breaking every one of them) 

 

myfoxaltROME, Ga. - Federal agents and police raided a northwest Georgia dentist office, saying they were responding to complaints about the improper use of restraints and concerns about dental procedures on children.

Rome police said in a statement that they executed a search warrant at the children's dentistry practice in Rome on Thursday to obtain records in an ongoing criminal investigation. Police say the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was also involved in the search.

A search warrant affidavit in Floyd County Superior Court says the probe began in May 2011, when the mother of a 3-year-old girl told police her daughter was tied down and injured during an appointment.

The Rome News-Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/X8kjMd) that the case involves several other families and children.

Police said no charges have been filed.

Information from: Rome News-Tribune, http://www.romenews-tribune.com


Restraining children for dental treatment guidelines from the AAPD were drastically changed in 2006, to warn dental professionals it is dangerous and risky, to say the least. If you have been doing it other than by these guidelines, I hope you…  well never mind.