Drs. Michael and Rebecca Tarver: A Serious Threat to Children? I think so!

The latest report out of Ocala, Florida reveals some of the dangerous practices taking place inside Churchill Dentistry, formerly known as Polliwog Dentistry.  I can’t believe there haven’t been a host of dead children due to these two quacks.

Here are a few items pulled from the latest article:

• "…Churchill Dental billed Medicaid and the Medicaid recipient for the same service and also delegated their duties to dental assistants who sedated patients,"
• “…Tarver would tell parents that he had to apply the sealant to the patient's teeth and Medicaid doesn't reimburse him for the procedure.”
• “…Tarver would use a dental tool called a gold flame bur on the top of the child's teeth where natural grooves and cracks were present and would remove "pieces of healthy tooth…Tarver would then fill the space with a resin composite and bill Medicaid as if he had "filled a one- to two-surface cavity. Parents would later complain because they had received a bill from Medicaid, which charges recipients $25 per tooth for each resin filling, though Tarver had told them their children had no cavities.”
• “…both dentists would sedate every patient with hydroxyzine, which is used as a sedative to treat anxiety and tension, and with other medications for anesthesia..dental assistants would weigh patients and report the weight to one of the two dentists, and then one of them would say how many milligrams to administer…sometimes 12 to 15 children were being sedated. The average number, she said, was 10. For most kids, blood pressure and oxygen levels were not checked during sedation, the former office manager said, yet all their charts reflect blood pressure and oxygen readings that were "almost the same."
• “…Those who didn't respond to hydroxyzine were given Versed, a brand version of midazolam, used to "produce sleepiness or drowsiness and to relieve anxiety before surgery or certain procedures," the report states. Dr. Michael Tarver would inject it into the child's mouth.”
• “…the dental assistant — estimated that the office would treat 60 patients a day. It was open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday with only the two dentists.”

Read the entire shocking story here.

Polliwog Dental f/k/a Churchill Dentistry Raided By Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

OCALA - Investigators were executing a search warrant at a pediatric dental office in Ocala Wednesday morning.

As part of a Medicaid fraud investigation, officials with the Florida Attorney General's Office and other investigators were at Churchill Dentistry, at 255 SE 17th St., the former Polliwog Dental.

Capt. John W. Nicks Jr., of the Florida attorney general's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, declined to give other details about the investigation. He said agents would take whatever has evidentiary value in connection with their case, including anything from computers to papers….

…Ocala Police Department officers were telling patients that the office was closed. Dr. Rebecca J. Tarver, who works there, was not at the office Wednesday morning. Nor was her husband, fellow dentist Dr. Michael Tarver….

Read the entire story at Ocala.com

Is Dr. Michael Tarver losing it again?

Has Dr. Michael Tarver lost it again? An email this week from a family member of a 4 year old little girl seems to indicate Dr. Tarver’s abusive behavior continues.

“She is very well behaved, obedient and we always receive compliments in public on this. He yelled at her stating things like "If you won't open your mouth I'll do it for you!" My sister (her mom) was forced out of the room and my niece later revealed she was strapped down. Every time she gets still enough to let her mind wander she recants it and cries saying "Mommy I can't believe they hurt me".

Whom do I hold responsible? The regulators! They had him by the private parts and gave his access to innocent children and Medicaid dollars to support his lifestyle.

The regulators and investigators:

• Daniel Gesek, DMD – Executive Director of Florida Dental Board
• Bill Gladson – Assistant State Attorney, Florida

It was just less than a year ago, on September 4, 2013 when the Florida Department of Health issued an Emergency Suspension of Licenses against Dr. Michael Addair Tarver. Several reports from parent about Dr. Tarver and his wife detailed the outrageous behavior including altering patient records and abusive treatment of young patients. Police have been called to his office on several occasions.

Excerpts from various reports at the time:

“I remember the patient because she was so badly misbehaved. She ran down the hallway kicking and screaming at the dental staff.  I didn’t put my hands over her mouth. The child had to be sedated due to her extremely poor behavior.”  Tarver was not charged, according to OPD, he had not committed any criminal offences.

“June 26, 2013 OPD received a complaint about a child that received a 1-1/2″ laceration in the middle of his forehead.  Tarver “claims” the child tripped over his own feet causing him to fall and hit his head. Tarver did not call EMS. When questioned by OPD Tarver said, “I am Emergency Medicine Certified, therefore I did not feel the need to contact EMS.” OPD notified DCF upon this investigation due to OPD being called out multiple times starting in June of 2012. The injury did require stitches.”

“In one incident a parent said that Tarver placed his hand over the nose and mouth of her child until the child lost consciousness.”

Florida State Attorney, Bill Gladson said his office was asked to investigate and said in an interview:

"Based on the evidence available, it was decided that no single allegation, if proven as alleged, would constitute the crime of child abuse such that any conviction could be sustained on appeal. This office did not review, and was not asked to review, any matter being investigated by the Department of Health or the Board of Dentistry,”

Former employee of Dr. Michael Tarver says his wife, Rebecca, is not any better with children

 

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Polliwog Owner Michael Tarver Still Denies Allegations

Ocala, Florida — The allegations continue to stack up against Michael Tarver,  the owner and operator of Polliwog Dental.

The latest developments in this case do not really surprise parents whose children have attended the pediatric dentistry.

Ivy Castillo, a parent who has taken her five year old to the dentistry said, “I have experienced first-hand the ‘Dr. Jekyll’ side of ‘Doctor’ Mike.” Adding, “My son told me a couple days later that during this routine cleaning, they made him drink the ‘icky Spiderman juice’, which I have come to learn was their sedative to ‘control’ my child.”

Ocala Post has been flooded with horrifying stories of less than mediocre dental care provided by Michael Tarver.

In an E-mail we received from an employee who does not want to be identified, she wrote, “Dr. Mikes wife is not any better.  She was there when her husband man handled those kids.”  She went on to write, “I can understand a wife wanting to stand by her husband, but this is ridiculous.”

 

Rebecca Tarver, DDS, wife of Dr. Michael Tarver.

 

 

One parent, who also does not want to be identified in order to protect her children wrote,

“All 4 of my children went to Polliwog because they took Medicaid. From the get go the staff was rude and unorganized. The biggest issue was my six year old son and nine year old daughter at the time, came home with big cheek bruises and unwarranted work done. My son who has healthy teeth, was told every time I went he needed fillings. It’s funny but my two older girls (12 & 15) never had issues, I think because they were old enough to speak up or tell on them. Every time my kids went for any work, even a cleaning they told me they would need to give them the happy juice. I am so glad someone finally listened to all of us!”

The allegations against Tarver range from, placing his hands over children’s noses and mouths, over dosing children with the “kiddie cocktail“, altering medical records, to actually inflicting physical injuries to young children.

Tarver continuously maintains he is innocent, using Medicaid parents as an escape goat by claiming their children are just misbehaved.

Tarver was questioned by authorities in regards to allegations that he put his hands over a child’s nose and mouth, causing the child to lose consciousness. Tarver’s  response again deflects to the child’s behavior. Tarver stated he remembered the “extremely misbehaved” child, passing blame on to the small child.

Dr. Michael Addair Tarver: Four police complaints filed

 

Suspended dentist subject of four police complaints

By Austin L. Miller
Staff writer

Published: Thursday, September 5, 2013 at 9:52 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 5, 2013 at 9:52 p.m.

A dentist whose license was suspended Wednesday by the state on allegations of possible child abuse was also the subject of four complaints to Ocala police, but the complaints were determined to be unfounded.

Ocala police detectives investigated the complaints and sent their findings to the State Attorney's Office for review. The criteria for child abuse was not met in any of the complaints, authorities said.

In the four cases, the parents said they took their children — ranging in age from 18 months to 7 years — to Polliwog Dental at 255 SE 17th St., Ocala, for procedures and later said there were signs of abuse, officials stated.

Two of the four cases also were sent to the state Department of Health. That agency ordered the emergency suspension of Dr. Michael Addair Tarver, owner of Polliwog Dental, on Wednesday. Tarver is a board-certified pediatric dentist.

Tarver, in an email to the Star-Banner on Wednesday, vigorously denied the allegations and said he has hired an attorney to fight the accusations.

The DOH concluded that the 33-year-old dentist violated several state statutes and patient trust, and altered patient records. In one instance, the DOH said, a 4-year-old girl stopped breathing during a dental procedure and had to resuscitated, but her parents were never notified about the incident. His actions, the DOH stated, "demonstrates that he cannot reasonably be expected to comply with any sanction short of suspension."

Another troubling pediatric sedation dentist loose in Florida–Dr. Michael Addair Tarver

Polliwog Dental Children's Dentistry, is at 255 SE 17th Street in Ocala, Florida  34771

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State suspends pediatric dentist in Ocala

By Austin L. Miller
Staff writer
Published: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at 7:55 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at 7:55 p.m.

OCALA, FLORIDA — An Ocala dentist whose office was visited in late July by authorities who removed files and interviewed employees has had his license suspended, according to the state Department of Health.

A report by the DOH ordered the emergency suspension of Dr. Michael Addair Tarver’s license to practice dentistry.

The order, dated Wednesday, states that Tarver is a board-certified pediatric dentist. He’s the owner and operator of Polliwog Dental, a children’s dentistry office at 255 SE 17th St.

DOH officials said the emergency suspension order is directed at the individual, not the facility. Therefore, while Tarver cannot practice in the state of Florida, his wife, Dr. Rebecca Tarver, also a licensed dentist, can practice, and therefore the facility remains open, DOH said.

Tarver disputes the allegations against him.

“I am profoundly disappointed and shocked that the Board of Dentistry would take such action without even reviewing the facts or giving me a chance to defend myself,” he said in an email to the Star-Banner, adding that his attorney is “fighting this decision” and that he expects to have his license reinstated soon.

Hailing his wife as an excellent dentist, Tarver said the office is open and “will continue to provide quality care.”

The 10-page document outlined the reasons for the suspension: