Terrence Ewing Syler, DDS was sentenced to 22 months in jail

A joint investigation between the Feds and the State have landed another Texas dentist in the poky.  70 year old Terrence Ewing Syler, DDS was sentenced to 22 months in jail by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.

Texas dentist sentenced to prison for Medicaid fraud

By DrBicuspid Staff

 

November 14, 2013 -- A Beaumont, TX, orthodontist has been sentenced to federal prison for Medicaid fraud after submitting claims for palatal expanders that were never provided to his patients.

Terrence Ewing Syler, DDS, 70, pleaded guilty in June to healthcare fraud and was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison on November 7 by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield, according to a U.S. Department of Justice statement.

Dr. Syler, who owned and operated Syler Orthodontics in Beaumont, submitted the fraudulent claims from January 2007 to October 2012, according to the statement. As a result of the scheme, Dr. Syler received $829,000 to which he was not entitled. As part of his plea agreement, Dr. Syler agreed to forfeit several bank accounts totaling just over $829,000 and pay a $6,000 fine.

Small Smiles Dental Center Attorneys Want “Jury Stalking” Proceedings Sealed

I know a little about creepy attorneys and Small Smiles. See, it was about this time of year in 2008, Small Smiles Dental Centers sent a creepy attorney, named Thor, knocking on doors, of anyone in a 100 mile radius of me that had my same name. (By the way, there are several)  It was well into the night when he knocked on mine.  He was searching for the person (me) who was exposing the secrets of their criminal dental scam, which was defrauding Medicaid from hundreds of millions of dollars. They wanted me to shut the hell up! 

Now, Small Smiles Dental Centers and their malpractice insurance carrier want to silence the post-trial proceedings dealing with their jury tampering in the first malpractice trial in Syracuse, New York.  I’m shocked! (sarcasm)

National Union Fire Insurance Company (NUFIC) a subsidiary of American International Group (AIG) hired New York attorney, Scott Greenspan to “monitor” (a.k.a. “stalk”) the jurors of the first Small Smiles Dental/FORBA malpractice trials in Syracuse, New York.  Mr. Greenspan is a partner at Sedgwick Law, with offices around the world.  According to Mr. Greenspan he was hired by Denise D’Assaro,  AIG Complex Claims Director and it was pure coincidence he was in every restaurant they jurors visited.

Read:

•  Jury Tells Judge That ‘Creepy’ Lawyer Is ‘Stalking’ Them

• After jury clears Syracuse dentistry of mistreating boy, lawyer for dozens of other children questions 'creepy' jury stalker

NUFIC/AIG wants State Supreme Court Justice Deborah Karalunas to seal all records and court documents related to the jury stalking event.  Frankly, they would like to wave a magic wand and have the whole incident removed from, not just the record, but the memory of all parties.  I would think they especially want the transcripts where their employee Mr. Scott Greenspan is said to be“creepy” and “seedy” buried under the courthouse. 

They also want the public barred from any hearings about said jury stalking event. Well, of course they do!  They would like it if the jurors didn’t notice they had a creepy and seedy stalker but that ship has done sailed.

Apparently, on October 16, 2013 - shortly after the verdict, Judge Karalunas  called at least one juror back to court for a hearing.  I’m sure this judge wanted to hear more details of the jury stalking incident.   Heck yeah, I want to know just how far Mr. Greenspan went in his intimidating and harassing of the jurors during the 10 day trial.  What line did he not cross?  What lines did he cross without hesitation?  No doubt NUFIC/AIG wants the transcript between Judge Karalunas and the juror marked “Super Duper Top Secret”,

If there is anything that should NOT be sealed it would be this!  The public doesn’t need to know the jurors names or other person information — that should be redacted.  But, boy oh boy, the public sure needs to know the extent NUFIC/AIG will go to in order to deprive young children from being compensated for injury, pain and suffering at the hands of one of their insured.

AAPD Behavior Guidance Symposium Nov 2013

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, their Behavior Guidance Symposium “kicks” off today at their headquarters in Chicago.  I can simply not believe I was not invited to this event!  I should pay much closer attention to their event schedule in the future.

Frankly, I’m not sure why the AAPD even has the event, since apparently the AAPD and their “policy and guidelines” are of little value.  According to testimony from ethically challenged dentists involved in various malpractice lawsuits across the nation, he policy and guidelines are mere “suggestions”.

Attending the event will  garner you Continuing Education credits.  With the massive number of dentists working in the Medicaid dental mills, you would think they would need a venue such as McCormick Place or the United Center instead of the Westin Hotel.

Inside Edition puts spotlight on Happy Valley Pediatric Dentistry and The Smile Center

I’m sure Dr. Simpton of The Smile Center is popping a cork over this Inside Edition piece.  I’ve been a “victim” of Simpton’s cover-up, his attorney sent me a cease and desist letter, a year or two ago.  Why you ask?  Because I reposted a story or two out of Texas. I’ll be watching my mail for yet another one!

 

Airdate: 11/13/2013  Are Some Dentists Drilling For Dollars?

Going to the dentist is a scary proposition for many people. But imagine what it must be like for a child who goes to the dentist and comes out with a mouthful of metal crowns that may have been unnecessary.

When she was just four-years-old, Savannah’s mother Alicea White says she took her daughter to the Happy Valley Pediatric Dentistry in Phoenix, AZ for a routine appointment.

But Alicea says instead of just filing four cavities on Savannah, dentist Dr. Karan Nett turned Savannah’s mouth into a smile of steel.  

“I was completely shocked,” said Alicea. “All that silver in her mouth. I was like, ‘Oh my God, what happened?’”

Alicea says every single tooth in Savannah's mouth was crowned with metal!

People compared her new smile to the James Bond villain, Jaws.

Alicea said, “It broke my heart. I was in tears right along with her.”

Alicea believes Dr. Nett was just drilling for dollars; doing unnecessary and excessive work to jack up the bill.

INSIDE EDITION’s Lisa Guerrero tried to speak with her outside her clinic.

“I'd like to talk to you about a little girl whose mouth you filled with metal? Would you like to look at these pictures and explain these pictures?” Guerrero asked Dr. Nett as she walked to her car.

Dr. Nett did not respond to Guerrero but has denied any wrongdoing, saying the work was necessary due to Savannah's significant tooth decay.

It turns out that metal mouth cases like Savannah's are not rare.

One look at Maya Anderson's mouth and you can see why she falls to pieces reliving her traumatic trip to this dental chain in San Antonio, Texas called the Smile Center.

“I had 24 teeth worked on. All I have is like five teeth left. I’m sorry. He ground down my teeth so small they were like little stubs.”

The dentist who worked on Maya's teeth for eight hours is Dr. Mark Hong, and Maya's isn't the only patient who claims he drilled for dollars. 

On just five children, parents allege that Dr. Hong performed over 30 baby root canals and crowned over 50 teeth.

Maine DHHS may reduce fines for dentists–No danger there!

Paperwork mistakes is the number one excuse for fraud for heaven sake! 

 

November 12

Maine DHHS could reduce fines for dentists

Dentists complain about large fines by an auditor for minor clerical errors in MaineCare patient cases.

By Joe Lawlor jlawlor@pressherald.com
Staff Writer

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services could reduce or eliminate the controversial fines recently levied against dentists serving MaineCare patients, according to a contract between the agency and the independent auditor who issued the penalties.

Dr. Michael Dowling works on Aiden Serber, 8, of Westbrook, as dental hygenist Trisha Drewry assists at Falmouth Pediatric Dentistry in Falmouth.

Gabe Souza/Staff Photographer

Related Documents

Read Maine's contract with Health Management Services

The fines have been appealed and are in limbo awaiting DHHS rulings.

Dentists have complained to the Portland Press Herald that they were shocked to receive fines as large as $200,000 from new audits required under the federal Affordable Care Act. Statewide, the fines totaled about $800,000, and dentists have said they may have to close or sharply curtail services to low-income patients served under the MaineCare program if the fines are allowed to stand. The fines were based mostly on minor paperwork and coding errors, dentists have said, and the contract gives auditors financial incentives to penalize Medicaid providers for clerical errors.

“This has just been incredibly spiteful and petty,” said dentist Mark Zajkowski, of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates in South Portland. Zajkowski said his practice is facing a “substantial” fine. “The only thing this is going to do is disincentivize dentists serving MaineCare patients.”

While the ACA requires more comprehensive audits of Medicaid services, the specifics on how the audits are carried out and what types of penalties can be imposed are controlled by the states. In Maine, dental services are the first to be scrutinized by the new Medicaid audits, while hospitals are next on the list.

Dan DeRose–Soda in Schools King

Here is a “Blast From The Past” article on Small Smiles Dental Centers founder, Dan DeRose and his visions of sugar plums – Soda in Public Schools. This article was written during the period his dad, Eddie DeRose, formed DeRose Management, LLC.  DeRose Management, LLC was the precursor to FORBA, LLC — the “test” dental management company of sorts.

 

Today's Lesson: Soda Rights; Consultant Helps Schools Sell Themselves to Vendors

By CONSTANCE L. HAYS
Published: May 21, 1999

Dan DeRose, marketing consultant, was busy doing the math for his new client, the Newark Public Schools.

The question on everyone's mind: how much money could the district make if it sold a soft-drink company the exclusive right to vend its products on school grounds? The answer, according to Mr. DeRose: a lot more than it gets right now.

''Let's just say everyone drinks one product a day, and let's just count the students,'' he said. ''At 45,000 times 180 days of school, that's 8.1 million cans. At 75 cents apiece, that's $6 million walking out the front door of your school every year in quarters and dollars.

''Let's get a lot of it,'' he told his audience, a collection of school principals, athletic directors, P.T.A. officials and one student. ''Let's get some of it back to the schools.'' Even $5 million would make a difference in the district's $550 million budget.

With his square shoulders, steady smile and conscientious use of the first-person plural, Mr. DeRose and his company, DD Marketing, are storming a once-quiet backwater in the soft-drink business. Schools regard him as a font of information. Soft-drink companies, which used to make low-key deals on their terms with local school districts, hate him with a passion.

Ontario Teachers Union Pension Fund takes over My Dentist Complete Care Dentistry

 

According to reports, including the one at The City Wire, Heartland Dental has taken control of My Dentist Complete Care Dentistry, founded by the late Dr. Rodney Pat Steffan in Oklahoma City, OK. What reports fail to mention is who actually “controls” Heartland Dental.  That would be Ontario' Teachers Union Pension Fund.  According to Business Week, the union pension fund took over in December 2012, to the tune of $650 million.

 

“Heartland Dental’s vision and values align perfectly with the principles on which Dr. Steffen founded My Dentist,” stated Kevin Offel, My Dentist president and CEO said in a statement.

That is a scary statement for any and all My Dentist patients! 

The My Dentist locations will continue to use the same branding and signage now used.

 

This is what makes it so shady and hard to determine the ownership and control of these corporate mills. 

“Through our affiliation with Heartland Dental, I am confident we will continue operating My Dentist with the integrity and same caring heart we have always demonstrated,” Dr. Jennifer Chambers said. “I am personally excited as both a Clinical Director and a practicing dentist to carry-on the values and practices instilled in us with My Dentist while enhancing our capabilities going forward with our Heartland Dental affiliation.”

There is that word, ‘affiliation” again!  Jot down Dr. Jennifer Chambers’ name, I’m sure someone will need this information in the future.

 

The transaction is subject to certain regulatory and other approvals and is expected to be completed within 60 days. Upon completion of the transaction, My Dentist will be affiliated with a company that provides dental support services to more than 500 dental offices in 26 states.

Is CSHM, LLC taking full responsibility for all future legal actions against Small Smiles Dental Centers? You decide.

Update: 10-24-2013 10:58AM

On October 9, 2013 the so-called “new company” who owns and operates all the Small Smiles Dental Centers that have managed to remain open denounced its association with the so-called former owners and management company.  (see statement below)

In making this claim, they must also be taking full responsibility for any and all illegal activities and/or malpractice issues that could arise in the future, right?  As the below email suggests, those will be coming.

---

Hi - I have kept up with your site for a while now because honestly it was the only way to find out the "real" news on Small Smiles. I am former employee of Small Smiles in South Carolina. When I took the position I had NO clue what I was getting into. I resigned from my position due to the horrible reputation Small Smiles has and it was mentally exhausting to even go to work.

Small Smiles Dental Centers Release Statement RE: New York Malpractice Case #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, there is no mistake or confusion. It's the one and the same.  Creative financing and a few (very few) corporate heads rolling does not a completely different company make. Good try.

I suspect in the future we will see New FORBA and NEW NEW FORBA side by side in court just as we have Old FORBA and New FORBA today.

A dead fish by any other name still stinks.

PS. there is issue with jury being "stalked" so verdict is not set in stone.

AIG Operative Stalks Jurors in 1st Small Smiles Dental Center Malpractice Case

Remember when the American taxpayers (you) bailed out American International Group (AIG) to the tune of $185 BILLION dollars in 2008?  Remember the company’s offices were converged upon by angry Americans.  So much so, that in typical bully fashion they actually took the name off headquarters in New York City in order to “hide” their location.  .

The latest victim of AIG’s bullying is an 11 year old boy in Syracuse, New York and the jurors who were to decide how much this child should be compensated for their policy holders misdeeds. 

There were 30 trials on schedule in New York by former patients of Small Smiles Dental Centers.  Many of these patients were 2, 3 and 4 years old when they victims of the clinics formerly located in Syracuse, Albany and Rochester.  There is much information about Small Smiles Dental Centers and their so called “management company” on the web and this blog, so I’m not going to bore anyone with more of that.

The first of the 30 trials finally made it to a jury October 7, 2013.  The complaint was filed in April of 2011 against, Edward DeRose, Michael DeRose, Dan DeRose, William Mueller, Adolph Padula, Michael Roumph, Dr. Naveed Aman, Dr. Koury Bonds, Dr. Yaqoob Khan and more, plus a host of dummy corporations set up to hide the true ownership of the clinics and make it difficult to track the hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained Medicaid money they pocketed.

After trying to bury two judges and the attorneys representing the little boy—now 11 years old—in mountains (and I do mean mountains) of ridiculous pleadings, testimony finally began September 23, 2013 in Syracuse. 

The trial lasted for 2 1/2 weeks.  You can read all the transcripts here. I urge you to take time to read them.  It’s more entertaining than anything on television this fall and better read than any book on The Times Best Seller list since 50 Shades of Grey—however I do think the transcripts and the book could carry the same title.  There was a lot of shadiness happening in that courthouse and the testimony from the accused had more twists of the truth than a pretzel factory and there were so many bodies being thrown under the bus, the courtroom could have doubled for a Greyhound bus station.