The Smile Center in San Antonio, Texas Under Investigation

WOAI TV

Published: 9/07 4:05 pm

Updated: 9/08 10:04 am


The Smile Center Investigation
Posted on 09/08/2011 by bcollister
A criminal investigation is underway into a chain of dental clinics here in San Antonio that targets children on Medicaid.  This comes after I uncovered complaints of poor treatment at The Smile Center.
The Texas Attorney General now confirms it has launched criminal and civil investigations into The Smile Center.
The Attorney General’s office wants to know if the clinics defrauded Medicaid by billing for dental work that did not need to be done.  I’ve been reporting since February about complaints from parents who say the clinics did unnecessary and shoddy work on their children.
These parents were unhappy with dental work done on their children and paid with millions of your tax dollars through Medicaid.
A representative from the Attorney General’s office confirms it’s Medicaid fraud control unit has 180 bankers boxes of records taken from The Smile Center locations here in San Antonio.  The agency’s civil Medicaid department has also filed a complaint in civil court against the business. But we don’t know what’s in that complaint because it’s sealed.

Medicare fraud strike force charges 91 individuals for approximately $295 million in false billing

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2011

Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343

Medicare fraud strike force charges 91 individuals for approximately $295 million in false billing

WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in eight cities has resulted in charges against 91 defendants, including doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $295 million in false billing. 

Attorney General Holder and Secretary Sebelius were joined in the announcement by FBI Executive Assistant Director Shawn Henry, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HHS Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson.

Busy week for wasteful and abusive dentistry in the news–Corporations should be feeling the heat about now

In Rick Perry's Texas: Medicaid Is Wasting Millions -- On Braces

Sat, 09/03/2011 - 12:22am — Joe Conason

Republican presidential frontrunner Rick Perry complains constantly about Washington’s “culture of runaway spending,” wasteful government programs, and federal intrusions into the affairs of the states. In Fed Up, the book he published last year, the Texas governor bitterly criticizes Medicare (which he terms “unconstitutional”) as well as the health care reforms passed by President Obama and by Mitt Romney in Massachusetts, which he regards as infringements on freedom.

Before Perry goes after Romney and Obama on medical spending, however, perhaps he ought to try putting his own state’s government in order first. According to a new investigation by a Dallas television station, the Medicaid program in Texas – overseen by Perry – is wasting millions of dollars annually on orthodontic braces for children who may not even need them.

But the story gets worse: Texas Medicaid wasting big money on unnecessary braces due to lax regulation by the state –and those millions are going straight to for-profit clinics owned by hedge funds.

Reviewing Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA’s investigation, health care expert Trudy Lieberman explains in the Columbia Journalism Review how the teeth of poor children in Texas became a golden opportunity for wealthy investors on Wall Street. Last year, the state spent more than $184 million to provide braces for 120,000 children – many of whom apparently did not qualify for orthodontic care under the state’s own criteria, according to WFAA investigative reporter Byron Harris. That is more than twice as much as Texas spent on the same program three years ago –and the same amount as all of the other 49 states combined.

“Judging by the increased payouts,” Harris noted, “the teeth of Texas children are growing more crooked each year.”

Read complete story here

Corporate dentistry receiving a lot of press lately isn’t it?

Columbia Journalism Review:

Golden Teeth
Dallas’s WFAA shows crooked Medicaid spending on orthodontia
by Trudy Lieberman

These days it’s rare for local TV stations to produce anything resembling an expose. With their steady diet of crime, weather, and canned medical news, there just isn’t room for the hard reporting. WFAA, the ABC affiliate in Dallas, has earned a reputation as a notable exception. Throughout the summer, the station and its investigative reporter Byron Harris have taken on the Texas Medicaid agency and its spending spree for braces for poor kids.

Now there’s nothing wrong with these children getting braces. Many, no doubt, will benefit in the long run. The problem, Harris reported, is that last year the state paid more than $184 million—nearly double the amount it spent in 2008—to supply braces for 120,000 kids, some of whom may not have met the state’s criteria for orthodontic work.

Read the full article at CJR

Kids Dental Place in Phoenix Arizona–Moses’ story

On Thursday morning of August 12, 2011 I received this email.  It was sent from a frantic mom.  No one can tell the story better than she can, so his is Moses’ story. Moses was seen by Dr. Joseph Nielson.

Moses O

You are God sent!  I found your blog last night while I was googling dentist torture. I need your help and advise. 
Yesterday while I was at work my mother took my son to the dentist (Kids Dental Place on Indian School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016) He had NINE root canals, not to mention crowns and other unnecessary work that was preformed.

 His face and lips are swollen and he is all bruised up inside and outside his mouth. He also has scratches on his arms and imprints on his arm from where they strapped him down. 
I had NO IDEA that no parents are allowed in the back or else I wouldn't have brought him there!  My mother thought she was coming in for a couple of fillings turned into NINE root canals.  I am so horrified.

Can you give me some wisdom or guidance on what to do?
I spoke to the office manager and she was basically like "who cares" and he does Nine root canals all the time, like it is no big deal!!!  This is so unacceptable, who sits and get nine root canals in one sitting?? My poor baby. 

My son also told me that they did not give him any pain medication that he as crying the whole time! And that the densest was very mean!  My son does not lie either and is a vey smart boy for his age (4).
Thanks a million!

I asked Moses’ mom if she could send me any pictures of his injuries and asked if she had gotten his charts from Kids Dental Place. 

Parents Protest in front of Dr. Edward Dove’s office

 

This exact same thing is happening to 1,000’s of children every day in the Medicaid dental mills such as Small Smiles, Kool Smiles and the like!  The less fortunate children deserve a voice too, that’s why this site is here.

I’d love to see the masses at these clinics!

Parents telling their horror stories of Dr. Edward Dove after dad creates Facebook page and Dr. Bicuspid promoted it. Thanks to everyone who helped get this out to the masses.

Reposting the stories from the facebook page, just incase they magically disappear! 

Holly Cordova
On Wednesday August 24th I took my 6 year old son to Dr. Dove's office. He drank their "kiddie martini" and 9:40 in the morning and I was told they would take him back in 30 minutes. An hour went by and I asked if they had forgotten us.

The lady informed me no they hadn't forgotten us that things had come up. Almost another hour went by and they finally took him back. He didn't seem very sedated at all anymore. They called my name 30 minutes later to get him. He was crying a lot and I could tell something was wrong.

When we started driving away we were trying to comfort him and let him know everything was ok now. He managed to choke out that Dr. Dove was mean to him.

He said every time he would cry Dr. Dove would yell at him to quit crying. Later that evening he asked my daughter at the dinner table if she wanted to know what else they do at that dental office and he said they hurt you.

Akasmse Rose Tecumseh died in August 2010, Brayden was the lucky one that day. Here is Brayden's story.

Brayden’s mom sent me this yesterday, August 30, 2011 and asked that I tell this story and help how ever I can.  With that said, here is her son’s brush with death.

Brayden

Hello my name is Ashley and I am writing in hopes that you might be able to inform your readers and possibly direct me as to where to go . You see my son Brayden was also having work done on his teeth Aug. 12,  2010 at Dr. Charles Keithline's office, Tulsa Oklahoma,  although it was not Dr. Keithline that did Brayden’s or the little girls procedure.  He was supposed to but decided last minute to go on some sort of retreat with his wife also his office manage .

Dr. Ryan Roberts, Dr. Keithline’s associate in the office performed the procedures,  There was only 2 patients they were seeing that day her and my son. I can not get that day out of my head no matter how hard I try. The little girl was already in the room having her teeth worked on but I seen her being carried out by her mother and she was soooo- limp ...... I blame myself as well because I had a nagging feeling to just cancel his appointment and go home but I thought it is his first year in school and I wouldn't want him to have to miss school better to get it over with ( I will NEVER not listen to my instincts again ).

In reference to Facebook group “Bakersfield Dentist DOES NOT ROCK!!!- Does it begin and end with the dental boards?

 

I'm finding all kinds of problems with the dental community, most of which starts with state dental boards.  They are not there to keep the public safe, they exist to protect incompetent dentists and wall street corporations.

In most states the Executive Director is NOT a dentist, nor ever has been.  Most are appointed by bureaucratic state administrations; a friend of a friend recommended them to the governor and so forth.  However those "friends" are lobbyist!  After appointment, they are seldom removed from office.

New "board members" are elected, but those member only meet once a month, sometimes less and do the business recommended by the Executive Director, who is there to draw a paycheck and little more.  People are mislead into believing dental boards administer testing for new graduates to measure their competence, that is NOT the case any longer.

I hate Dr. Dove of Bakersfield Facebook Group going viral

UPDATE:
September 1, 2011
8:00 CSTMr. Cook has started another group under a new name – Bakersfield Dentist DOES NOT ROCK!!
Was Dr. Edward Dove trained at one of the Corporate dental mills infecting the nation?
UPDATE:
September 1, 2011
6:00 AM CST
I dunno, but I’m thinkin’ this has now become a HUGE story.
It appears as of this morning Facebook decided Free Speech is NOT for them.  After 40 or more complaints about Dr. Dove of Bakersfield reciting the same issues, Facebook took down Mr. Cook’s facebook group!!
If 40 parents posted similar stories about Dr. Dove in a period of a couple of days, imagine the real number of abused patients!  Facebook should be supporting Mr. Cook, not dissuading other victims from speaking out! 
Facebook, you can take down Mr. Cook’s page but it does not change the facts.
Mr. Cook, you have my full support and so do all the other’s who are being silenced! 
Another group has started “Let’s Investigate Dr. Dover”.  You can join it here!
August 31, 2011
A very upset parent has created a facebook group.  Here is the link to the group.
This is the parent’s post:

This past Monday which was August 22nd I took my 5 year old son to have a tooth that I was told needed to be extracted. After arriving at the office my son was given a sedative by mouth in a small cup to drink. He immediately threw up at least 50% of the mixture. I was told to keep an eye on him as he might have vomited it up and it not work.
After approximately 15 minutes a nurse came to me and my son and she wanted to take him in the back for the procedure. He was not ready and he was still very alert. I told the nurse this and she informed me she was only going to be taking x-rays and would be back shortly with him.
Ten to 15 minutes later a nurse comes from the back frantically calling for me and I can now hear my son screaming my name. I rushed to the back and he was being held down by the shoulders by 3-4 nurses and I snatched him up very quickly. He had blood coming from his mouth and was wet from head to toe.