Aspen settles with former employee who was assaulted by her supervisor

By Tony Lystra / The Daily News

Columbia, Oregon

Aspen dental, former employee reach settlement on eve of trial

A Longview dental clinic has reached a settlement with a former employee who claimed that she had a mental breakdown after her supervisor assaulted her in the workplace.

The settlement, the terms of which were not disclosed, came on Monday, the day the case was scheduled for a civil jury trial in Cowlitz County Superior Court.

Crystal M. Manes, who had been working as a dental assistant in Aspen Dental’s Ocean Beach Highway branch, sued the company, saying her supervisor slapped her on the arm on April 21, 2010. Manes said she had come to work early that day and, at around 5 p.m., informed the supervisor, Jessica Scruggs, that she was leaving for the day. Scruggs became angry because there were still patients waiting to be seen and, with an open palm, struck Manes in the left arm declaring, “Well then, go home,” according to the suit.

Aspen Dental’s attorneys contended that Scruggs may have touched Manes only while gesturing and that the impact could not have been enough to cause an injury.

Manes, however, said a black and blue bruise appeared on her arm that evening. Manes also said that she was later prescribed Xanax for panic attacks, according to court documents. On May 8, 2010, Manes was admitted to St. John Medical Center after “the combination of panic attacks and a reaction to the Xanax medication caused (her) to have a mental breakdown,” according to Manes’ lawsuit.

Manes, who was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder resulting from the incident, sued Aspen Dental for medical expenses, lost wages and “general damages,” court documents said.

Manes’ attorney, David Nelson of Longview, declined to disclose the terms of the settlement. Aspen Dental’s attorney, Douglas Parker of the firm Littler Mendelson in Portland, did not return a phone call Wednesday.

Aspen Dental is a national chain of dental offices with 340 branches in 22 states, according to the company’s public relations department.

Dr. Sang Hyuk Park arrested for more sexual assaults day before court appearance.

Dentist pleads not guilty in sex abuse case

By VICTOR A. PATTON - vpatton@mercedsunstar.com

MERCED -- Merced dentist Sang Hyuk Park pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Merced County Superior Court to allegations that he sexually abused four women.

Dressed in a business suit, Park, 43, left the courtroom after the brief hearing, declining questions from reporters.

Merced police arrested Park, a Stockton resident, at his 3040 Park Ave. office Tuesday afternoon on five counts of sexual battery and one count of sexual penetration. He was released from jail after posting bail Tuesday evening.

Sang Hyuk Park

After Wednesday's hearing, Park's attorney Thomas Johnson said his client is a highly competent dentist who's innocent of the charges. Johnson questioned why his client was arrested on Tuesday, when he was already scheduled to appear in court today for his arraignment hearing.

"Dr. Park is not guilty of the charges and the investigation has been unusual, at best," he said. "Everything the office of the district attorney is doing seems like a thinly veiled attempt to get him into custody prior to the case being heard."

In response to Johnson's claim about the investigation, Chief Deputy District Attorney Rob Carroll said his office is very confident with the evidence police obtained.

Private Equity Firms warn Texas Dental Association to leave our “glory hole” alone

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Stressing the need for Texas dentists to work together to help public officials curb Medicaid fraud and expand access to affordable, high-quality dental care, dentists from throughout Texas recently sent a letter to the Texas Dental Association (TDA) concerning its recent testimony before the Texas House Public Health Committee.

The letter, signed by more than 60 Texas dentists from across the state, takes issue with the October 15th testimony of Dr. Richard Black before the committee. Dr. Black, on behalf of TDA, made what the dentists characterized as "troubling" and "unsubstantiated statements" pertaining to Texas dentists' 30-year history of utilizing non-clinical administrative support services that enable them to spend more time with patients and less time on administrative tasks.

"As one might expect," the letter says, "the committee members pressed Dr. Black for evidence that would substantiate his accusations. Rather than offer any, Dr. Black instead called for legislation that would impose additional regulations and restrict dentists' access to non-clinical administrative support services."

Like the medical support services provided to physicians for decades, the letter explains, dental support services include facility maintenance, supply procurement, scheduling support, as well as accounting and marketing services: "Contracting for such non-clinical administrative services enables dentists like us to devote more time to the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective dental care to patients and spend less time on administrative duties. In addition, contracting with DSOs enables us to benefit from their economies of scale and bring state-of-the-art technology to our patients and communities, thereby improving patient access, safety, outcomes and convenience."

Gentle Dental in more hot water

New Jersey State Comptroller Statement

November 20, 2012 -- The New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) is seeking recoveries from a dental practice that forged Medicaid reimbursement documents to conceal that its owner, who was no longer physically able to treat patients, had been replaced with a dentist who was debarred from the Medicaid program.

Anicia Cruz-Sledge assumed control of the Gentle Dental Group in East Orange in 2007 after her husband, the owner and primary dentist for the practice, suffered a medical condition that left him incapacitated and no longer able to treat patients, according to a notice filed by the OSC's office.

The investigation by OSC's Medicaid Fraud Division found that Gentle Dental submitted Medicaid reimbursement claims using the individual Medicaid provider number of her husband, Edward Sledge, DMD; signatures purporting to be from Dr. Sledge; and certification forms stating that Dr. Sledge had performed the medical services in question.

However, those services were actually provided by Carl McGloster, DDS, a dentist hired by Cruz-Sledge to treat patients at the dental practice although he was debarred from participating in the Medicaid program. According to the OSC, Cruz-Sledge admitted to OSC investigators that she signed her husband's name on the reimbursement claim forms submitted to the state even though her husband did not treat the patients. OSC investigators also determined that Cruz-Sledge continued to order new prescription pads under her husband's name long after he became incapacitated.

Read the entire story - http://www.drbicuspid.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=pmt&pag=dis&itemId=312051

Former dentists, Gary Anusavice in a hole of no return? It’s looking like.

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) — North Kingstown officials say FBI agents will be joining local authorities in investigating a fire at a vacant million-dollar home whose last two owners were charged with fraud.

The 8,100-square-foot house on Potter Road was gutted in Friday's fire. The cause isn't clear yet. One firefighter who responded was taken to a hospital with chest pains, but was later discharged.

Fire Chief Fenwick Gardiner Jr. told The Providence Journal (http://bit.ly/Tm3mKw ) that FBI officials will be helping with the investigation. He didn't elaborate.

The home's last owner was a company controlled by Gary Anusavice, a former dentist now awaiting trial in an alleged $20 million Medicaid fraud scheme. The owner before Anusavice was Antonio Giordano, who was sentenced to one year in prison in 2007 for embezzling from nursing homes.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/FBI-to-join-probe-of-North-Kingstown-fire-4065070.php#ixzz2DMWPxnq7

Former employee of dentist arrested on bad checks charges speaks out

http://wtkr.com/2012/11/21/former-employee-of-dentist-arrested-on-bad-checks-charges-speaks-out/

Video included

Dentist Derrick Broadaway is facing four felony bad checks charges.

It is a direct result of Andrea Ross and another former employee taking action to press charges.

Ross came to NewsChannel 3 when thousands of dollars’ worth of paychecks from Broadaway’s dentistry kept bouncing after close to 17 years there.

The dentistry’s former business manager says she quit when Broadaway wouldn’t make good on the checks.

Friday, Broadaway turned himself in to Chesapeake police.

Authorities released him on bond.

NewsChannel 3 began investigating Broadaway for the bounced checks.

Our investigation into Broadaway’s bad checks led us to his checkered history with the Board of Dentistry. 

This summer, the board suspended him for 60 days and fined him 20,000 dollars. The decision was made partially because of questionable root canal work done on Rosemary Rogers.

We have also learned that Broadaway is facing three medical malpractice lawsuits.

Former patients claimed he left them “disfigured” and “permanently injured.”

Related:

Chesapeake dentist accused of giving out bad checks turns himself in to police

Former patient of suspended Chesapeake dentist speaks out

Employees take action against dentist accused of handing out bad checks

Chesapeake dentist faces millions in medical malpractice lawsuits

Chesapeake dentist blasted for bounced paychecks

More glaring evidence the California Dental Board is useless

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/11/20/cbs2-investigation-patients-claim-oc-dentist-didnt-give-them-care-they-paid-for/

NEWPORT BEACH (CBS2) – Several patients are accusing an Orange County dentist of charging them thousands of dollars for dental implants and subsequently never responding to their calls for help.

CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein discovered those patients never knew the California Dental Board filed a complaint last year against Dr. Thomas Teich. He was also found negligent this May in a medical malpractice lawsuit where the patient died.

That’s not all: Teich had served time in prison for mail fraud.

The dentist refused to comment on the allegations and the dental board’s complaint.

“Doctor, we’ve talked to a number of your patients who say they’ve been abandoned by you after paying you tens of thousands of dollars. How can you do that? How can you abandon these people?” Goldstein said.

Several patients who went to Teich’s Newport Beach office said the experience was nothing to smile about.

Sexual Assault at Kool Smiles–Lilburn, GA

http://lilburn.patch.com/articles/lilburn-police-blotter-city-of-lilburn-nov-11-nov-17

What’s Moodys got to say about Aspen Dental?

http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PR_204721

"Aspen affiliates with its dentists through two models: the staffing model and the practice ownership program ("POP"). Under the staffing model (~55% of offices), dentists are at-will employees of affiliated PCs, where the PCs own the medical records, patient lists, and operating records. Under the POP model (~45% of offices), dentists purchase the medical records from the PC to essentially own their own practice. The company's audited financials do not consolidate the POP practices. Audited revenues for the twelve months ended December 31, 2009 approximated $260 million. The consolidated (unaudited) revenues for all Aspen branded dental offices, including POP offices, approximated $322 million over the same period."

Note: Moodys reports approx 55% of Aspen Dental offices have dentists as employees ("staffing model"). Moodys reports approx 45% operate under the POP model, where dentists purchase the "medical records". Although these doctors "essentially own their own practice", they can't freely sell this practice, nor dismiss Aspen Dental as a DMO, as might a true owner. There exists a serious difference between "essential ownership", versus true & valid ownership.

When Leonard Green purchased Aspen Dental they utilized GE Capital.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-06/aspen-dental-s-loan-for-leonard-green-dividend-rises-in-trading.html

The same GE Capital which runs CareCredit, which operates the consumer 3rd party payment system for Aspen Dental. This seems like a pretty tight relationship, & something which may merit further investigation?

From Aspen Dental corporate marketing on POP:

http://www.aspendental.com/news/2009/09/17/aspen’s-practice-ownership-program-pop-has-dr-timothy-owczarzak-in-a-“perfect-situation”/

An Aspen Dental President & "owner" of 2 Aspen Dental clinics, Dr Owczarak comments, "...Owning your own practice is a totally different animal. When you’re in private practice it seems like it’s 20% dentistry and 80% business. I simply became tired of it.”.

He later goes on to say about his POP position w/ Aspen Dental, "This has been a winning situation all the way around. I own a practice...". In reality, he doesn't own a practice.  Dr Owczarak may own a practice under the definition of ownership of Aspen Dental, but not true & valid ownership, under the legal definition of ownership. This misrepresentation proffered to dentists in this Aspen Dental marketing effort isn't very subtle nor sophisticated.

How cocky are Medicaid dental mill dentists feeling these days? Robin Lockwood of Ocean Dental–Stillwater, OK fought the law, and the law won.

ATTN: All Corporate Dentists

She had all the goods to be successful in life. Lockwood is a dentist; once was a promising inventor, she actually has a brother in Arkansas who is a minister. But she is STUPID!

This woman, decided it was better to abuse children, tie them up in papoose boards, do unnecessary dental procedures with little to no anesthesia and steal every penny should could from each taxpayer in America, instead of caring for her family and being the medical professional her parents sacrificed for her to become.

She chose to commit Medicaid fraud for her employer - Chad Brandon Hoecker, DDS. She chose abusing children, strapping them to papoose boards, over-treating and much worse to help her boss fuel his jet and live “high on the hog” as they say.

She also chose Federal prison. Robin Lockwood is going to be spending 18 very long months in Federal prison, plus pay $375,000 in restitution. Why? Because she bought into the corporate dental scam that has infected damn near every state. 

This was a plea deal, so imagine the goods they have on this woman!

Even the most hardened criminals have trouble stomaching those who abuse children. Pretty as she is, and ripe for the picking, I’m betting her cellmates are not going to like what she’s done to low income children. Many of whom may belong to her new cellmates. 

November 15, 2012

OKLAHOMA CITY—Robin R. Lockwood, 44, a dentist from Oklahoma City, was sentenced last week to serve 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to committing health care fraud, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. In addition, Lockwood was ordered to pay $375,672.27 in restitution to Medicaid.

Lockwood is a dentist licensed to practice in the state of Oklahoma and was employed under contract by Ocean Dental at offices located at 1610 Southwest 74th Avenue in  Oklahoma City. Ocean Dental’s dentists provided dental care to Medicaid-eligible children. The Medicaid Program is a cooperative program that provides federal and state funds to pay for health care benefits for individuals with insufficient incomes to meet the costs of necessary medical expenses. In Oklahoma, Medicaid is administered as “SoonerCare” by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA), a state governmental agency. Ocean Dental submitted claims to the OHCA for reimbursement of dentists’ services based on patient treatment notes created by the dentists. Ocean Dental paid Lockwood a percentage of the funds that OHCA reimbursed to Ocean Dental for services she personally rendered.

The information alleged that from July 1, 2007 through December 31, 2010, Lockwood engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicaid by submitting claims for dental services that she did not provide. Specifically, Lockwood recorded in the patient’s treatment notes that she had placed dental restorations on certain teeth when, in fact, she had not treated the teeth at all. On other teeth, Lockwood recorded that she had placed dental restorations on more surfaces of the tooth than she had, in fact, restored or recorded that she had placed a dental restoration on the tooth when, in fact, she had placed on the tooth a type of treatment that is non-reimbursable by Medicaid. Lockwood used the proceeds of the fraud for her own personal benefit.

Lockwood pled guilty on July 11, 2012.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, and the State of Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Maxfield Green.

Related:

Robin Lockwood, DDS