Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Corporate dentistry criticized for unethical practices, unnecessary procedures
by Eddie Burkhalter
eburkhalter@annistonstar.com
Jul 28, 2013
When Quintoya Seawright’s 3-year-old daughter, Destiny, chipped a baby tooth in November 2010, the young mother took her to the Small Smiles clinic in Montgomery. Quintoya, 25, would end up taking her daughter to the clinic four times that month.
On the last visit on Nov. 9, her daughter was strapped to a board for an hour while the dentist struggled to place two stainless steel caps on baby teeth while her daughter screamed and struggled, saying she could still feel it, the family said.
But without much money, the young mother had to rely on Medicaid to pay for her daughter’s care. Small Smiles specializes in treating children eligible for Medicaid. The company operates another clinic in Dothan.
The large dental chain is owned by a private equity firm and is managed by Nashville-based CSHM LLC. A report released by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee last week claims Small Smiles and clinics like it are motivated by profit, often performing unnecessary procedures, and should be removed from the Medicaid program.
The report also says the clinics are operating in violation of laws in 22 states, including Alabama, that ban anyone other than a licensed dentist from owning a practice. The report states that CSHM actually owns and operates the clinics, and not the “owner” dentists the company enlists to skirt to get around those state laws.
Quintoya said she was never allowed to go back with her daughter to watch the procedures at Small Smiles, but the 3-year-old girl’s grandmother, Sophia, demanded she be allowed on the girl’s last trip.
Destiny began pulling at her mouth, so workers strapped her arms and legs to the board, then the dentist struggled for an hour to place the two caps on the tiny baby teeth while Destiny “kept saying she still felt it. He said, ‘No. She’s numb. It’s just the noise,’” said Sophia.
“Her heart was just beating so fast,” Sophia said. “The lady was holding her head down and was trying to get her to open her mouth by squeezing her nose.”
Destiny had a total of five stainless steel caps placed on baby teeth over four visits. One cap fell out along with the tooth a couple weeks later. Quintoya said she never heard the dentist say her daughter had cavities in those teeth, but he said the caps would help prevent them from forming.
“I’m not sure if it was a necessity to have all those silver things in her mouth,” Sophia said.
Read more: Anniston Star - Corporate dentistry criticized for unethical practices unnecessary procedures
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Anniston Star reports on Small Smiles and Aspen Dental Operating in Alabama
Don’t miss this is an in-depth report. Mr. Burkhalter asks some hard questions, the answers didn’t surprise me. Standard responses expected.
“We didn’t do it”
“We didn’t know it”
“It’s not our problem”
Alabama dental clinics operating illegally, Senate report says
by Eddie Burkhalter
eburkhalter@annistonstar.com
07.25.13 - 08:04 am
Several Alabama dental clinics are operating in violation of state law, and are putting profits before patient care, according to a report released this week by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.
Those clinics are performing unnecessary procedures to pay the corporate investors that own the clinics, the report states. The report recommends that state and federal agencies end that practice by enforcing existing laws.
The 1,500-page report, put out by Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Max Baucus, D-Mont., marks the end of a two-year investigation into the practice of corporate dentistry by the staff of the Senate’s Committee on Finance.
Among the companies investigated was Aspen Dental, a nationwide chain of dental clinics that is opening an office in Oxford this year.
Small Smiles dental clinic — one of the largest dental chains in the U.S. — operates clinics in Dothan and Montgomery, and is the center of much of the Senate investigation and report.
According to the report, Small Smiles, managed by Nashville-based Church Street Health Management, skirts laws in states — including Alabama’s Dental Practice Act — that ban dental clinics from being owned by anyone other than a licensed dentist.
The company does that by entering into contracts with “owner” dentists licensed in the state in which the clinic operates, according to the report. CSHM claims to only manage the clinics, the report’s authors write.
But the company retains control of daily operation, according to the report, from hiring, firing and training staff to controlling the bank account and setting production goals that require dentists to treat large numbers of mostly low-income children eligible for Medicaid.
Read the rest of this in-depth report here. Don’t forget to make your comments.
WTAE Pittsburgh Reports on Senate Investigation of Small Smiles Dental Clinics and Reachout Healthcare America
Report: No more Medicaid for Small Smiles
Jul 24, 2013
PITTSBURGH —A blistering report says taxpayer dollars are being wasted at a national chain of dental clinics, including one in Pittsburgh
The Senate began its probe following a Channel 4 Action News investigation into the Small Smiles dental clinic.
The clinics have been accused of performing unnecessary procedures on children to get more taxpayer money from Medicaid.
In its report, the Senate Finance Committee says that is still going on and so Small Smiles should not get more money from Medicaid.
None of the families interviewed outside the Small Smiles clinic in East Liberty were aware of the Senate report.
After learning of the report, the Bagley family had second thoughts about the surgery being planned for 5-year-old Christopher.
Read more and see video report, along with other investigations of Small Smiles by WATE here: http://www.wtae.com/news/local/investigations/senate-report-says-small-smiles-dental-clinics-wasting-taxpayer-money/-/12023024/21150480/-/n6efhkz/-/index.html#ixzz2a4MbwQOF
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Another WFAA – Byron Harris report on All Smiles Dental Centers and Dr. Richard Malouf
July 23, 2013
by BYRON HARRIS
WFAA
Posted on July 23, 2013 at 10:10 PM
Updated today at 2:46 AM
DALLAS –– An unprecedented release of documents by the Dallas County District Attorney’s office tracks the investigation of All Smiles Dental Centers (ASDC) for eight years and illustrates how local, state and federal officials responded to information and complaints about the clinics.
Dr. Richard Malouf and his wife Leann displayed the trappings of wealth as owners of ASDC, as their clinics treated children under the Texas Medicaid dental program. D Magazine named their mansion as one of the city’s 40 largest. A private water park and pair of corporate jets were theirs to enjoy as well.
News 8 obtained hundreds of pages of documents in the investigation of Malouf and his former company, All Smiles Dental Centers, under the Texas Public Information Act.
Read the entire story at WFAA Website Here
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Senators’ Report Reveals Oxon Hill Maryland Small Smiles As Bad Today As It Was In The Beginning.
Despite signing a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the US Government in 2010 Small Smiles Dental Centers continue with their fraud and abuse of children as reported in The Joint Staff Report On The Corporate Practice of Dentistry In The Medicaid Program issued by Committee on Finance United States Senate, Max Bacus,Chairman and Committee On The Judiciary United States Senate, Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member, July 2013.
(Despite the 1,500 pages in the report only pages 1-33 (5-37 of the pdf file) are the findings and recommendations, the rest are exhibits
Oxon Hill Maryland
Oxon Hill, Maryland was one of the dental centers reported on in 2007 which brought Small Smiles Dental Centers to the public’s attention. It’s been 6 years and appears nothing has changed much. Here is just some of what the Joint Senate report says about the Oxon Hill Small Smiles Clinic:
Senators Max Baucus and Chuck Grassley issue 1,500 page joint report calling for corporate Medicaid dental clinics to be ousted from the program
The story accompanying the release of the Joint Staff Report On The Corporate Practice of Dentistry In The Medicaid Program can be found at The Center for Public Integrity, here. In David Heath’s story, he reports the new owners Small Smiles Dental Centers state the following: “only five of the 20 inspection reports mentioned in the Senate report fell under its watch.”and
…"We've taken action to help CSHM improve its quality of care and management,"and
…“The new team immediately initiated an aggressive turnaround effort premised on patient care, clinical excellence and regulatory compliance,” the company said.Well, that’s nothing to be crowing about, since the “new management” only legally acquired the company 13 months ago putting a guy by the name of David R. Wilson in charge. That was in June of 2012, (13 months ago) so 1/4 of the inspections mentioned in Bacus/Grassley report took place under their watch. This is not a good record in my opinion — heck it’s as bad if not worse than the Michael Lindley/Al Smith or DeRose Family regimes. Nor it does it demonstrate anything close to “an aggressive turnaround effort on patient care”. What it does demonstrate, however, is “business as usual”.
CPI also reports twice last year the OIG threatened to shut Small Smiles out of the Medicaid program.
“Twice last year the HHS inspector general threatened to exclude Small Smiles from the Medicaid program. But in a letter to Grassley and Baucus, Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson said Small Smiles fixed the problems by selling the Manassas clinic, paying a $100,000 penalty and addressing other concerns.”
Now, did CSHM actually “sell” the Manassas, Virginia clinic? That is highly suspect! A guy out of Idaho left his own practice and moved his entire family to Virginia and slapped his name on the place, calling it Kids and Family Dentistry. 
Coincidently, at the exact same time, the Small Smiles flagship clinic in Pueblo, Colorado changed it’s name to Family and Kids Dentistry, making the “owner” the same guy who was the lead dentist working for Small Smiles at the time. (Logos have a odd resemblance about them, don’t they?) Anyone taking bets on whether the DeRose family — founders of Small Smiles —are somehow still involved with these two clinics?As for the $100,000 penalty, that didn’t even cover 1/2 of the amount scammed in the x-ray scam in just one Colorado Small Smiles. What would add insult to injury is it was probably on a payment plan, like the $24 million settlement in 2010.
The Bacus/Grassley report includes independent monitor reports on Small Smiles Phoenix, Arizona, Manassas, Virginia, Oxon Hill, Maryland and Youngstown, Ohio and others. Small Smiles signed a Corporate Integrity Agreement with OIG in January 2010 agreeing to 63 pages of terms and conditions, including self-reporting. Of course the “independent monitor” can only report on what they find. But what about what they don’t find?
I’ve not come close to reading the entire report just yet, but so far I’ve not read anything about the $200K x-ray scam in one of Colorado clinic that was NEVER self-reported, or the fact that a corporate staffer took the necessary Continuing Education courses to get the lead dentist in Mishawaka, Indiana credentialed in Indiana, making her effectively non-licensed to practice in Indiana to this very day or a host of other illegal activities going on behind the closed doors at Small Smiles Dental Centers and Church Street Health Management (CSHM). I doubt I find these things in the report, but you can find them here if you look.
It’s scary to think state dental boards and state Medicaid programs have not only turned a blind eye to the child abuse, but promoted and encouraged it. Those of us following this industry also know this is just the tip of the iceberg.
More on this eye opening report in the coming days. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to read The Joint Staff Report On The Corporate Practice of Dentistry In The Medicaid Program and evidence attached by clicking here .
Friday, July 19, 2013
So a man poses as a dentist, corporations do it, so why not?
Unlicensed Boca Raton dentist claims 6,000 patients, deputies say
A dentist who isn't licensed in Florida told an undercover sheriff's deputy that his underground Boca Raton practice has 6,000 patients, deputies said. Ubaldo Bittencourt, 62, only sees fellow Brazilians who speak Portuguese, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrest report.
As a rule, the "very cautious" Bittencourt, a dentist in his native Brazil, doesn't answer his phone, preferring instead to return voice mails within 24 hours.
So when an undercover deputy called him on May 29 as part of an investigation, leaving a message in Portuguese, the unlicensed dentist called back, deputies said.
On Thursday, the dentist was arrested, his capture the culmination of a probe that began when the Sheriff's Office received a complaint about him on March 1.
Read the rest with video here
Thursday, July 18, 2013
WARNING to all crooked dentists - 29 patients receive $35 million dollar award for unnecessary root canals–Read it and weep!
$35 million awarded to 29 Seattle-area patients for root canals
SEATTLE — More than two dozen patients of a former Seattle-area dentist accused of performing hundreds of unnecessary root canals have been awarded $35 million in an arbitration proceeding.Former King County Superior Court Judge Paris Kallas issued that award Wednesday.
The judge found that Henri Duyzend was negligent, failed to obtain informed consent from patients, committed fraud and violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act, The Seattle Times reported.
A sworn affidavit from Dr. David To said Duyzend performed nearly 2,200 root canals on about 500 patients in the five years before he retired in 2007. To purchased Duyzend’s practice and says a typical patient has fewer than two root canals.
State Health Department spokesman Donn Moyer said his agency has received 76 complaints about the man.
Duyzend started practicing dentistry in Shoreline, north of Seattle, in 1977, the Health Department said.
Moyer said the man surrendered his license in 2010 after negotiations, agreeing to never practice dentistry in the state again.
Both The Times and KING-TV said calls for comment to Duyzend and his lawyer were not returned. An Associated Press call to his home was not returned Wednesday night. Court documents show that in 2012 he denied any wrongdoing.
KING reports that more than 200 patients filed malpractice claims against the dentist but the arbitration award benefits a smaller group of 29 who declined to settle their claims.
Construction worker Dan O’Neal had 20 root canals; he was awarded more than $2 million, KING reported.
Laurel Stuart told The Times she was Duyzend’s patient from the early days of his practice.
“We thought he was fabulous,” she said Wednesday, adding he made patients feel comfortable.
She said she started questioning his work about 15 years ago because “of all the root canals.” She had four, plus “lots of crowns” and said she had to go to a specialist to have implants when she lost four teeth.
Seattle dentist Dr. Fred Quarnstrom looked at records of Duyzend’s former patients and sat in on testimony earlier this month.
He told The Times that root canals are not uncommon, but a patient with four root canals is unusual.
--The Associated Press
Saturday, July 06, 2013
CSHM’s Small Smiles Dental Centers Up to Same Old Crap
No, this is not big surprise; it’s been around 18 years. This business has been hanging on since 1995 when Eddie DeRose, Michael DeRose, Adolph Padula and John Parrish open its second dental clinic in Colorado. Then came the first phase expansion with the creation of DeRose Management in 1998, operation Children’s Medicaid Dental Centers in Colorado and New Mexico. Becoming so highly lucrative in the business of abusing children and defrauding Medicaid under the guise of providing dental care to the “underserved”, FORBA was formed by the “family” and expansion across the country began. In 2006 the “family” found a group of idiots, including a Bahraini banker, to buy it for $435 million dollars. In 2012, this group filed bankruptcy after 10 years of reports of child abuse and fraud finally caught the attention of Health and Human Services and they were investigated and fined $10 million. The first reports were around 2003.
Lately, I’ve received two emails from people who CSHM have tried to recruit. As you can see emails dentists have shared nothing has changed.
From: Scott Shue [mailto:sshue@cshm.com]
Sent:
To:
Subject: Lead Dentist Opening
Employment with guaranteed base salary and monthly bonus. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, etc. Malpractice is covered. We offer 2 days of CME and 401k with 5% match and a 4-year vesting schedule. General dentistry with an emphasis on pediatrics. Salary range of $150,000 to $180,000 for the Lead position. Efficiency-based model utilizing DA’s with expanded functions, office manager and clinical coordinator. The requirements for the Lead Dentist position is to establish conformity, a congenial work environment, development of other Associates, etc.
…Salary is determined by experience, clinical expertise and interview/leadership skill which would be part of a discovery effort throughout the interview process. Monthly bonuses are a % of the location’s net profit. Basically, the pool is 35% of the total profit would be split between the dentists. The Lead would then get an additional 10% and the Owners get an additional 5% for each location. We do not have production “quotas”, just daily/monthly expectations.
Scott M. Shue | Recruiter | CSHM LLC |
618 Church Street, Suite 520
Nashville, TN 37219
C: 770.855.1877 | O: 615.750.0342 | F: 615.986.1705
email: sshue@cshm.com
FYI – Dr. Jodi Kuhn, DDS the scam owner dentist for Small Smiles Dental Centers has now worked her way up to being called “owner of at least 11 clinics. Five in Colorado, Five in Ohio and 1 in Kentucky.
There are two types of management companies and below is a comprehensive comparison of the two.
| Corporate DMSO | Dental Consultants and Managers |
| View Dentistry As A Business | View Dentistry As A Medical Profession |
| Employ The Dentist and Staff | Are Employed by The Dentist Who Owns The Practice |
| Own The Dental Offices | Manage Dental Offices As Needed by The Dentist |
| Are Backed By Wall Street Investors | Recommend Funding Solutions |
| Award Themselves with Dentist’s Earnings By Sweeping The Practice’s Bank Account | Invoice Dentist Practice and Take Payment Only For Services Rendered |
| Focus On Production Per Patient Agenda | Focus on Assisting Dentist With Quality Non-Medical Service. |
| Exploit Dentists’ Lack of Business Training | Teach, Mentor, and Assist Dentists With Business Needs |
| Have Fiduciary Duty To Financiers And Shareholders | Have Fiduciary Duty to the Dentist Who Hired Them |
| Convince Dentists They Don’t Need To Get Involved With Back-Office Operations | Encourage Dentists To Be Involved In All Management Decisions Of The Practice |
| Retreat and Hang Dentists Out To Dry In Times Of Trouble | Support Dentists And Offer Guidance Through Any Problem |
| Deploy Corporate Employed Office Managers To Reinforce Who’s In Control | Respect They Are Employed By The Dentists. |
| Understand High Profit Business Models | Understand Business Solutions For Dentists |
| Have an Master of Business Administration Degree | Have a Doctor of Dentistry Degree |
| Violate State Laws i.e. Dental Practice Acts To Hide True Ownership | Do Not Violate Laws When They Own A Dental Practice |
| Best Financial Gain Strategy With The Patient-Doctor Relationship | Do Not Come Between The Patient and The Doctor When Determining Treatment Options |
| View Dentists As Assembly Line Workers | Understand Dentists Are Medical Professionals Delivering Medical Care |
| Follow An Assembly Line Cookie-Cutter Business Models In Each Clinic | Provide Á la Carte Custom Services Per Owner Dentist Request |
| Set Quotas, Reward Top Producers With Bonuses and Dispose Of Non-Producers | Recommend Office Policies for Long Term Sustainability |
| Choose Suppliers And Vendors Offering Sub-Standard Materials | Recommend Trusted Suppliers and Vendors |
| Goal To Increase Profits Simply For Future Sale of Company | Goal To Promote Mom and Pop Practices |
| Control Every Aspect Of The Profession From Appointment To Patient Treatment Options | Provide Non-Medical Business Support Never Interfering With The Doctor Patient Relationship |
Here is an example of a legitimate contract with a management service company looks like.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
77 patients of W. Scott Harrington, DDS test positive for Hep C, 5 for Hep B and 4 for HIV
Public Health Investigation of Tulsa Dental Practice 
of W. Scott Harrington
Patient Information Hotline 918-595-4500
Speak directly to a public health representative weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Contact information for all county health departments: http://chds.health.ok.gov
TULSA, OK – [June 27, 2013] –
Tomorrow is the final day for former patients of W. Scott Harrington’s dental surgical practice to receive free testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV infection, the Tulsa Health Department and Oklahoma State Department of Health announced today. Although free screening clinics will conclude tomorrow, the epidemiological investigation continues.
On March 28, public health officials advised they were notifying current and former patients of W. Scott Harrington, DDS. that they may have been exposed to blood-borne viruses at Harrington’s Tulsa and Owasso offices. Health officials recommended these patients have their blood drawn for testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV infection at free screening clinics established at the Tulsa Health Department, Oklahoma City-County Health Department and other county health departments in the state.
To date, 3,991 people have visited county health departments throughout the state to have their blood drawn for testing. An unknown number of persons have sought testing through their private health care provider. The Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratory has completed testing for 4,087 persons as of 5:00 p.m. Wednesday. The discrepancy is due to the lab also testing people from other states, private physicians and local county health departments.
Today the Oklahoma State Department of Health and Tulsa Health Department report one additional HIV positive result and three additional hepatitis C positive results since the last situation update. Therefore, 77 patients have tested positive for hepatitis C, five for hepatitis B and four for HIV.
Those persons whose tests are positive are being personally contacted and counseled about information specific to the disease for which the test was positive, and they will be directed to resources for appropriate care and follow up. If warranted, testing will be recommended for a spouse or partner. Patients with negative test results who had dental procedures in the Harrington clinic between Sept. 20, 2012, and March 20, 2013, have been advised to return for follow-up testing at least six months past the last dental clinic date at the Harrington practice. Those patients will still receive follow-up testing at no cost. Screenings will be provided Monday-Thursdays by appointment only.
This is the last weekly situation update issued by the Tulsa Health Department and Oklahoma State Department of Health regarding this investigation. Subsequent media releases related to the public health response to the infection control practices of the Dr. W. Scott Harrington dental surgical practice will be issued as needed and at the conclusion of the epidemiological investigation.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Antoine Dental Centers Creditable Allegation of Fraud (CAF) Hearing
If you haven’t read part 1 of “Ho” Down in Texas I suggest you do so before continuing. Read it here.
The group calling themselves Texas Dentists for Medicaid Reform posted only two cherry picked depositions on their website in relation to the Antoine Dental Centers State Office of Administrative Hearings(SOAH). TDMR again portraying the fraudsters as victims, just like they tried to do with Harlington Dental. Posted on the TDMR website were Dr. Larry Tadlock’s deposition and Jack Stick’s deposition. Dr. Tadlock was the expert witness for the state. Mr. Stick is the Director of Enforcement at OIG. You can catch up on TDMR here.
I guess TDMR didn’t want people to read the actual hearing transcripts, and I can certainly understand why.
Texas cracking down on unnecessary dental treatment
Texas Law Cracks Down on Unnecessary Dental Treatments
June 27, 2013, 11:55 am ET by David Heath Center for Public Integrity
A new Texas law will give regulators more power to crack down on dentists performing unnecessary treatments, especially on children.
A spokesman for the bill’s author — Republican State Rep. Lois W. Kolkhorst of Brenham, Texas — said the law came about largely because of a joint investigation by the Center for Public Integrity and PBS Frontline. The investigation revealed a pattern of questionable practices by Kool Smiles, a chain focused on Medicaid-provided dental care for children. The spokesman also credited independent reporting by Dallas station WFAA-TV on Medicaid fraud.
The joint investigation by the Center and FRONTLINE, titled Dollars and Dentists, quoted former employees who alleged that dentists at Kool Smiles were encouraged by company production standards to put more expensive stainless-steel crowns, rather than fillings, on cavities in baby teeth. Kool Smiles denies those allegations.
“As a mother of two children, I was shocked to learn that in 2010 there were estimated to be over 15,000 Texas children who were given inappropriate dental care, including braces on baby teeth,” Kolkhorst said in a statement.
Kolkhorst said only one dentist has had his license revoked for Medicaid fraud or patient complaints in the past two years. “That’s just not acceptable,” she added.
The law beefs up the ability of the state dental board to investigate complaints. It also gives parents the right to be in the room with their children while they are at the dentist.
In addition, dentists working for corporate dental chains are required to report information about the chains to the dental board. Currently, the state maintains no information about dental chains.
Gov. Rick Perry signed the bill last week. It takes effect on Jan. 1.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Dental crisis continues according to Pew
Fantastic!(sarcasm) yet another Pew report. This time they are attempting to divert their support from Medicaid corporate dental fraudsters to Midlevel Dental Providers (MLP), but none the less, there is still a crisis! Funny thing about this, these MLP’s are mostly employed by corporate dental fraudsters too.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Menace to Society–Dr. Thomas Floyd–finally stripped of dental license, but should be UNDER a jail!
Posted: 06/12/2013
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Former West Palm Beach children's dentist Thomas Floyd has pleaded guilty to charges that he abused a 4-year-old boy he was treating in his office. Floyd was arrested last September by the West Palm Beach Police Department.
Floyd has agreed to relinquish his dentist license in Florida and will not practice dentistry anywhere in the United States. The agreement calls for 150 hours of community service. The state also agreed not to pursue additional charges against Floyd from any other known victims from his former dental practice.
The case was investigated by the Department of Health which indicated that were numerous incidents of child abuse over the past two years.
According to the investigation released by the Department of Health, “Floyd’s behavioral control methods with his patients fall well below acceptable standards of practice in treating pediatric patients.”
A patient claimed Floyd punched a 4-year-old boy during a routine dental procedure. The child suffered swelling, abrasions, and bruises on his lips, according to West Palm Beach police.
A witness stated after the boy bit the doctor, Floyd used a drill and the palm of his hand to force a dental instrument into the child’s mouth, causing the injuries.
The Health Department received an anonymous complaint stating Floyd abused children in his office “by putting his hand over their mouths and calling them names.”
On another occasion, Floyd reportedly prevented a child from screaming by stuffing a dental bib into the child’s mouth, the Health Department report stated.
Friday, June 07, 2013
Shifting Income is Shifty Business
Found this and thought it should be preserved and shared. Sounds like ole Dr. Elick tried a little DSO maneuvering.
Peter J Reilly, Contributor
Dental Management Company Did Not Do Any Managing
6/07/2013
Many accountants have a touching faith in double entry. They think that you can move income from one related entity to another with magical journal entries. Management fees are among the favorites. That type of magical thinking was probably behind the unfortunate result in the recent Tax Court decision in the case of Wiley and Sharon Elick and Wiley M. Elick, DDS Inc. Doctor Elick practiced pediatric dentistry, which can be pretty lucrative. It takes a certain flair to keep the kids happy. Doctor Elick was also involved in a center called SurgiTek.
Let’s Have An ESOP
An ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) can yield all sorts of nifty benefits, significant income deferral being among them. We can’t tell from the case the exact benefits Dr. Elick hoped to reap from an ESOP, but there must have been something. It is not mentioned in the case, but there was a legal problem to overcome. Professional corporations generally can only have licensed professionals of that particular profession as shareholders. ESOPs are neat vehicles, but you can’t teach them how to do fillings, so they can’t be shareholders in dental professional corporations.
The solution was to form a dental management company:
A professional advised Dr. Elick to establish a company to manage petitioner’s operations. A stock ownership plan benefiting petitioner’s employees would purchase the company stock from Dr. Elick. The fees generated by management services would fund the employee benefit plan.
Thursday, June 06, 2013
Dr. Gary Anusavice, DDS pleads guilty in CT–Should have been jailed and key disposed of years ago.
Ex-dentist pleads guilty in $20M Medicaid scam
June 5, 2013 -- A former Rhode Island dentist who lost his license in the state and in Massachusetts over charges of Medicaid fraud has pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud and tax evasion in Connecticut in connection with a $20 million Medicaid fraud scheme.
Gary Anusavice, also known as Gary Andrews, Gary Andrus, and Gary Francis, of North Kingstown, RI, pleaded guilty June 3 before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Garfinkel in Bridgeport, CT.
According to court documents, in July 1997, Anusavice was convicted in Massachusetts state court for submitting false healthcare claims in relation to his involvement in dental clinics. He subsequently surrendered his dentistry licenses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island for five years.
After additional investigations, in 2005 Anusavice surrendered his right to practice dentistry in Rhode Island for 18 months, and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Dentistry permanently revoked Anusavice's license to practice dentistry in Massachusetts in 2006. As of May 1998, Anusavice has been excluded from participating in Medicare and state healthcare programs, including Medicaid…
Continue reading at Dr. Bicuspid
RELATED
Dr. Gary Anusavice – Select Dental Woes May 2008
The Secret Service is investigating a disgraced dentist and at least two of his business associates in connection with the abrupt closure of Select Dental in Howard Beach in November, the Daily News has learned.
The dental practice, known for its once-ubiquitous ads on cable TV, allegedly targeted clients without insurance and financed their dental work with medical credit cards.
Customers were apparently billed for exorbitant fees - as much as $25,000, all up front - for poor and incomplete dental work. Then the company skipped town.
Dr. Gary Anusavice – Rosewood Dental Woes October 2007
"I have no teeth back here," Harrison said. "And I'm out $12,000." CBS 2 has obtained records showing the man apparently behind the operation had his dental license suspended and later revoked in other states.
His name is Gary Anusavice. Charges with licensing agencies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island included providing unwanted dental services, credit card fraud, bait and switch, and billing patients for services not delivered.
Vincent O'Neill, Rosewood’s district manager, told CBS 2 that Anusavice hired him to open the clinics in Illinois saying, "He's the man, the man behind it all."
Continue reading at NowPublic.com: Dental Clinic Left Patients Toothless And In Debt | NowPublic Photo Archives http://www.nowpublic.com/health/dental-clinic-left-patients-toothless-and-debt-1#ixzz2VSzJ0kUT
Monday, June 03, 2013
“Ho” Down in Texas – James W. Orr, DDS Testifies for Antoine Dental Center
Who can forget the reports by WFAA’s Bryon Harris, which spurred investigations in to orthodontic Medicaid Fraud by the State of Texas?In the fall of 2011 and continuing today, The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Inspector General put Credible Allegation of Fraud (CAF) payment holds on a covey of dental clinics; some general dentistry and some orthodontic clinics.
Deciding not to take this sitting down, a few of these highly suspect dentists decided to take it to court; appealing to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH).
Dr. Juan Villarreal, owner of Harlingen Family Dentistry, a Scientologist and a former member of Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) appealed the HHSC decision for his CAF payment hold. In a ruling by the SOAH in October of 2012, Villarreal/Harlingen Family Dental’s payment hold was reduced from 40% to down to 4%. The ruling for Harlingen was further upheld by an HHSC Administrative judge in January of this year (2013). Villarreal also heads up Texas Dentists for Medicaid
The judge’s ruling in the Villarreal case, by the most part, was based on the testimony of one Dr. James W. Orr. This favorable ruling no doubt was the impetus to others, like Antoine Dental Centers and M & M Orthodontics in appealing their CAF payment holds.
One last thing, before we move on — WHAT is the HDL scoring index? Well, it is much like scoring some jurisdiction do to determine if one gets bail or not. A point for this, a point for that and if it totals up to be high enough, bam! You’re outta there. For orthodontics (braces and other appliances) children over age 12 AND have lost all their baby teeth can received services if their HDL score is 26 or higher. Like anything else there are exceptions, but this is the simple explanation.
Antoine Dental Center-Dr. Behzad Nazari
First up, for this series, is Dr. Behzad Nazari and Antoine Dental Center (ADC) vs. Texas Health and Human Services (THHSC) (SOAH docket no. 529-0997). ADC was represented by Jose A. (Tony) Canales and Oscar X. Garcia. Robert (Bob) M. Anderton. Many of these clinic suspected of fraud have hired dentist/attorney, Dr. Robert (Bob) Anderton, former American Dental Association president.
Dr. Behzad Nazari/Antoine Dental Center has been under a 100% (that is HUGE) CAF pay hold since March 28, 2012 totaling over $550,000. On March 29, 2012 the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Control Fraud Unit (MCFU) opened an investigation into ADC.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Dr. Li Lu Skelton Jan-May 2013 Malpractice Lawsuits
Who is the most sued dentist in Texas? Who knows, right? But for sure, Dr. Li Skelton must rate pretty high; at least in Bexar County, Texas.
Dr. Li Skelton currently has a total 7 pending lawsuits in Bexar County Texas District Court. Below are the cases filed in 2013 — all pending.
| Date | Cause # | Issue |
| January 2, 2013 | 2013CI00047 | Medical Malpractice |
| April 4, 2013 | 2013CI05704 | Medical Malpractice |
| May 14, 2013 | 2013CI08156 | Medical Malpractice |
| May 23, 2013 | 2013CI08796 | Medical Malpractice |
Related:
Monday, May 27, 2013
Dental Medicaid Fraud and Drug Cartels–The Connection In Texas
AUSTIN, TEXAS, May 26, 2013 - The vice chair of the homeland security committee in the Texas House says there is a direct connection between drug cartels and Medicaid fraud being perpetrated along the South Texas border region.
For this and other reasons, state Rep. Allen Fletcher said he offered an amendment to Senate Bill 8 that will allow the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to hire commissioned peace officers for their investigations into Medicaid fraud. Senate Bill 8 is a major piece of legislation dealing with fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicaid program.
“There is Medicaid fraud all over the state, Dallas, Houston, you name it. The cartels are in Dallas and Houston. But way along the border, and all along the border, McAllen, Brownsville, Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr, all those areas, there is huge cartel influence and I assure you that these individuals that are involved in setting up these bogus clinics and hiring these dentists and doctors to file these fraudulent Medicaid claims, it’s cartels,” Fletcher said.
Fletcher is one of just a few retired police officer serving in the Texas House. He investigated white collar crime for Houston Police Department for many years. Fletcher said he spoke to Jack Stick, deputy inspector general for enforcement for the Office of Inspector General Texas Health and Human Services Commission, about carrying an amendment for Stick to allow OIG to have commissioned peace officers working as investigators.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Smiles Starters Dental Centers Under Fire AGAIN!
Smile Starters, formerly known as Medicaid Dental Centers, first made the news in North Carolina in 2003. 10 years later, little that has changed, other than its name and signage.
Reporter, Diane Wilson, with the ABC affiliate in Raleigh-Durham, NC reports on continued fraudulent diagnosing practices Smile Starters Dental Centers in North Carolina. You can contact ABC’s “Troubleshooters” at troubleshooter@abc11mail.com
Listen for the usual Medicaid dental mill “buzz” words and phrases, such as: “Corporate”,“Chief Dental Officer”, “Do Not Allow Parents Back with the Child” and “Lead Dentist”.
End of EyeWittness ABC Channel 11 Report
However unlikely it is for the North Carolina Dental Board to take action, it is still extremely important a complaint is filed and on record, so to speak. To file a complaint with the North Carolina Dental Board click here.
What they couldn’t tell you in the report:
Smile Starters and the dentists who work there, are very much familiar with the North Carolina Dental Board and visa-versa. With the new regulations in North Carolina on how dentists and management companies operate, maybe the dental board could take a look at Smile Starters and Root Dental Management and expose the truth behind the true ownership of Smile Starters Dental Centers.
Smile Starters Dental Centers have operated under Medicaid Dental Centers (MDC), North Carolina Dental Centers and Smile Starters. As reported above, Dr. Ralph Rivera was Smile Starters Chief Dental Officer under the prior ownership of Dr. Michael A. DeRose and Dr. Letitia L. (Tish) Ballance. Although it would be hard to prove outside a legal setting — where documents would have to be produced — I whole heartedly believe Michael A. DeRose sill owns and controls these dental clinics. Being that Michael A. DeRose has had his license revoked and is also listed on the governments LEIE (List of Excluded Individuals and Entities) list, it would be highly illegal for him to own a dental clinic or received monies from Medicaid or Medicare, directly or indirectly. If he maintains any ownership, it would have to be masked by a few layers of corporations, and the DeRose’s are good at that game, or at least think they are.
Thursday, May 09, 2013
State Representative Lois W. Kolkhorst (R - Brenham) passed Texas House Bill 3201
Dental Medicaid Fraud in Texas Prompts New Legislation for Dental Board Reform and Patient Rights
May 3, 2013
AUSTIN, TEXAS (May 3, 2013) — State Representative Lois W. Kolkhorst (R - Brenham), Chair of the Public Health Committee in the Texas House of Representatives, authored and passed House Bill 3201, a sweeping dental practice reform bill for Texas, calling for parental rights for pediatric dental patient care, additional disclosure information for dental license renewal, and new disciplinary actions by the Texas Dental Board.
“As a mother of two children, I was shocked to learn that in 2010, there were estimated to be over 15,000 Texas children who were given inappropriate dental care, including braces on baby teeth,” said Kolkhorst. “Most of these were Medicaid cases that involved dentists and dental clinics who would not allow parents to observe the dental care given to their children.” Under the bill’s reforms, Texas parents and legal guardians would be given the right to observe most dental services being provided to their children.
Kolkhorst also said her legislation is aimed at cracking down on the millions of dollars in dental and orthodontic Medicaid fraud recently uncovered by both WFAA-TV investigative news reports (in North Texas) and the Texas Attorney General’s office.
Monday, May 06, 2013
Interview of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry President, Dr. Joel Berg by Dr. Michael W. Davis
Bios of Dr. Joel Berg and Dr. Michael Davis.
Dr. Joel Berg is current president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and named dean of the University of Washington’s School of Dentistry in 2012. He was previously an executive at Philips Oral Healthcare and 3M’s ESPE Dental. Dr. Berg is an inventor and has authored numerous articles and manuscripts. He is also co-editor of the textbook on early childhood oral health. His latest invention is the Pediatric Bur Block for DVI.
He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists and International College of Dentists, as well as a board director of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. In 2011, he was named the Washington Dental Service Foundation Distinguished Professor for Dentistry.
Dr. Michael W. Davis has achieved national recognition as an expert dental lecturer and author. His current private practice, SMILES OF SANTA FE, has successfully helped hundreds of patients achieve and maintain spectacular smiles and optimal oral health since 2003. Dr. Davis holds membership in the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and the New Mexico Dental Association. His presentations include speaking for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Association of Cosmetic Practices, Cruise and Learn Alaska Seminar, and the International AACD in San Antonio. As an author, Dr. Davis' articles have appeared in many respected publications, including Dental Economics, Dentistry Today, Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry, and Journal of the American Dental Association. He also serves on the editorial review board for the Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Interview of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry President, Dr. Joel Berg
Dr. Davis: We continue to see a disturbing degree of misrepresentations in dental marketing and advertising, in which general dentists attempt to represent themselves as specialists. Sometimes, this is seen with individual practitioners, and sometimes we see these misrepresentations from larger interstate dental providers. We can’t expect the public to have our degree of sophistication and professional knowledge, to read fact from fiction. How can the public best be protected from these unprofessional charlatans?
Dr. Berg: A big part of the answer is for state dental boards to enforce the laws and regulations that are currently on the books concerning the criteria for specialty advertising (namely, that a dentist cannot state or imply specialization absent appropriate training in one of the nine recognized dental specialties). The AAPD provides guidance on advertising to our affiliate (general dentist) members and we have also shared this with state dental boards. We applaud those general dentists who take care of children and do so in accordance with AAPD’s clinical guidelines. For purposes of advertising, the AAPD believes the following terms are acceptable by a general dentist: Family Dentistry, General Dentistry for Children or General Dentistry for Children and Families. However, the AAPD believes the following phrases are confusing to the public and contrary to the membership obligations of the Affiliate category: Child Dentistry, Children’s Dentistry, Dentistry for Children, Dentistry for Kids or Pediatric Dentistry. Affiliate members using such terms are subject to disciplinary action by the AAPD. We are aware that some corporate chains have names that are misleading, and we believe that state dental boards should appropriately regulate such advertising.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Next week on DTM – Dr. Joel Berg
Next week, Dentist The Menace, will publish an exclusive interview of Dr. Joel Berg, current president of the AAPD. He will face tough questions relating to mobile dentistry, problems facing recent dental grads, ethical issues of corporate third parties intrusion into the doctor/patient relationship, & the concept of a "Dental Home" for our nation's children.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Reports of Heartland Dental letter writing campaign opposing DSO regulation
Texas legislators are attempting to regulate the operation of Dental Service Organizations (DSO’s), currently operating secretly in the state. At the very least lawmakers want them to register as doing business in their state.
At public hearings in March 2012 lawmakers were shocked to hear members of the TSBDE say they didn’t have a clue how many dental clinics were operating in the state. The TSBDE also admitted they were oblivious as to who owned any dental clinics in Texas. That’s right, the same clinics where licensed (or not) dentists perform medical procedures on Texas citizens, the TSBDE didn’t know who owned any of them – be it an actual dentist, a group greedy investors or a teacher’s union in Canada, i.e. Heartland. Further, no one seemed to care until it was pointed out the hundreds of millions of dollars being stolen from the Medicaid program.
HB 151 attempts to change that, but HB 151 hasn’t moved since February 21, 2013 – has rigor mortis set in?
During at least 2 hearings since last March – the last earlier this month - the DSO’s have sent stooges to testify. Under oath, they have declared there is nothing shady going on. The most laughable happened last Fall, when Diane Earle of NCDR/Kool Smiles was nearly laughed out of the chamber. Ok, few actually laughed out loud, but she did receive a “bless her heart” type dismissal. NCDR/Kool Smiles Dental is owned by FFL Partners in San Francisco. see video.
In an attempt to keep the bones buried, NCDR/Kool Smiles seldom misses the opportunity to remind employees (past and present) of confidentiality agreements they signed when they began their employment with the company. i.e. letters of intimidation and threats of lawsuits.
The DSO’s are fighting back. They don’t want any government agency to know they are doing business in any state, let alone the degree of shadiness.
Wonder why that is, exactly? I’ll tell you why, because they know they are operating multi-million dollar illegal businesses. When you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing, right?
The latest report of DSO’s fighting back is Heartland Dental “requesting” their dentist send letters to lawmakers opposing any regulations requiring DSO’s to register with any government body. So lawmakers – in any state or in Washington - if you are suddenly receiving letters from dentists opposing DSO registration, take their name and address, they work for one!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Aspen Dental Marion, IL - Oops!
Children at risk of disease after needle sharing with dentist who committed suicide?
Anyone realizing the “patients” are little children? Anyone realizing the intravenous sedated patients are at risk because the needle was probably in the dentist’s arm then in child’s? Or are people realizing it, just not saying it? Anyone asking why this has been known for so long and patients are just now being alerted? Someone besides me should be asking. I’m getting tired of being the only one asking the hard questions! I’ve been asking for well over 5 years!!
ABC News(NEW YORK) -- The Arkansas Department of Health announced this week that it would contact the 100 patients of the late Dr. William Jarrod Stewart as they may have been exposed to "infectious material," but the state dentistry board says it's not clear the dentist did anything wrong.
Patients were treated with the intravenous painkiller meperidine -- known as Demoral -- between Nov. 20, 2011 and Feb. 20, 2012. Stewart committed suicide on Feb. 29, 2012 at age 40 shortly after he lost his job, according to his father.
"Anybody around him would tell you he was a great dentist," Stewart's father, Larry, told ABC News. "He just had a problem with drugs. That's mainly what caused all this."
Stewart had issues with substance abuse in the 1990s when he was living and practicing dentistry in Louisiana, and he eventually surrendered his dentistry license there, said Arkansas Board of Dentistry attorney Bill Trice.
After completing a rehabilitation program in 2000, Stewart asked for a dentistry license in Arkansas. It was granted on the condition that he complete a five-year program with daily drug testing.
Stewart was drug-free for the full five years, but he relapsed and had to complete the five-year program again, Trice said. In 2010, Stewart completed the program a second time. For the next two years, the dentistry board didn't hear about any problems.
Ocean Dental, which owned several clinics where Stewart worked, asked Stewart to take a drug test on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, after he appeared to be impaired during Sunday communications with Ocean Dental employees. He was told he would be fired immediately if he refused, but he refused anyway, according to a statement from Ocean Dental.
The dental board did not know why Stewart was fired, Trice said.
Then, Stewart committed suicide by overdosing on drugs on Feb. 29, 2012, according to Pulaski County Coroner Gerone Hobbs.
Six months later, in August, the Drug Enforcement Agency got a complaint from a former employee of the dental clinic where Stewart worked, prompting the agency to visit the clinic, Trice said. Investigators found evidence that two vials were tampered with, but they didn't find evidence of any disease.
Trice, who has been a prosecutor on behalf of the dentistry board since the early 1980s, said he's not convinced Stewart contaminated any drugs.
"They've got all these isolated facts out there, but I'm not sure the dots connect," Trice said.
DEA spokesman William Bryant said two separate sources called to say the single doses of these drugs were compromised. The second call came in as late as last week, he said.
Stewart's former patients were advised to seek tests for blood borne diseases like HIV and hepatitis b, but Larry Stewart said his son was tested and the results were negative. Given the length of time between the death and the announcement, he said he felt his son's name was "truly smeared."
"We feel like we've been violated," Larry Stewart said. "These things would have already come to light if there had been any diseases, yet they took it upon themselves to put it out to the public nationwide 13 months after the fact."
The Arkansas Department of Health was notified eight days ago, but it needed the time to determine how best to inform patients and convey the low level of risk, according to state epidemiologist Dr. Dirk Haselow.
"We definitely believe that people needed to be notified," Haselow said. "No one else in those facilities had sedation privileges, therefore no one else had access to those medications."
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Arkansas Dental Patients Possibly Exposed To Infectious Materials By Doctor William Jarrod Stewart
The Arkansas Department of Health warns that approximately 100 patients who visited Dr. William Jarrod Stewart for dental treatments during a three-month period may have been exposed to "infectious materials," and it advises these patients to get blood tests.
According to a release on the department's website, Stewart worked at six different Ocean Dental locations in the state from Nov. 20, 2011, to Feb. 20, 2012. It is suspected that some of the drugs Stewart administered intravenously to patients may have been contaminated. Patients who received medicine orally are not thought to be at risk at this time.
ABC News notes that Dr. Stewart, who reportedly had a history of substance abuse, died just nine days after the three-month period that health officials are concerned about. In a statement obtained by ABC, Ocean Clinics said the following about the scare:
Although Ocean Dental is not aware of any information indicating that Dr. Stewart had any infectious disease, and no reports have been received about any of these patients contracting any infectious disease, the Arkansas Department of Health is recommending that these patients be tested as a precaution.
The cause of Stewart's death has not yet been revealed, but a health department official told the Associated Press that it was not from an infectious disease.
"We have no reason to believe that anyone is at risk of a particular illness," state epidemiologist Dirk Haselow told the AP. "We are just notifying people because this situation is highly unusual and we don't know what we don't know."
The AP also reports that authorities discovered after Stewart's death that medicine under his license had been tampered with. Patients who saw Dr. Stewart will be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis as a precaution.
Though the spread of disease in dental offices is considered rare, the news of Stewart follows a highly publicized case that surfaced just a few weeks ago in Oklahoma, where a dentist may have exposed as many as 7,000 patients to HIV and hepatitis by not using properly sterilized tools.
Last summer, a dentist in Colorado was found to have been reusing needles on different patients.
Worried about your next visit to the dentist? CNN offers a guide for patients who want to protect their health and check up on their dentists' office sanitation habits.
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Dr. Michael Goodwin gets 50 months in prison
CP orthodontist gets 50 months in Medicaid fraud scheme
An Amarillo orthodontist has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for health care fraud.
Dr. Michael David Goodwin was sentenced Tuesday to 50 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution.
The 63-year-old Goodwin pleaded guilty in December 2012 to one count of health care fraud related to the Texas Medicaid program.
Court documents show that Goodwin devised a scheme to defraud the Texas Medicaid program by billing the program for more than $2.6 million for services which he claimed to provide, but were either not medically necessary, or were provided by dental assistants.
Ocean Dental–Stillwater, Oklahoma - Dentist Dies After Possibly Exposing Patients–Dr. William Jarrod Stewart
Well, this story is finally getting some media attention. However, the story being told is not necessarily they story I’ve heard. Dr. Stewart committed suicide last February, the day after being fired by Ocean Dental. He may have been fired, but Ocean knew full well of his problems. I’m hearing Ocean has been wiping hard drives and shredding documents trying to cover up how much they know and how long they knew it. At issue, as I’m told, is Dr. Stewart’s heavy drug use that was commonly known by Ocean Dental and co-workers. He did most of the sedations for Ocean Dental, however, the patients might not have been getting the drugs…know what I mean?
I also am told the DEA has been on this case for some time..like well over a year!
Dentist Dies After Possibly Exposing Patients
Posted on: 12:22 pm, April 9, 2013, by Larry Henry and Shain Bergan, updated on: 03:58pm, April 9, 2013
Arkansas health officials are recommending that patients of an Arkansas dentist who died last year, including some patients of the Ocean Dental clinic in Fayetteville, undergo free state blood tests for possible contamination by an “infectious material.”
In a news release on Tuesday (April 9), the Arkansas Department of Health said it is contacting about 100 patients from ages 14 to 22 treated by Dr. William Jarrod Stewart at six dental clinics around the state between Nov. 20, 2011, and Feb. 20, 2012.
Stewart, 40, died February 2012, officials said.
By letter and telephone, the state is contacting patients who received IV medication delivered into a vein at these clinics: Ocean Dental clinics in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro and Little Rock, and Bevans Pediatric Dentistry in Little Rock.
No one treated at the Fort Smith clinic has been identified as being at risk, the news release states.
The state, seeking the blood tests based on information from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, “has concluded that some of the drugs used by Dr. Stewart may have been contaminated with infectious material,” according to the news release.
Ocean Dental released a statement later in the day, saying state representatives are contacting 84 patients, including 68 Ocean Dental patients, who received IV sedation drugs from Stewart and may have been exposed to infectious diseases.
Friday, April 05, 2013
News recaps on Wayne Scott Harrington, DDS
Dentist in HIV probe is taking allegations seriously, his attorney says
Tulsa World
"His previous record with the dental board is impeccable. He is taking the recent allegations very seriously and is fully cooperating with the Oklahoma Dental Board. At this time, out of respect for his patients and the sensitivity of the issues, Dr ...
Former Patient Wants Apology From Tulsa Dentist Under Investigation
News On 6
The Tulsa dentist accused of potentially exposing thousands of patients to HIV and hepatitis spoke out through his attorney Thursday. In a statement, Dr. W. Scott Harrington's attorney said, "his previous record with the dental board is impeccable. He ...
Witnesses needed to build case against Tulsa dentist in HIV, hepatitis scare
Tulsa World
Dentist's attorney puts out brief statement. "His previous record with the dental board is impeccable. He is taking the recent allegations very seriously and is fully cooperating with the Oklahoma Dental Board." ...
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Plainview Dentist Sentenced in Medicaid Scam
State investigation results in 1-3 year sentence for Lawrence J. Bruckner, owner of Brooklyn practice.
APRIL 4, 2013 – Plainview, NY - A Plainview dentist with a practice in Brooklyn has been sentenced to 1-3 years in jail after a joint state audit revealed he had engaged in a fraudulent Medicaid practices.
Lawrence J. Bruckner, 63, of Plainview, will also have to pay some $700,000 in restitution, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Thursday.
DiNapoli's joint investigation with Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman revealed that Bruckner's worked with five affiliated dentists who took in nearly $7 million in Medicaid payments from 2007 to 2011, at least $2.3 million of which was likely fraudulent. The practice was based largely on the illegal recruiting of Medicaid recipients and billings for services never rendered, DiNapoli's office said.
“Medicaid fraud exploits our most vulnerable citizens at taxpayer expense,” DiNapoli said. “By driving out cheaters, we can reduce burgeoning health care costs and ensure proper treatment for those in need."
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Texas House Committee on Public Heath Disappointing
If you missed the live stream of this afternoon's session, you missed a fun time had by all. It was a carnival with something for everyone.
Someone representing Heatland Dental pulled a "Joe Wilson" when they yelled out "that's not true" when it was mention the Ontario Teacher Union now owned Heartland Dental. Heck, Heatland Dental issued press releases out the wazoo about the sale. Maybe the Heartland Dental stooge at the hearing was the one who was clueless.
Sadly if i had to pick a winner, I would say it were the well represented DSO's, which included some new poster children, including Dr. Jacob Dent. Not because of their evidence or testimony, but because it seemed the committee members had been sipping on some Kool Aid.
The most disappointing was hearing the committee Chair's about face on DSO's. It was a far cry from Rep. Lois Kolkhort in March of 2012. My, my, what a difference a year and millions of dollars in well placed lobbyist spending can make.
Last year she was irate at things she said her own research team discovered. Today those same issues were questioned by her and the committee as being overblown by those testifying.
There were glimmers of hope, when late in the day a young dentist testified that her DSO had quota's she was required to make. That's when I did see a tiny glimpse of the repulsed 2012 Rep Kolhorst.
Not sure where this late show of rage came from, since the committee had been told this at least 10 times since the lunch recess.
At 5:35 PM there was testimony about sound proof rooms - carpet on the walls- and dentists using papoose boards. Someone on the committee refused to believe any such things happen and stories about such are sensationalized! This member probably believes in the tooth fairy too!
Just a guess, but HB 1480 is dead and today was for the public to justify their pending
burial of the bill.
See video and audio at the House Website
See the video and audio at Texas House Website
Monday, April 01, 2013
Dr. Scott Harrington's dirty deeds go beyond sanitation
Dental assistant in hiding - Oklahoma dirty dentist leaves assistant exposed as well
kjrh.com
Terri Valega is accused of sedating patients without a license, according to a complaint filed by the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry. Attempts to locate Valega have been unsuccessful. "I am supporting her because she's an honest person," said neighbor ...
Read more - video included
Saturday, March 30, 2013
More coverage of Oklahoma dentist–Dr Wayne Scott Harrington and ADA Statement after Oklahoma dentist declared a menace to public health
7000 dental patients may be at risk for Hepatitis and HIV
Examiner.com
The Tulsa, Oklahoma oral surgeon is now under investigation by the state dental board, the state bureau of narcotics and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency because one of his patients recently tested positive for hepatitis C and HIV without known risk ...
Dentist's office a 'perfect storm' for HIV, hepatitis exposure, health ...
CNN
An official complaint filed before the state dental board described the violations, including "multiple sterilization issues, multiple cross-contamination issues, (and) the drug cabinet was unlocked and unattended." There were no logs of inventory for ...
AP Top Stories March 29 p
USA TODAY
Here's the latest news for Friday, March 29: Oklahoma dental board may institute routine inspection; UPS pays $40M to end online pharmacies probe; Conn. officials seek info from Newtown charities; Man jumps onto subway tracks to rescue stranger.
Oklahoma Dentist Could Face Criminal Charges
East Idaho News
Rogers said investigations by the state dental board, the state health department, the state bureau of narcotics and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency are just getting underway. Although she has not yet submitted documents to the Tulsa District ...
Dentist Offices Not Routinely Inspected, Oklahoma Official Says
News On 6
That's why the idea of an assistant administering IV drugs to patients is so outrageous to the Dental Board. "Allowing an assistant who's never been to school or training is unheard of and is completely unacceptable," executive director of the Oklahoma ...
OSDH: Testing Important, but HIV, Hep B & C Spreading in Offices Rare
KGOU
Oklahoma's dental board says it may start promoting routine inspections of dental and oral surgeon clinics. Health officials in Tulsa are setting up free testing clinics for 7,000 dental patients who may have been exposed to the virus that causes AIDS ...
State Board Says Tulsa Dentist's Practice Was Unsafe Unsanitary ...
Until now, state health officials say the dentist has never had a complaint, and say the allegations against him now are unheard of.
Friday, March 29, 2013
As many as 7,000 Oklahoma patients could be in danger of infection
Tulsa-area patients potentially exposed to hepatitis, HIV at Dr. Scott Harrington's dental practices
Posted: 03/28/2013
TULSA - Officials with the Tulsa Health Department and the Oklahoma State Department of Health are in the process of notifying around 7,000 patients of a local dental practice they may have been exposed to blood-borne viruses.
During a press conference Thursday, local and state health officials as well as the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry released details surrounding the investigation, which revealed inappropriate infection control practices at the dental offices of W. Scott Harrington, D.M.D. and officials say Harrington put patients at risk for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
Investigators were first tipped off to Harrington's office after one of his patients contracted HIV and hepatitis C It was ultimately traced back to the dentist.
Further inspection revealed a lack of sterilization, illegal administering of IVs by dental assistants, even a vial believed to have expired 20 years ago in an unlocked drug cabinet.
Despite health officials' discovery, Susan Rogers, executive director of the Oklahoma State Board of Dentistry, emphasized the importance of remaining calm while maintaining the gravity of the accusations.
"I don't believe he had any idea there was anything bad happening," she said. " ... (It's) absolutely one of the most serious cases we've ever had."
Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Bruce Smart echoed Rogers following the announcement.
"We know it's very, very rare. It doesn't happen easily, but the fact that there has been unsafe practices, we never know if transmission could occur," he said.
Patients who were treated at either of Harrington's dental practices -- located at 2111 S. Atlanta Pl. in Tulsa and 12806 E. 86th Pl. N. in Owasso -- since 2007 will receive letters from health officials and are encouraged to undergo testing for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.
The Tulsa Health Department's North Regional Health and Wellness Center at 5635 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is performing free tests on a walk-in basis Saturday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday, April 1 from 8 a.m. to 6 pm. The health department has also set up a hotline at (918) 595-4500 for people with questions.
Officials say patient information was only available for the past seven years: therefore, patients seen by Harrington before 2007 may not receive letters. Anyone with additional questions may call the hotline.
Harrington, who the state says has been practicing dentistry since 1977, has voluntarily closed his doors while officials conduct the investigation. A hearing is scheduled for April to determine his dental future.
The Tulsa Health Department will continue to provide updated information on their website at www.tulsa-health.org (http://bit.ly/TulsaHealth).
Related:
Ohio Veteran Administration Clinic – 9 test positive for hepatitis – March 2, 2011
Colorado dentist may have infected patients with HIV – July 13, 2012
Oklahoma authorities say there may be as many as 100 victims in dental scam - September 5, 2012