MARIETTA, GA — Dr. Kenneth Morris Wiggins, Jr. pleaded guilty and was sentenced Monday (November 25, 2013) in Cobb County Superior Court for Medicaid fraud. Records indicate between January 1, 2007 and March 11, 2009 Dr. Kenneth M. Wiggins, Jr.,owner of Cosmetic and Family Dentistry with two locations, one in Marietta and one in Roswell, defrauded the state and federal government of $2.2 million. That, ladies and gentlemen would be you!
In perfect Joran Van Der Sloot style, Wiggins fled to the Netherlands after he was indicted by a Cobb County grand jury in 2011. (Joran Van Der Sloot, you remember, is the admitted murder of Stephaney Flores and suspected murder of Natalee Halloway, who disappeared while on spring break in Aruba.)
In February 2013, Wiggins was apprehended in Punta Gorda, Belize where U.S. Marshals transported him to Miami, Florida. There he waived extradition, and subsequently returned to Cobb County, Georgia, where he has been held without bond.
According to a September 2011 report, Wiggins submitted some 7,000 fraudulent Medicaid claims on 220 patients for “tooth re-implantations and “complicated suturing of wounds” that he never performed.
Wiggins’ plea deal would satisfy any sweet tooth. He pled guilty to 1 count of Medicaid fraud and Judge A. Gregory Poole sentenced him to 7 years in prison and restitution of $2,230,718.81.
Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, originally ownership was Dr. Kenneth Wiggins and his wife, Dr. DeAnthia Childs-Wiggins. Cosmetic and Family Dentistry became Family First Dentistry in February 2012 with Dr. Wiggins wife, DeAnthia at the helm according to records at the Georgia Secretary of State’s website. Searching Cobb County court records fails to find a divorce between Kenneth and DeAnthia Wiggins.
Just a wild guess, but I imagine more than that has been spent since the investigation of Dr. Wiggins began.
Dr. Wiggins graduated Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in December 1993. In 1997, Wiggins told the Ohio Dental Board he took the SRTA examination in July and August of 1993, then obtained a Tennessee dental license in January 1994–Tennessee license number 6794.
According to records at the Tennessee dental board, his license is currently active and not a blemish on them. Frankly, there is nothing stopping him from opening up shop there today; other than razor wire. Wiggins Tennessee record indicates there have been no reports of disciplinary actions for violations, complaints or criminal offenses .
In 1997, using the address, 700 Shaver Street, Bossier City, Louisiana, Wiggins and his wife, DeAnthia Childs-Wiggins, also a graduate of Mharry (Class of May 1997) applied for a dental license “by endorsement” in Ohio. (see documents here). In a letter to Wiggins and his wife,from the Ohio Dental Board Executive Director, Lili Kaczmarek, the board denied the application for licensure “by endorsement”, but the Wiggins’ were given the opportunity for a hearing in July of that year.
At the July 1997 hearing Wiggins told the Ohio Dental Board they were offered an opportunity to work as a team in a Lima, Ohio prison. Excerpt from the July 16 and 17 1997 Ohio Dental Board Minutes:
“Dr. Kenneth M. Wiggins, JR, was a 1993 graduate of Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry and took the SRTA examination in July and August of 1993 and obtained a Tennessee dental license in January 1994. Dr. Wiggins stated that he had practiced for 2 years on Florida to fulfill his obligations as a National Health Service Scholar. He then stated that an opportunity had been presented in the positions at Lima Correctional Institute wherein both he and his wife (Dr. Child-Wiggins) could work as a team. Dr. Wiggins application was in process in the Board executive office during the policy change.”
Eventually the couple did received licensure in Ohio where the current status on both is marked “retired”.
There is no record of Dr. Kenneth Morris Wiggins, Jr or Dr. DeAnthia Childs-Wiggin ever having a dental license in the state of Florida. Nor is there a record in Louisiana, where they said they lived in 1997. (700 Shaver Street, Bossier City, Louisiana is the address of Wiggins Technical Services Corporation, owned by Kenneth (Ken) M. Wiggins, Sr – a member of the Bossier Parish School Board)
November 2010 Georgia Sanctions
In November 2010 Dr. Wiggins was placed on probation for 3 years following a complaint by a patient. The Georgia Dental Board found he provided diagnosis, treatment and recordkeeping that “fell below the minimum standard of acceptable and prevailing dental practice.”
In performing a root canal on a patient he left two un-instrumented and unfilled canals and the one canal he did treat was “under-instrumented and poorly filled.” The Georgia Dental Board further found Wiggins failed to diagnose the poor treatment and failed to refer the patient to an endontist and his radiographs were of non-diagnostic quality.
In addition to the 3 years of probation, Wiggins was also required to take 20 continuing education hours in the “area of endodontic diagnosis and treatment”. He was then instructed to take another 20 hours in continuing education in “ethics and risk management” through Dr. Richard (Rick) S. Callan and Medical College of Georgia”. Wiggins was also fined $1,500 and ordered to refund all charged to the patient.
Since Small Smiles Dental Centers, Chief Dental Officer, Dr. Steven Adair and Dr. Richard S. Callan are/were collogues at the Medical College of Georgia, (n/k/a Georgia Health Sciences University) I’m not sure this is the place one would receive quality education in of “ethics and/or risk management”
National Provider Identification Information
Cosmetic and Family Dentistry of Marietta
Organization Name – Cosmetic and Family Dentistry of Marietta
Other Name – Cosmetic and Family Dentistry of Roswell
Dr. Kenneth Morris Wiggins JR. DDS – President
Phone – 770-226-0008
Organization NPI Number –1023264322
Entity Type –Multiple Single Specialty Group
Medicaid Number –829858019B and 8298558019A
Mailing Address –PO Box 7718 Marietta, GA 30065-1718
Business Location –1611 Sands Pl SE Suite 100, Marietta, GA 30067-8704
Enumeration Date – 08-18-2008
Last updated – 08-18-2008
Cosmetic Family Dentistry of Roswell
Organization Name – Cosmetic Family Dentistry of Roswell
President – Dr. Kenneth Morris Wiggins Jr,
Phone –770-226-0008
Organization NPI Number – 1538392493
Entity Type – 2-Organization
Medicaid Number 829858019B and 8298558019A
Mailing Address –1087 Alpharetta St., Roswell, GA 30075-4483
Phone –770-650-0992
License Numbers –
Kenneth Wiggins DN012484
DeAnthia Childs-Wiggins DN012485
Business Address –1087 Alpharetta St., Roswell, GA 30075-4483
Phone –770-650-0992
Enumeration Date – 08-26-2009
Last updated – 08-26-2009
Dr. Kenneth Morris Wiggins Jr, DDS
Name – Dr. Kenneth Morris Wiggins Jr. D.D.S
NPI Number – 1780805135
Phone –770-226-0008
Organization NPI Number – 1538392493
Entity Type – 1-Individual
Medicaid Number 829858019B and 8298558019A
Mailing Address –1611 Sands Pl. SE #100, Marietta, GA 30067-8785
Phone –770-2260008
Business Address –1611 Sands Pl. SE #100, Marietta, GA 30067-8785
Phone –770-2260008
Enumeration Date – 05-02-2007
Last updated – 07-09-2007
Georgia Dental License Number – DN012484
Ohio License Number – 20713
OHIO Dental License
Kenneth M. Wiggins JR
License Number—20713
Date of birth—12-1961
Address—1333 North Cable Road, Lima, OH 45805
Meharry Medical College
Graduated—12-31-1993
Initial License Date—07-31-1997
Expiration Date—13-31-2009
Status—Retired
Action—Yes
Documents—Click HereGEORGIA Dental License
Kenneth Morris Wiggins, Jr
Cosmetic and Family Dentistry of Marietta
Marietta GA, 30067
Number—DN012484
Issued—1-7-2002
Expiration Date—12-31-2011
Status— Probation / LapsedTENNESSEE Dental License
Kenneth Morris Wiggins
Bossier City, LA 71111
License number—6974
Status — Active
Expiration Date—12-31-2013
Violations/Disciplinary Actions/Criminal Offenses—None reported
Dr. DeAnthis Angela Childs-Wiggins
Name – Dr. DeAnthia Angela Childs-Wiggins, DDS
NPI Number – 1508087958
Phone –770-226-0008
Organization NPI Number – 1538392493
Entity Type – 1-Individual
Medicaid Number 829858019B and 8298558019A
Mailing Address –1611 Sands Pl. SE #100, Marietta, GA 30067-8785
Phone –770-2260008
Business Address –1611 Sands Pl. SE #100, Marietta, GA 30067-8785
Phone –770-2260008
Enumeration Date – 05-02-2007
Last updated – 07-09-2007
Georgia Dental License Number – DN012485
Ohio License Number – 20713
OHIO Dental License
Deanthia A. Childs-Wiggins
Date of birth—2-1961
Address—1333 North Cable Road, Lima, OH 45805
Meharry Medical College
Graduate—05-17-1997
Initial License Date—07-31-1997
Expiration Date—13-31-2009
Status—Retired
Action—No
GEORGIA Dental License
DeAnthia Angela Childs-Wiggins
P.O. Box 7718
Marietta, GA 30065
License Number—DN012485
Issue Date—1-07-2002
Expiration Date—12-31-2013
Statue—Active
Actions—NoneTENNESSEE Dental License
DeAnthis Angela Childs-Wiggins
Cosmetic & Family Dentistry Roswell
1611 Sands Place, Suite 100
Marietta, GA 30067
License Number—7840
Status—Expired 02-28-2013
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