Operators of 2 Dental Clinics Are Indicted in Alleged Fraud
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SACRAMENTO — Operators of two Southern California dental clinics were indicted for allegedly cheating Medi-Cal out of $1.18 million and delivering substandard care to hundreds of patients, state health officials announced Friday.
Six operators of the Global Dental Clinic in Anaheim and First Dental Group in Long Beach were arrested and a warrant was issued for a seventh, state Health Director Diana M. Bonta said.
The federal indictment alleged shoddy work by unlicensed dentists during a two-year period, ending in fall 2001.
One employee at First Dental Group worked on a 6-year-old boy who had an infected tooth. But instead of treating the infected tooth, the employee allegedly filled several other teeth. The child’s mother told investigators some of the fillings fell out. Assistant U.S. Atty. Daniel Linhardt said, “These are greedy people just ripping off the taxpayers.”
The state has a few dozen investigations into alleged dental fraud in its health program for the poor.
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