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To: Jeffrey S. Mitchell who wrote (5049)8/29/2003 9:13:20 AM
From: Jeffrey S. Mitchell  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 12465
 
Re: 3/26/03-6/1/03 - [Family Dental Care] WPCO: Dental Update, Patient Practices; Dental Chain Problems, Part III

March 26: Dental Update, Patient Practices

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Reported and Web Produced by: I-Team
Updated: 03/27/03 00:06:24

Andrea Canning, 9News Anchor, on set:
Tonight some serious new allegations against one of the largest dental practices in the Tri-state.

Clyde Gray, 9News Anchor, on set:
What started as an I-Team investigation has grown dramatically since our first story aired. Hagit Limor has joined us again with this follow-up report.

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, on set:
Last month we first told you about complaints of billing problems at Family Dental Care Associates. After our show aired, we got almost 200-calls and e-mails from other patients and from former employees. What they told us raises serious issues about patient care.

Alvin Quiogue, office manager (2001), SOT (sound on tape):
"They're the same stories I heard daily for almost a year."

"Joan" (anonymous), office manager (1999), SOT (sound on tape):
"So many times I've seen patients leave there in tears!"

Brian Warner, corporate office manager (1999-2000), SOT (sound on tape):
"I don't think the patients' best needs are being served at all."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
These three former employees of Family Dental Care Associates called the I-Team. Among a dozen former managers and dentists to confirm what patients told us.

Graphic: "ORIGINAL CLAIMS"

Francis, SOT (sound on tape):
"Most every one of the complaints were for the same thing, billing errors."

Benoit, SOT (sound on tape):
"They continued to bill me for monies that I did not owe them."

Dick Kutchera, SOT (sound on tape):
"I said, 'Well, how can you bill us that much?' And they couldn't make any explanation of it at all."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, to group, SOT (sound on tape):
"How many of you had similar experiences to what you heard in our original story?"

(wide shot of group)

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, responds to group, SOT (sound on tape):
"A lot of billing problems out there then."

Roger Strahm, SOT (sound on tape):
"I thought, 'Well, maybe it's just me.' But it isn't."

Deb Pitman, SOT (sound on tape):
"I was like, 'Oh my God. I'm not the only one.' I think all of us thought we were the only one."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
This is but a small group of almost 200-former and current patients who contacted us after our investigation aired. The Better Business Bureau now logs 169-complaints.

All stem from problems at one of the largest dental practices in the Tri-state, with offices in Symmes Township, Western Hill, Tri-County and inside the Sears stores at Eastgate and Northgate Malls. Dr. J. Michael Fuchs runs the business.

Rhonda Glassmeyer, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"It's a total, unprofessional practice when it comes to billing and customer service and just treating people like humans."

Cloda Kendrick, former patient's mother, SOT (sound on tape):
"They don't care about the people. They just don't care."

Roland Gibson, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"I was indignant when I left there. I'm retired, and I left there, still to this day, I just feel like it was an injustice."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
"How often did patients complain?"

Brian, SOT (sound on tape):
"Every day. Every day."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"You're saying this was typical of your experience?"

Alvin, SOT (sound on tape):
"Typical daily, typical weekly. They're the same stories I heard daily for almost a year."

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"I saw the same thing in every office."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"And that was?"

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"The patients weren't being treated fair. The concern for them just wasn't there."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
These three former managers, who approached us separately, worked at the various offices and corporate headquarters in Symmes Township. They blame Family Dental Care's corporate structure and lack of manpower for the problems. While patients got care at the dental offices, all the billing went through the corporate office.

Brian, former corporate office manager, SOT (sound on tape):
"We were so busy. There were so many people in there, so many phone calls, and there was not enough help."

Alvin, former office manager, SOT (sound on tape):
"It's very frustrating for me to buffer an angry patient to the corporate office 'cause that's where I'm told to tell them to call, and they never get an answer."

"Joan", former office manager, SOT (sound on tape):
"They could never get through to the corporate office to the billing office, and they kept getting the bills over and over again with the threatening letters, and it was just a nightmare for them."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
Among the original complaints: claims of double-billing insurers and patients; billing for more services than patients requested; and patients turned over to collections even when they paid the bills.

Now new allegations: complaints about cleanliness; safety; refusing to treat patients unless they paid first; and ordering unnecessary care. We'll take them one at a time.

Graphic: "CLEANLINESS"

Kathy Mitchell, SOT (sound on tape):
"It was a dirty place."

Roland Gibson, SOT (sound on tape):
"A filthy place."

Deb Pitman, SOT (sound on tape):
"So dirty, it's not even describable."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"Were you concerned about the cleanliness?"

Brian, SOT (sound on tape):
"We were always concerned about the cleanliness."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"Patients complained about that?"

Brian, SOT (sound on tape):
"Yea."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"Do you think the patients were right?"

Brian, SOT (sound on tape):
"Yea, I think they were."

LeeAnne, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"They had the little brush thing that they polish our teeth with. It had hair and stuff all over it. And it was like, 'Why are you trying to put that in my mouth? It's dirty.' And they're like, 'It's no big deal. A little hair never hurt anyone.'"

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"Compare the equipment, the dental equipment that was used at these offices to other offices where you've worked."

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"You would be like comparing a horse and buggy to a car."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
Even more troubling, both this manager and Quiogue say they knew ahead of time before state inspections.

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"Dr. Fuchs would come to our office and tell us, and we would take that day before and clean."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"How did he know that the state was about to inspect?"

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"I'm not sure how he got word of that. He always knew. We'd cancel the patients, and we would spend that whole day cleaning."

Graphic: "SAFETY"

Alvin, SOT (sound on tape):
"The health of the patients was always in question, broken equipment, failed Spore test."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
Quioque says the machine supposed to sterilize dental equipment sometimes failed. He says this newer model at his current employer's office is much larger and able to handle more patients.

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
>"Do you think the dentists were overbooked?"

Alvin, SOT (sound on tape):
"Oh, yea, way overbooked -- four patients an hour. And that's impossible. It takes five minutes to develop an x-ray… I don't know how I would trust a doctor who was only giving me 15 or 20 minutes of his time."

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"They wanted to block in as many patients as they could. It makes more money."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"Whose decision was that?"

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"It comes down to the corporate, the pressure that's put on the dentists working for him and the employees working for him. The pressure that's put there to produce. So I would say from Dr. Fuchs. That's where the pressure comes from."

Graphic: "REFUSING TO TREAT PATIENTS UNLESS THEY PAID FIRST"

Rhonda Harmon, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"They said she couldn't be seen because it was a problem with billing."

Rhonda Glassmeyer, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"They said 'You owe that now. We can't give you treatment.'"

Susan Belser, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"My daughter had braces on and they refused the treatment. They refused to take 'em off. They refused to see her."

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"We had a lady that she came into the office, and she was in a great deal of pain, and she had an appointment; and they refused to see her because they said she needed to make a payment. She said she made the payment, and she did make the payment."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"You checked later?"

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"I checked later. She did make the payment. They did not see her."

Graphic: "ORDERING UNNECESSARY CARE"

Stephanie Kendrick, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"They told me that I had 16 cavities, and that I had to get all them little silver caps in my mouth."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
Stephanie Kendrick's mother fretted about drilling so many teeth.

Cloda Kendrick, former patient's mother, SOT (sound on tape):
"I sat there at home and I worried, 'Am I doing the right thing?' These teeth are for a lifetime!"

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
Cloda Kendrick decided to get a second opinion.

Cloda Kendrick, SOT (sound on tape):
"I said, 'How many cavities does she have?' -- 'Well, none!' I said, 'Isn't that amazing.' They were going to drill my child's mouth and put 16 silver fillings in."

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"That does not surprise me at all. I saw it first hand, and I heard about it also, patients coming in complaining, saying that 'You told me that I needed this, and I went to someone else and I don't need it done.'"

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"You saw them recommend procedures that weren't needed?"

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"Yes."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"Why?"

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"Maybe for the money."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
We asked the man who runs Family Dental Care Associates to respond to all these charges. Dr. Fuchs has remained unavailable for an interview. In the past he's told us, ""The problem is the patients don't necessarily understand their insurance."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"Do you understand your insurance?"

Stephanie Feldman, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"No, I understand mine."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"Because?"

Stephanie Feldman, SOT (sound on tape):
"I work for the insurance company. (laughs) So I understand mine."

Noel LeMoyne, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"I do understand insurance. I used to sell it."

Susan Belser, former patient, SOT (sound on tape):
"I understand due to, I have been in the medical field for 18 years."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, VO (voice-over):
Dr. Fuchs also says his company's, "Overall record in the area of responding to patient concerns is exemplary."

(Patients laugh)

"Joan", SOT (sound on tape):
"There were so many complaints made while I was there, so many patients literally in tears… I think their main concern is money, only money, not patients, not their health."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"If Dr. Fuchs were to say to me that he's surprised by these charges, he doesn't think the represent his practice -- do you think he knows the truth?"

Brian, SOT (sound on tape):
"He knows the truth."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, SOT (sound on tape):
"He knew about the complaints of the patients?"

Brian, SOT (sound on tape):
"He knew, yea."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, on set:
We've asked Dr. Fuchs for an interview to tell us on-camera his side of these issues. To this date, he's refused.

He's taken out this full-page ad in the paper and faxed us this letter just today.

It says, "Our offices are clean and safe and fully comply with all dental standards. We vigorously deny all allegations to the contrary," and "We do not order unnecessary care."

The ad says, "All of our efforts are directed towards providing you with quality care at a reasonable fee in a comfortable and caring manner."

Hagit Limor, I-Team Reporter, on set:
\ Dr. Fuchs defends his billing practices and questions if Channel 9 is really "On Your Side." We want to make it clear. We are. We want to see these complaints resolved, and we're still willing to talk with Dr. Fuchs any time he wants.

Contact the I-Team
Stephen Hill shill@wcpo.com
Hagit Limor hlimor@wcpo.com
Laure Quinlivan lquinlivan@wcpo.com

wcpo.com

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June 1: Dental Chain Problems, Part III

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RELATED LINK
Ohio State Dental Board
state.oh.us

WCPO.com neither endorses nor guarantees the content or availability of external links.

Reported and Web Produced by: I-Team
Updated: 06/01/03 22:19:01

Julie O'Neill, 9News anchor, on set: Tonight, some serious allegations of unsanitary conditions at the area's largest dental firm, with five locations in greater Cincinnati.

It's the latest information the I-Team's dug up in a series of reports about Family Dental Care Associates.

Hagit Limor joins us again.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on set: In our first report we heard about billing problems. Then we heard complaints about dental care, not only from patients but also from former managers.

The man who runs the chain denies all these claims.

Tonight, dentists who worked for him add their voices and they don't just blame him, they blame the state.

Anonymous man, former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, voice over video: "I think the quality issue is the thing that always bothered me the most."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: He worked as a dentist at Family Dental Care Associates. Now this doctor's speaking up about conditions he says drove him away.

Cleanliness...

Anonymous man, former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, voice over video: "That was a big issue for me. The problem was that infection control incurs significant expense and in a high-volume, fast-paced practice it really hurts the bottom line."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Pressure by the man who runs the business, Dr. J. Michael Fuchs, to work fast, so they can bill more...

Anonymous man, former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, on camera: "I think in the haste to move patients, we used to call it moving the meat...I saw some terrible work from colleagues of mine."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: And fear for patients' safety...

Anonymous man, former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, voice over video: "When the office got very busy the instruments would not sit for the prescribed time to achieve sterilization."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "So you would be putting instruments into people's mouths that were not fully sterilized?"

Anonymous man, former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, voice over video: "That's correct."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: He's not the only one to tell us that.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "You're saying they didn't sterilize between patients?

Penelope Orr, former manager at the Western Hills Family Dental Care Associates dental office, on camera: "They wouldn't have time to."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Penelope Orr managed the Western Hills office in 2002.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "You're basically saying that some patients ended up getting equipment that had just been in somebody else's mouth."

Penelope Orr, former manager at the Western Hills Family Dental Care Associates dental office, on camera: "Yes. Yes, and the only thing that's separating them and somebody else's germ is a quick spray of Lysol and a paper towel."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: Add these complaints to the hundreds the I-Tteam's gotten from patients who've turned to various agencies for years, and you'd think the state would investigate. But like many frustrated patients, the I-Team's found it's hard to get the state to act about dental complaints.

Shirley Hazelwood, former Family Dental Care Associates patient, on camera: "I tried everything I knew to do."

Dora Stutson, former Family Dental Care Associates patient, on camera: "I just couldn't get any help so I just gave up."

Carol Sauerbrun, former Family Dental Care Associates patient, on camera: "Nothing happened. They didn't do anything."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "These three patients all complained to various agencies, they say to no avail. Shirley Hazelwood says the state needs to know what happened to her at Family Dental Care's Eastgate office.

Shirley Hazelwood, former Family Dental Care Associates patient, on camera: "This didn't need to happen."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: She says the dentist wouldn't treat a lesion on her tongue. After several appointments with no action, she found a specialist, who diagnosed stage four cancer cells.

Shirley Hazelwood, former Family Dental Care Associates patient, on camera: "I was devastated. I was devastated, and I've been in fear since then that it would return."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Shirley wants the state to know about the delay and lack of care.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Did any of the groups you contacted help you?"

Shirley Hazelwood, former Family Dental Care Associates patient, on camera: "No."

Penelope Orr, former manager at the Western Hills Family Dental Care Associates dental office, on camera: "That's exactly what I experienced and ultimately no one does anything."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Penelope Orr was so fed up by what she saw, she tried to blow the whistle.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "You're saying you tried to call the health department, you tried to call the Ohio Dental Board, you tried to call the Attorney General's Office, and did you get anything resolved?"

Penelope Orr, former manager at the Western Hills Family Dental Care Associates dental office, on camera: "Nothing."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: The local health department has no jurisdiction but the Ohio Attorney General's Office does handle billing complaints and the state dental board is supposed to investigate complaints about care, yet patients and employees told us, they got nowhere with either agency.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Some of our viewers said they called to try to complain to the attorney general's office and they were basically turned away."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera, talking to attorney general's spokesman Mark Gribben: "What have you done about this?"

Mark Gribben, Ohio Attorney General's Spokesman, on camera: "After we received word that people were having a problem with this specifically, we've had two meetings with our customer consumer specialists to re-educate them."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Gribben says the attorney general's office is looking into Family Dental Care.

Mark Gribben, Ohio Attorney General's Spokesman, on camera: "We have received approximately 60 complaints at this point."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera, talking to attorney general's spokesman Mark Gribben: "Is that unusual for a dental firm?"

Mark Gribben, Ohio Attorney General's Spokesman, on camera: "Yes."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera, talking to attorney general's spokesman Mark Gribben: "At what point does the attorney general's office look at a mass of complaints and say, 'There's a bigger problem here?'"

Mark Gribben, Ohio Attorney General's Spokesman, on camera: "Sixty complaints certainly gets our attention."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: That's more than the Ohio State Dental Board will say. The board's investigators look into questions about care, unless they take action, there's no public record. As far as you and I know, the Ohio State Dental Board has never investigated Family Dental Care. That's not to say patients and managers haven't tried.

Penelope Orr, former manager at the Western Hills Family Dental Care Associates dental office, on camera: "I contacted them and they said unless I was a patient and I had a particular complaint, it wasn't up to me to make the complaint."

Dora Stutson, former patient, on camera: "I called the dental board. They told me at the time that they could not help me. It was unbelievably upsetting."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Carol Sauerbrun works for an insurance company and got the board to look at her complaint about severe filth and lack of hygiene.

Carol Sauerbrun, insurance company employee, on camera: "I got a nice little letter saying they finished the investigation and there's nothing they could do."

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "The majority of complaints do not warrant administrative action or the evidence is not sufficient to go forward."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Lili Reitz serves as the dental board's executive director. We told her of the complaints about care, cleanliness and infection control.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "What is the chance a dental practice with this many complaints we know about has no problems with the dental board?"

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "It's unfortunate that people are having these experiences, but verbal explanation of their experience is one thing. Evidence to support charges could be something different."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Former dentists and managers claim they know why there's no "evidence".

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Do you recall a single surprise inspection?"

Anonymous manager at Family Dental Care Associates, on camera: "No. I do not."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Did you get warned before the state came in and inspected?"

Anonymous manager at Family Dental Care Associates, on camera: "Yes, Dr. Fuchs would come to our office and tell us, and we would take that day before and clean."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Were you also tipped off before the state health kind of inspections?"

Alvin Quioge, former office manager at at Family Dental Care Associates, on camera: "Oh, I would yeah."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "How did you know he was coming before he came?"

Alvin Quioge, former office manager at at Family Dental Care Associates, on camera: "They'd call and say he may be coming."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Who'd call? Dr. Fuchs' office?"

Alvin Quioge, former office manager at at Family Dental Care Associates, on camera: "Yeah."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: A dozen former employees say if the state was investigating, Dr. Fuchs always seemed to know before inspectors showed up.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Are you saying that this man had connections with the dental board investigators?"

Anonymous dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, on camera: "Absolutely."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: This dentist asked that we disguise his look and voice.

Former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, disguised: "Obviously there was some kind of communications going on between the corporate office and the investigators."

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "We don't believe that that has taken place. We don't have that evidence and our position is that no one's getting a head's up, at least not from our office."

Former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, disguised: "The relationship was much more than cozy, very comfortable."

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "I don't believe there's a cozy relationship between the dental board and any dentist."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Reitz says the dentists should speak up to her board but they say they're afraid of retribution.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "They believe that he has the dental board in his pocket."

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "Well, he doesn't. I can assure you that no dentist has the dental board in their pocket."

Former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, disguised: "They pick and choose whom to prosecute. It's not the severity of the complaints or the volume. They would never pick a big fish like Dr. Fuchs."

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "If we have evidence to support that the law's been violated and that charges are warranted, we will issue those charges. We have taken on bigger fish than Dr. Fuchs."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "And when they direct that to you, saying that you help to pick and choose who to prosecute?"

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "I whole-heartedly deny that. We treat every licensee the same based on the information that we've gathered during the investigation."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Reitz says if the board found problems, it could hold Dr. Fuchs responsible for his policies even 'though he doesn't treat patients'.

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "The board's mission is to protect the public."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Do you feel they protected you the consumer or the dentist?"

Carol Sauerbrun, insurance company employee, on camera: "The dentist definitely."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on camera: "Overall do you believe the dental board carries out its mission in a fair impartial way?"

Lili Reitz, Executive Director, Ohio State Dental Board: "I absolutely believe that or else I wouldn't be here running the board."

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, voice over video: Former employees say the proof lies in Family Dental Care's clean record with the agency set up to protect Ohio's citizens.

Former dentist at Family Dental Care Associates, disguised: "It's in fact working conversely against the citizens of Ohio. They're working against the interests of those patients who have suffered so long."

I-Team bong and animation.

Hagit Limor, I-Team reporter, on set: We tried once again to get Dr. Fuchs' side of these serious charges. He hasn't responded to our request for an interview.

Several dentists had some ideas how to get around perceptions of favoritism with the board. They suggest periodically rotating inspectors assigned to each region.

They also favor blind judging at the the dental board: leave the facts but remove the names so those who decide what case to pursue don't know the identity of the accused.

Finally, they want to add the same rules of evidence and discovery you get in a court of law to protect all sides.

We found the board has just 14 employees. Perhaps that's not enough to monitor 21,000 people.

Contact the I-Team
Stephen Hill shill@wcpo.com
Hagit Limor hlimor@wcpo.com
Laure Quinlivan lquinlivan@wcpo.com

wcpo.com