A Massachusetts dental practice manager was indicted for allegedly committing $245,000 in Medicaid fraud and pulling a patient's tooth without having a dental license, according to the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General.
On May 20, a Suffolk County Grand Jury indicted Fritz Gabriel, 69, and the practice he managed, Forest Hill Dental in Forest Hills, MA. Gabriel and the practice were charged with Medicaid false claims and larceny over $1,200. Additionally, Gabriel was charged with assault and battery and unlicensed practice of dentistry, according to a press release dated May 21 from the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General.
Gabriel, of Milton, MA, and the dental practice allegedly billed MassHealth for numerous dental services, including extractions, root canals, and fillings, that patients never received. Subsequent dental exams and x-rays proved the services weren't performed.
Additionally, the dental practice reportedly billed for dental services provided by Gabriel, who was not a licensed dentist but was required to be performed by a licensed dentist. In one of these instances, Gabriel is accused of performing an extraction on a MassHealth patient, leaving an exposed root in her mouth. Ultimately, the woman required considerable follow-up treatment, according to the state.
In total, about $245,000 in reimbursements were fraudulently obtained from MassHealth, according to the release.
