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Collister Investigates

Smile Center target of criminal investigation

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Reported by: Brian Collister

Email: BrianCollister@woaitv.com

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Published: 9/07/2011 4:05 pm

Updated: 9/08/2011 10:04 am

SAN ANTONIO - A criminal investigation is underway into a chain of dental clinics here in San Antonio that targets children on Medicaid. This comes after an investigation by News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooter Brian Collister uncovered complaints of poor treatment at The Smile Center.

The Texas Attorney General now confirms it has launched criminal and civil investigations into The Smile Center.

The Attorney General’s office wants to know if the clinics defrauded medicaid by billing for dental work that did not need to be done. The Trouble Shooters have been reporting since February about complaints from parents who say the clinics did unnecessary and shoddy work on their children.

These parents were unhappy with dental work done on their children and paid with millions of your tax dollars through Medicaid.

A representative from the Attorney General’s office confirms it's Medicaid fraud control unit has 180 bankers boxes of records taken from The Smile Center locations here in San Antonio. The agency's civil Medicaid department has also filed a complaint in civil court against the business. But we don't know what's in that complaint because it's sealed.

A local law firm is also just weeks away from filing a massive lawsuit against The Smile Center on behalf of the parents of one hundred former patients.

The Smile Center's owner, Doctor Stephen Simpton, recently filed a lawsuit against WOAI and reporter Brian Collister. Simpton claims our stories defamed and disparaged him and his business. Simpton did not respond to a request for comment for this report.

The attorney for The Smile Center said in a statement. "The investigation to which you refer is a routine Medicaid audit. It has no criminal implications and is not the result of any prior allegations against Dr. Simpton or The Smile Center. In regard to the lawsuit to which you refer, Dr. Simpton has no comment other than the litigation will take care of itself."

WOAI and Brian Collister plan on staying on this story and letting you know what happens next in our ongoing investigation.

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15 Comment(s)

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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of News 4 WOAI (WOAI.com)

dltyler - 9/14/2011 3:27 PM

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This story would not have been given attention if not some of the childrren were on medicade. It has started the porocess of putting this dr. out of buss. and kis back side in jail. Enogh as said.

Cris08 - 9/9/2011 10:34 PM

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Criminal charges are mandatory for this clinic.

Cris08 - 9/9/2011 10:33 PM

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Don't judge all children who have to be on Medicaid. No one deserves this kind of treatment. The welfare system is flawed but not all people on welfare are bums riding the system. When you go to a dentist doctor or certified individual you trust that they know more than you about the service they are providing. I became guardian of a child that, yes, is on Medicaid. I have a child of my own that has insurance through my employer. My older child that is on Medicaid went to the smile center shortly after I became his guardian. He had gone to this dentist before he came to live with me. When I went into the office my understanding was that he did not require a root canal only the repair of a chipped tooth. Once he was in the chair they stated he was getting a root canal. I asked them to recheck their records because he did not have a root canal scheduled. They checked again and stated he did require a root canal. I allowed them to proceed. The doctor began drilling and then realized he was missing a tool to complete the work. He left the room and returned several times until he ultimately advised that he could not continue because he was missing the tool to continue the work. He offered to reschedule the appointment. I declined and requested copies of the x-rays. They patched up the hole they had drilled with some type of dental putty and I took my son to another dentist. This is his permanent tooth. When I took him to another dentist they stated that based on the x-ray he did not require a root canal but that it was hard to say without seeing the tooth prior to drilling. After the drilling they had begun we had no choice but to complete the root canal and crown. I am a banker, I don't know alot about the dental field. I trusted a Dentist to know what dental work was needed. It’s not about education level or whether someone is on welfare. It’s about a professional taking advantage of a healthcare system that needs to more closely monitor claims.

Canaandogsrule - 9/9/2011 6:15 PM

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I feel so very sorry for those poor kids. I was subjected to a very bad dentist who was recommended to the family, and the guy just drilled and filled every tooth he could. I still hate dentists to this day.

SWEETFAMILY - 9/9/2011 2:14 PM

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I had taken my kids to the smile center back in June, I had taken them there before and the dentist said that there were cavities so he put a silver cap on them. I understood that because most of the time that's what the dentist do. But when I took them back he said that my 5 yr old had a cavity so he would have to pull the tooth and put a spacer in. I really didn't understand why he was going to pull on of her baby teeth that would eventually be falling out and put in a spacer. Not knowing any better I let them do the procedure. What got me and concerned me was when I took my youngest there because his front teeth were not coming in properly and the dentist said that they were going to put silver caps on those, made me become concern and get the opinion of another dentist. There I was told that my child did not have to have her tooth pulled and a spacer put in and my youngest was too young for silver caps and there was another procedure that could be done to his teeth. So I have never went back there and advice others not to take their children there.

Yasmin - 9/9/2011 1:11 PM

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This is just sickening. These kids will forever be traumatized by the dentists office. It doesn't make sense, dentists are some of the highest paid medical professionals. I hope they throw their greedy butts in jail! They ALWAYS lock up young women for selling food stamps, so they BETTER throw these pieces of trash in the slammer.

OneVoice - 9/8/2011 4:49 PM

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A good reporter would have shown photos of the kids before they had the dental work. If these parents would have not put their kids to bed with a bottle full of Kool-Aid or sports drink they would have not rotted their baby teeth out. The silver caps and crowns are all that Medicaid will pay for. They could have taken their child to a free clinic. If the clinic just happened to do dental work they would have just extracted the rotten teeth. Baby teeth are very important for future dental health. Maybe these parents should be the ones being investigated for not taking proper care of their children.

Superspurs - 9/8/2011 11:54 AM

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Well unfortunately for the kids, if the parents are welfare types, this is the service they will receive.

lobo blanco - 9/8/2011 10:37 AM

3 Votes

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Those poor kids could have had better work done in Mexico...They look like they are ready to be in the next Jay Z video.....

camidawg - 9/8/2011 9:54 AM

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OK let's see. A dentist has an office, a staff, dental machines etc...all very expensive. The gov't has a program where you do dental work (or not), then file for the 'free' insuranace $$$. Really. I'm don't claim to be a rocket scientist in any way, but are the powers-to-be really that stoopid to think that this system would not be taken advantage of?? I want to slap the providers of the Medicade program so hard they need dental work (or not)...

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