Dentist charged for paper clips surgery
A former Massachusetts dentist has been charged with using paper clips for root canal surgery.
Dr Michael Clair, who practiced in Fall River, has also been accused of defrauding $130,000 from the Medicaid program through false claims and illegally prescribing drugs for himself.
He will officially answer the charges on 8 April 2010 at Superior Court.
Dr Clair, who worked from Harbour Dental Care, was expelled from the Medicaid scheme in 2002 making him unable to submit claims for treatment
s he performed on Medicaid patients.
The 51-year-old dentist has now been accused of billing the program around $130,000 between 2003 and 2005.
Former staff members have alleged that Dr Clair prescribed them painkillers, including Combunox, Percocet and Hydrocondone.
He also reportedly used paper clips during root canals instead of surgical steel clips. Although many dentists use paper clips temporarily during surgery they can be painful and can also cause infection.
Indicted on 13 charges, Dr Clair also stands accused of two counts of assault.
Dr Clair, whose licence to practice dentistry in Massachusetts expired in 2008, has been accused of similar offences in other states in the past.
In 1999 he had his licence revoked in Maryland after he was said to have performed unnecessary procedures on patients and encouraged his staff to do the same.
Florida then revoked his licence in 2001 and West Virginia did the same in 2006.
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