Dentist Intentionally Damages Patient's Teeth For Earning Extra Money

A dentist, Scott Charmoli of Wisconsin, United States of America shattered his patients' teeth on purpose to restore them with crowns and profit, earning millions of dollars in the process of treating him. He drilled his clients' teeth intentionally and then overcharged them for additional treatment services to repair the injuries.

In Wisconsin, dentists averaged less than six crowns per 100 patients, whereas the 61-year-old dentist averaged more than 32 crowns per 100 patients.

As per prosecutors, Charmoli began pressing his patients into getting unneeded crowns, a dental surgery in which a tooth-shaped cap is fitted on a broken tooth. To validate the crown operation, the dentist would drill his clients' teeth and display the X-rays to them making them realise the losses as "before" images.

The patient who was the client named Todd Tedeschi said that he didn't realise it was excessive at the time, but he didn't know any better. He was the consummate professional. The client described thay he just believed him and his process.

When he purchased his dental office in 2019, the new owners saw the high rate of crown procedures in his files and reported him to the appropriate authorities. Almost a hundred of Charmoli's former patients have filed medical malpractice lawsuits against him, reported Indiatimes.

Five counts of health-care fraud and two counts of making a false statement regarding his patients' treatment were found against the fraudster dentist. As to the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, he faces up to ten years in prison for each count of fraud and a maximum of five years in prison for each count of false statement.

In February 2021, Charmoli's dental licence was suspended pending disciplinary proceedings. The matter is pending sentencing in federal court, which is scheduled for June 17.

However, during December 2020 arraignment, defence counsel Nila Robinson stated that he clearly rejects that his well-earned wealth of many, many years of dentistry practise at the 40 to 60 hour per week level is the product of anything other than his own diligence, hard work, and solid business acumen.

According to the sources, the dentist earned $1.4 million in 2014 by placing 434 crowns. He had earned $2.5 million by installing over 1,000 crowns by 2015. From 2016 to 2019, he charged more than $4.2 million for crowns, and from January 1, 2018, to August 7, 2019, he put more than 1,600 crowns over a 20-month period.