$24,000 fine for dentist; near death for 3-year-old

A consent order filed with the Virginia Board of Dentistry said dentist Kathryn Biery was put on probation over the misuse of anesthesia, which is used frequently in dental procedures. Biery was the focus on of a story on dental sedation by the Harrionsburg paper. Biery, among other things, failed to complete a comprehensive pre-operative assessment of a 3 year-old girl. Before the operation, the amount of Vistaril given to the girl exceeded the the FDA recommended dosage, the order says.

That overdose might have led to the near death of the 3-year-old named Dakota, one newspaper accused.

Biery, according to the order, also allowed an unlicensed dental assistant to administer nitrous oxide to the same girl and allowed unlicensed personal to handle anesthesia, push medications and starts I.V’s. The order also mentions that parents under pre-op medication were frequently left alone with their children.

Biery told the board that she has changed her procedures. She was fined $24,000, given two years of probation and must enroll in 45 hours of continuing education classes. That is the equivalent to an average college load for three semesters.

Photos from Biery's Web site and Harrionsburg newspaper

Drugs and wrong teeth

Richard Hull, a dentist in Lexington, has been in trouble numerous times with the board.

According to a consent order filed this month, in ‘05 and ‘06 Hull provided a prescription for a patient not related to dental to work. The medicine, Vicoprofen, was intended to help ease the pain of osteoarthritis and was based on the apparent prescription of an out-of-state practitioner.

In return for the Vicoprofen, which was purchased four times from Sullivan Schein Dental for $681.44 each time, the patient performed some sort of labor for the doctor.

Earlier in his practice (Sept. ‘05), Hull pulled the wrong teeth from a female patient. Hull was supposed to pull the girl’s wisdom teeth but instead pulled four 12-year-old molars. Ouch. The order said that the patient would require more dental work in the future as a result.

Hull is on an indefinite suspension that can be stayed no sooner than May 15 2008 — meaning license restrictions can be lifted in a year, provided he follows through with the boards requests. Hull is prohibited from prescribing Schedule II-V drugs, has to pay $33,000 in fines and take some continuing education classes.

Dental insurance fraud (with a touch of heart)

Atleast Faryl Hart tried to be clever about it.

In 2004 Hart, a dentist from Richmond, billed a patient’s insurance company for a “resin composite and delivery of a crown to tooth #20.” The order states the claim as a fraudulent attempt to get money for something was not performed. The cost of a crown varies, but looks to be anywhere between $500 to $900.

Was it worth it?

The same patients records failed to document the name of the dentist performing the procedure – or ‘non procedure’ if you will.

In ‘02 Hart prescribed Zithromax to a patient “without therapeutic purpose.” She gave the same person Darvocet and Flexeril without a bona fide patient/doctor relationship, the order said.

Hart also had some smaller housekeeping violations, which were probably found during the department’s inspection.

In June, the dentist was slapped with a $7,000 fine and told to complete seven hours of continuing education classes in ethics and risk management.

This is the second consent order that Hart has on file with the department. An order filed in 2005 came after Hart allowed an unlicensed dental hygienist to work in her office. Hart told the board she did not know the individual did not have a license. The worker was fired. There is also an order from 1992, but a letter attached to the complaint said that the case was dismissed.

Hart and her team of all female doctors works out of an office on Parham Road in Richmond. Her Web site has a pink background and is dotted with hearts and pictures of bright teeth. Odd, although it does conjure a pleasant feeling, that heartfelt background of Hart’s.

Hart also totes the use of Capital One Healthcare Finance on her Web site. It reads:

“Capital One® Healthcare Finance makes elective dental procedures affordable for any budget. Use Capital One Healthcare Finance to pay for elective procedures, from $300 to $25,000.

We offer installment loans with low, fixed rates from 1.9% APR to 23.9% APR*, or interest-free loans** for 3, 6, 12, or 18 months to qualified applicants. Either way, you’ll be able to find an option designed to fit within your budget.”

I wonder if this is the same company she billed for a procedure that did not occur?

No gloves?

Robert Barnes, a dentist in VA Beach, was fined $1,000 for not wearing gloves while seeing patients, causing a health hazard.

It is not clear if Barnes washed his hands frequently. This was the dentist’s first infraction, according to the Department of Health.