DAVID, THANK YOU FOR REPORTING THIS. THIS IS NEW AT FIVE TONIGHT. A DORCHESTER DENTAL PRACTICE MANAGER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH A SERIES OF CRIMES, INCLUDING FRAUD AND UNLICENSED PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY. PROSECUTORS SAY FRITZ GABRIEL, MANAGER, FOREST HILLS DENTAL, BUILDS STATE MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR NEARLY QUARTER OF $1 MILLION DENTAL WORK. THIS NEVER REALLY HAPPENED. GABRIEL WAS ALSO ALLEGEDLY BILLED FOR SOME WORK HE DID AS A DIFFERENT DENTIST, INCLUDING AN EXTRACTION WHICH LEFT A REPORT
Unlicensed dentist, Boston office accused of defrauding patients, MassHealth system
The manager of a Boston dental practice faces criminal charges including practicing dentistry without a license and conspiring to defraud the Massachusetts Medicaid program of about $245,000. Fritz Gabriel, 69, of Milton, was indicted by a Suffolk County jury on Monday. He runs Forest Hills Dental in Dorchester, which was also named in the indictment. He faces charges including practicing dentistry without a license, medical assistance fraud by a non-provider, theft over $1,200 and assault and battery. Court documents say the allegations date back to Jan. 1, 2018. Gabriel and the practice are accused of billing MassHealth for services, including extractions and root canals, that were never provided. Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office said dental exams and X-rays prove the billed work was never completed. Some of the erroneous billing involved services by Gabriel, who is not a licensed dentist.” Gabriel, although not a licensed dentist, performed an extraction on a MassHealth member who left an exposed root in his mouth, which ultimately required member of MassHealth to require significant monitoring,” the AG’s office said in a statement. A subpoena was issued for Gabriel, who is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on June 13.
The manager of a Boston dental practice faces criminal charges including practicing dentistry without a license and conspiring to defraud the Massachusetts Medicaid program of about $245,000.
Fritz Gabriel, 69, of Milton, was indicted by a Suffolk County jury on Monday. He runs Forest Hills Dental in Dorchester, which was also named in the indictment.
He faces charges including practicing dentistry without a license, medical assistance fraud by a non-provider, theft over $1,200 and assault and battery. Court documents say the allegations date back to January 1, 2018.
Gabriel and the practice are accused of billing MassHealth for services, including extractions and root canals, that were never performed. Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office said dental exams and X-rays prove the billed work was never completed. Some of the false charges involved services by Gabriel, who is not a licensed dentist.
“Gabriel, despite not being a licensed dentist, performed an extraction on a MassHealth member that left an exposed root in her mouth, which ultimately required the MassHealth member to require significant follow-up,” the AG’s office said in a statement.
A summons was issued for Gabriel, who is scheduled to appear in court to be arraigned on June 13.
