They may have been the victim of an abusive dental practice.
We represent several hundred former patients of Small Smiles dental clinics. The parents of our clients believe their children were abused and traumatized as a result of wrongful conduct at a Small Smiles clinic.
What is Small Smiles?Small Smiles is a Private Equity-owned and controlled dental clinic that targets children in lower-income communities who qualify for Medicaid. These clinics are owned by Church Street Health Management, and they operate in more than 20 states across the country.
In late 2007, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and other government agencies launched a nationwide investigation of Small Smiles dental clinics. The agencies claimed that Small Smiles had repeatedly billed Medicaid for dental services that were either unnecessary or performed in a manner that did not meet professionally recognized standards. As a result of this investigation, the corporate owner of Small Smiles agreed to pay $24 million to the government to resolve the allegations.
Despite this agreement, we believe that Small Smiles continues to abuse small children, and that they continue to bill millions of dollars in reimbursements to Medicaid every year.
Signs of abuse
- Unnecessary and improper dental procedures such as root canals or crowns on their non-permanent baby teeth
- Improperly performed root canals that require additional dental care to avoid infections or other complications
- Forced restraint by use of a papoose board, a straightjacket-like device that prevents the child from moving their arms or legs
- Had an accident or soiled their clothing during their dental treatment
- Fillings that have fallen out, poorly fitting crowns, and dental caps that have come off following their procedures
- Night terrors and difficulty sleeping since their dental visit
If you believe that your child received improper dental treatment at a Small Smiles dental clinic, we would like to hear from you. Contact us using the form at the top of this page. Or you can reach us by phone at 800.677.7095.
