Former Dentist Gets Year In Jail For Using Paper Clips In Root Canals

January 30, 2012 9:59 AM

Michael Clair in Fall River Superior Court Monday (Photo by Kim Tunnicliffe)

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FALL RIVER (AP) — A former Massachusetts dentist has been sent to jail for a year for using paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in root canals.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports:

Michael Clair was sentenced to 2 ½ years, with all but one year suspended Monday in Fall River Superior Court after pleading guilty to defrauding Medicaid of $130,000.

He is also charged with assault and battery, illegally prescribing medications and witness intimidation.

Some of Clair’s patients reported infections after he performed root canals on them.

The 53-year-old Clair, who had a dental practice in Fall River, now lives in Crofton, Md.

Prosecutors say he was suspended by Medicaid in 2002, but continued filing claims by using the names of other dentists in his practice.

His license to practice dentistry was suspended in Massachusetts in 2006.

Former Dentist Gets Year In Jail For Using Paper Clips In Root Canals

LaVerne Wheeler

My comment has to do with the continual characterization of this man’s actions as “saving money” – he was STEALING money, not saving it. Stealing money from every person in Massachusetts, and the USA, who contributes to Medicare – he defrauded the government of over $130,000. Let’s call news issues by their real name, OK Paula Ebben?
DoverDavid

Ah another plead of guilty for some back room wheeling and dealing to allow the person to get off with as little as possiable. This guy committed fraud, filed claimes under other peoples names, lost his license and continued to practice as well as caused personal harm to others with his shotty dentistry and yet gets one year.
rob

doverdave you forgot about selling pills that alone would get anyone else 3-5.He should have been charged with attemted murder because people could have died
DoverDavid

I just saw on another competing news station that he was sentenced to 2 years in jail.
Calon R Milam

HOLY READNEAK IF YOUR DENTIST USESES OFFICE SUPLISE FOR IN YOUR MOUTH HE MIGHT BE A RED NEACK
Web

Please publish his photo again when he gets out in a few months so people might remember what he looks like. But maybe he did something in MD so they can catch him on something and get more time than in this state. Getting a root canal is tough enough if done correctly, what a jerk.
George Bush

Wow, if he ever did that to my kids he would not want to ever get out of jail.

This scumba should have gotten much more time.
George Bush

I would have liked an old world sentence for him, pull out all his teeth.
emom

with no anesthesia.. Just start yanking them. now thats old world dentistry..
Dedicated_Dad

This should be assault with intent to murder at a minimum.
I can’t believe how SICK this is.
I hope to G*d he lands in gen-pop and people there are made to know why he’s there.
Hopefully he’ll get used as he deserves.