Florida man “practices” dentistry, cleans teeth, makes caps, puts on braces, does root-canal but forgot to go to dental school! Patient sues for battery and fraud – $12,000 jury verdict.

The plaintiff, a middle-aged homemaker, was driving to work and listening to her Cuban radio station when she heard the news: the State of Florida raided her “dentist’s” office and closed him down because he wasn’t a dentist. Apparently, the defendant, a former dental lab technician, was tired of working for dentists, so he decided to be one. He submitted fraudulent credentials to the Board of Dentistry, took the state Board examination…and passed! He opened an office, took out a Yellow Pages ad, and was in business. Plaintiff alleged that he was doing orthodontic treatment backwards and that the braces had to be removed, replaced, and movement of the teeth had to be reversed. A couple of crowns also had to be replaced. There was no permanent injury.

The case was tried before a jury which returned a verdict of $12,000.00 but did not award requested punitive damages. Sharon M. Sabel, Esq., of THE DENTALAW GROUP, Ft. Lauderdale, FL represented the plaintiff. Harold Braxton, Esq., Miami, FL, for the defendant.