Dentist pleads guilty to violating federal anti-kickback law

A Connecticut dentist waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute. 

The dentist admitted that she conspired with multiple individuals who agreed to recruit Medicaid beneficiaries to attend dental appointments for dental services that she then billed to Connecticut Medicaid. The dentist agreed to pay kickbacks to the recruiters, who then gave some of the kickbacks to the patients as an incentive to attend the dental appointments, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. 

Between 2016 and 2023, the dentist paid the patient recruiters more than $360,000 in kickbacks, and Connecticut Medicaid reimbursed her approximately $2.2 million for services to patients recruited via kickbacks. 

Conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickbacks statute carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. The dentist has been released on bond pending sentencing.