dentist used paper clips in root canals!

and double

A former dentist in the U.S. has pleaded guilty to fraud for using paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in root canals.
Michael Clair will be sentenced next Monday after pleading guilty last week in a Massachusetts court to a variety of charges, including defrauding a government health program of $130,000, assault and battery, illegally prescribing prescription drugs and witness intimidation.

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http://news.yahoo.com/dentist-accused-paper-clip-root-canals-121231462.html

nursebeeme said:

and double

http://news.yahoo.com/dentist-accused-paper-clip-root-canals-121231462.html

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Where did he get the paper clips? Staples? Office Depot?

If he gets jail time it's going to make for some interesting conversations between fellow inmates.

"So what are you in here for?"
"Drugs. But they weren't mine. You?"
"I killed someone. But I didn't mean to. And he deserved it anyway. You?"
"Armed robbery. But it wasn't loaded. How about you?"
"I'm here for using paperclips."

O my. I have such a fear of the dentists anyway. I have needed a filling replaced for 4 years now. Lemme tell ya I baby that tooth and when I do call in for an appt. They say get her right in its bad if she's calling. This makes me want to just postpone the call till it falls out. Lol some people! !!! When is more money ever enough for them?! P.S. I am one of the unluckiest peeps around. My molars all have 5 roots. Gahhh!!

Attorney General Martha Coakley says paper clips can sometimes be used temporarily, but the 53-year-old Clair used the paper clips as a permanent fix.

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I'm sorry, WTH??? I worked as a dental asst for several years in both general dentistry as well as oral surgery AND I CAN SAY I HAVE NEVER EVER HEARD OF PAPER CLIPS BEING USED TEMPORARILY?!?!

I'm sorry but it goes against everything a dentist believes and practices.. I'm dumbfounded that an Atty General stated that it was approved to use the paper clips temporarily?!?! Again WTH?!

That is what I find to be far more concerning than a kook dentist being caught using the paperclips.. This atty gen statement IMO is what is mind boggling?!

I'm certain we have plenty of assts, hygienists, dentists here at WS and would love to hear their take on this atty general's statement..

SmoothOperator said:

I'm sorry, WTH??? I worked as a dental asst for several years in both general dentistry as well as oral surgery AND I CAN SAY I HAVE NEVER EVER HEARD OF PAPER CLIPS BEING USED TEMPORARILY?!?!

I'm sorry but it goes against everything a dentist believes and practices.. I'm dumbfounded that an Atty General stated that it was approved to use the paper clips temporarily?!?! Again WTH?!

That is what I find to be far more concerning than a kook dentist being caught using the paperclips.. This atty gen statement IMO is what is mind boggling?!

I'm certain we have plenty of assts, hygienists, dentists here at WS and would love to hear their take on this atty general's statement..

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My take- same as yours. Absolutelly crazy!!

I worked as a dental nurse between the ages of 16 and 26, and in that time I worked for several dentists. Some of the positions were short lived, because I thought the dentists were dodgy (one would go to have a swig of bourbon in between patients)....but even they never used paper clips!!

Generally, root canals are filled with sterile gutta percha points which is why dentists need chloroform (if they are removing the GP points to re-do a root canal). The root needs to be packed with as many as you can fit in there so it's flush with the surrounding tooth. Different canals in the same tooth will require different amounts of GP points, because they are never the exact same size or shape.

So a paper clip could NEVER work. Not temporarily, not EVER.

The only time I've seen metal in a patients root is when their previous dodgy dentist broke off part of their instrument in the root, and just left it there.
Other than that metal posts are used to reinforce an unstable tooth after a root canal, but they aren't placed in the root itself.
The only paper-anything that is used in a root canal is the paper points to dry up the canal before sealing. But they don't stay in there.

JMO based on my experience.

It was just on the news, he got one year in prison and lost his license. The news was interviewing people that still had paper clips in their teeth! Unbelieveable.
Oh and the dentist looked like he could care less.

The only thing that surprises me about this story is that he's never been my dentist. The best way to identify a bad dentist is to ask if I've ever been to him. If I have, you'd be better off with a pair of pliers and...yep...a packet of paper clips. :woohoo:

Weren't these Medicaid patients? If so, that may partly account for the fact he thought he could get away with this.