Wisconsin dentist accused of damaging patient's teeth to cash in on insurance

A Wisconsin dentist has been accused of damaging his patients' teeth so that he could bill insurance companies for crown procedures.

Scott Charmoli, 60, of Grafton, was charged on Tuesday in federal court with eight counts of healthcare fraud and two counts of false statements. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Charmoli is accused of falsely telling patients that they needed crowns and then using his drill to break off parts their teeth during the procedure. Charmoli submitted X-rays and photographs of the chipped teeth to insurance companies to obtain coverage for the crowns, the indictment says.

Authorities say Charmoli performed more than $2 million worth of crown procedures between January 2018 and August 2019.

Charmoli's attorney, Nila Robinson, did not immediately respond to an email message left Thursday by The Associated Press.

An arraignment and plea hearing are scheduled for December 30.

"The Justice Department focuses on prosecuting healthcare fraud not only to protect healthcare funds but also to protect patients who entrust their wellbeing to providers," US Attorney Matthew Krueger said in a statement.