Here's the latest roundup of dentists making headlines.
1. Two former patients testified against Seth Lookhart, DMD, Dec. 3, in the trial of a lawsuit alleging the dentist unnecessarily sedated patients to maximize Medicaid payments and removed teeth without permission, among other claims.
2. Irvine, Calif.-based Smile Brands announced Dec. 2 the opening of a new Bright Now Dental office in Tulare, Calif., which is being run by Nathan Tully, DDS.
3. East Syracuse, N.Y.-based Aspen Dental opened a new practice in Georgetown, Texas, on Dec. 5, which is operated by Ashwani Naidu, DDS.
4. Andrew Maron, DDS, had his license revoked Nov. 26 and was ordered to pay more than $517,000 for "gross negligence and professional misconduct."
5. Mike Hsieh, DDS, and Christine Chen, DDS, were sentenced to seven days in prison and 400 hours of community service for filing false tax returns.
6. Maria Asciolla, DDS, was ordered to home confinement after pleading not guilty Nov. 21 to four counts of first-degree child molestation.
7. Walmart Health has selected Roshan Parikh, DDS, to serve as the retail giant's head of dentistry.
8. Carmen Ramirez, DDS, was airlifted to a nearby hospital Nov. 19 after being shot outside of her dental practice in Hialeah, Fla.
9. Irvine, Calif.-based Smile Brands announced Nov. 18 the opening of its first Aspire Dental office, which is being led by Darcy Kawamoto, DDS.
10. Jordan Thomas, DDS, opened a new practice in Whitsett, N.C., that offers patients membership programs.