Multiple patients claim they have unfinished dental work they paid for in advance after the death of a Pennsylvania dentist, the Daily American reported Dec. 10.
L. Keith Fammartino, DMD, operated Three Rivers Dental Group in Jennerstown, Pa., until his death Sept. 19.
Melissa Anderson, who started a Facebook group called "Victims of Three Rivers Dental Jennerstown," said she paid more than $15,000 for implants and four bridges, but she had issues with the fitting.
"Three Rivers was not honoring (Fammartino's) work that is started or giving refunds," Ms. Anderson told the American. She said she asked for her treatment notes and an office manager said they could only release X-rays. "At this point X-rays are [of] very little use without the treatment records. I have severe damage from the faulty work."
Mike Valentine said he paid more than $5,000 for extractions, attachments and dentures, but was given only a $500 refund from Three Rivers Dental Group Jennerstown.
"I wasn't informed of the dentist's death until I called the Greensburg office on Oct. 27 and they told me," Mr. Valentine told the American. "I was told that they would send me a release form but have not received it or heard anything more from the Greensburg office."
Susan Brown paid more than $8,000 for bridges and root canals that were never completed. She told the American that Three Rivers Dental Group said they don't have anything to do with the Jennerstown office and she would have to contact Dr. Fammartino's estate.
"Nobody has heard from his estate," Ms. Brown told the American. "There's a bunch of us and we're all out a lot of money."
In 2017, Dr. Fammartino purchased the rights to use the Three Rivers Dental Group name and franchise rights, said Marc Schneider, corporate counsel for Three Rivers Dental Group. Since then, Three Rivers Dental Group Jennerstown has been its own business. Four other Three Rivers locations have no involvement in patient or business decisions at the Jennerstown office.
After Dr. Fammartino's death, Three Rivers Dental Group attempted to help continue care for his patients but hasn't been able to because of a lack of cooperation from Dr. Fammartino's heirs, Mr. Schneider said. The other Three Rivers Dental Group offices don't have access to Jennerstown patient records, he said.
Legal action is pending to appoint someone to handle the dentist's estate, according to Mr. Schneider, who said, "Dr. Fammartino had no succession plan for his patients as far as we know."
Becker's has contacted Three Rivers Dental Group Jennerstown for comment and will update this article as soon as more information becomes available.