May 26, 2006, 08:15
More than 40 dentists, dental technicians and doctors in Durban could face criminal charges for defrauding the state and patients. The Mercury says various scams had been exposed by two government investigations into the operations of dental laboratories and the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
Yesterday the SA Dental Technicians' Council, which regulates the industry, charged technicians in Durban and pursued criminal charges against 44 dental surgeries. Tebogo Dioka, an inspector with the council, has been in Durban for the past three days pouncing on laboratories selling inferior dentures to dentists who in turn charge their patients for high quality products and make huge profits.
In an operation at one Durban laboratory, Dioka charged the administration manager, who is not registered with the council, for polishing inlays for gold dentures. The manager argued he had more than 20 years of experience in the industry although he was not qualified. He conceded, however, that his laboratory was breaking the law by selling cheap dentures.
Four doctors arrested on fraud charges
In Umhlathuzana, a dental technician has opened a laboratory and has been acting as a dentist, seeing patients at night. In Umlazi, the council nabbed a dentist who was supplying work to a Malvern laboratory and paying the latter in cash to hide the fact that he was getting discounts.
Meanwhile, the Commercial Road Accident Fund Investigation Team had arrested four doctors from Phoenix, Verulam and Pinetown on fraud charges. One, Devandra Perumal, who was arrested in Pinetown, appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court and was released on R30 000 bail.
The other three are due to appear in court on charges stemming from claims that they completed patients' cards and certificates, allowing people to claim from the fund without ensuring that they had been involved in accidents. - Sapa
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