The DMD Checkup: Charlotte Officer Arrested for Fraudulent RX from Dental Employee

A police officer in Charlotte, NC was arrested on fraud after illegally obtaining opioids from a dental office. That tops this week’s news so far in the world of dentistry. Also making the list: How tech is changing dentistry, disruption in primary care and dental practices contributing to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

·CMPD cop arrested, accused of illegally getting drugs from dentist’s office, police say. A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer was arrested Tuesday after police said she obtained prescription drugs through fraud. Police opened an investigation into officer Jennifer Wolfe, 37, on Aug. 14 after they were contacted by an employee from a dentist’s office in Matthews, officials said. The investigation showed Wolfe obtained fraudulent prescriptions for pain killers from an employee, police said. Wolfe, who was hired by CMPD in April 2011, faces five counts of obtaining a schedule II controlled substance by fraud. She has a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday, records show.

·Shirer Family Dentistry taking donations to deliver to Texas. Those wanting to donate to victims of Hurricane Harvey can do so by taking items to Shirer Family Dentistry through Sept. 14. Kensli Yarborough, office manager at Shirer Family Dentistry, 420 Hitchcock Parkway, said they have coordinated with Carter Trucking Company in Ninety Six to take items to a church in Texas.

·How Technology is Changing the Face of Dentistry. Technology is the buzz-word of the day, and new applications are cropping up everywhere, even in the dental field. In an industry that has traditionally been dominated by slow moving technological advances; recent years have seen an explosion in new tech applications for dentistry.

·Could Your Next Doctor Be Your Dentist? Tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body. It’s harder than steel. Which helps explain why the three words “root canal treatment” often strike such terror into patients sitting in the dental chair. It starts by boring a hole through enamel as effortlessly as if it were rice paper. Ninety-nine percent of the time, that gaping hole is filled and sealed immediately after treatment. A few months ago, I met a patient I’ll call Janet, to protect her privacy. She was one of the 1 percent.