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-WJLA SCRIPT-
ANCHOR:
TONIGHT, A LOCAL DENTIST WHO TREATED LITTLE CHILDREN IS IN BIG TROUBLE WITH STATE AUTHORITIES. SOME PARENTS WHO TRUSTED HIM WITH THEIR CHILDREN ARE OUTRAGED THAT HE WAS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO PRACTICE, EVEN AFTER HE AGREED TO HAVE HIS LICENSE SUSPENDED. 7 ON YOUR SIDE'S ROSS MCLAUGHLIN INVESTIGATES.
HE'S LIVE WITH THAT STORY... ROSS?
ROSS MCLAUGHLIN:
HIS NAME IS DR. OPHIR ALALOUF, HIS CLINIC IS 'KIDS TEETH' IN ROCKVILLE AND HIS TROUBLES BEGAN MORE THAN SIX YEARS AGO.
STORY:
Karen Simon: "He came out and told me my son has 16 cavities. I said my son's really never had cavities before he has very strong teeth."
UP TO THAT POINT KAREN SIMON HAD FAITH IN HER DENTIST.
Karen Simon: "These are permanent teeth there's no way I wanted him to drill 16 teeth, it was horrible."
AND A SECOND OPINION CONFIRMED HER SUSPICIONS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE IN ROCKVILLE AT KIDS TEETH TO TALK WITH DR OPHIR ALALOUF.
Nazy Hacker/Office Manager: "Thank you have a great day."
BUT WE'RE SENT AWAY. DR ALALOUF MAY WANT TO IGNORE US BUT HE CAN'T IGNORE THIS.
A 47 PAGE ORDER FROM THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF DENTAL EXAMINERS, FOLLOWING A 6 YEAR INVESTIGATION INTO COMPLAINTS. LIKE THIS, AN AUTISTIC BOY WHO DR. ALALOUF SAID NEEDED TO HAVE 4 TEETH RESTORED BUT HE ENDED UP DOING 20 TEETH AND THE PARENT SAID HE DID SO WITHOUT SEEKING CONSENT. AND THIS CASE...A 2 YEAR OLD PATIENT. DOCTOR ALALOUF FOUND A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF CAVITIES AND STRONGLY RECOMMENDED IT BE DONE IN THE OPERATING ROOM, EVEN THOUGH NO X-RAYS WERE TAKEN, BUT A SECOND OPINION FOUND THE BOY DIDN'T NEED THE FILLINGS.
Dr Mark Barren: "He recommended all this phantom decay. I would take a look in the kid's mouth and find nothing."
DR. BARREN IS A PEDIATRIC DENTIST WHO SAW MANY KIDS COMING FROM DR ALALOUF'S CLINIC.
Dr. Mark Barren: "I think it's disgraceful."
Karen Simon: "With my experience of having my children being diagnosed with so many cavities, I'm very suspicious."
BECAUSE SEVERAL YEARS AGO HER TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BROOK HAD WORK DONE. DR ALALOUF PERFORMED MANY PROCEDURES AT SHADY GROVE HOSPITAL IN THE OPERATING ROOM.
Karen Simon: "My children did not have 30 or more cavities, I'm sure.
AND NOW SHE WONDERS WHETHER IT WAS NECESSARY AT ALL, BECAUSE THE STATE EXAMINING BOARD HAS FOUND THAT DOCTOR ALALOUF PERFORMED A LOT OF WORK THAT WASN'T NEEDED AND BILLED FOR STUFF T HAT WASN'T DONE.
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Click below to read the Consent |
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Dr Mark Barren: "I think the guy shouldn't even have a license to practice after what he's perpetrated to the children of our county and the childrend of our state."
THE DENTAL BOARD AGREED AT LEAST FOR 4 MONTHS, DOCTOR ALOUF CAN'T PRACTICE DENTISTRY AND HE HAS TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. BUT AFTER THE ORDER WAS SIGNED HE WAS GIVEN A MONTH TO STAY IN BUSINESS AND IN THIS LETTER HE ONLY TOLD HIS PATIENTS HE WAS TAKING TIME OFF TO FURTHER HIS EDUCATION AND SPEND TIME WITH HIS FAMILY. THE DENTAL BOARD DOESN'T REQUIRE NOTIFICATION TO PATIENTS AND SAYS THE SUSPENSION DATE WAS NEGOTIATED...BUT PARENTS LIKE KAREN THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS KNOW.
Karen Simon: "It doesn't look like he's in trouble at all and it would be nice to know there is a problem."
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE TELLING YOU AND WHY WE'VE POSTED THE COMPLETE ORDER ON OUR WEBSITE.
Dr Mark Barren: "Absolutely they have a right to know."
ROSS IN STUDIO:
DOCTOR ALALOUF'S LICENSE SUSPENSION TAKES EFFECT FRIDAY. HE'S NOW ACKNOWLEDGING IT ON HIS WEBSITE SAYING HE DOESN'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH EVERY FACTUAL STATEMENT, YET HE SIGNED THE CONSENT ORDER AGREEING WITH THE BOARD'S FINDINGS. HE ALSO WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO APPEAL.
WE'RE NOW LEARNING OTHER PARENTS NOW WANT TO GET DENTAL RECORDS FROM 'KIDS TEETH' TO FIND OUT IF THEIR CHILDREN HAD UNNECESSARY WORK DONE TOO.
WE'VE GOT MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, GO TO WJLA.COM AND CLICK ON "7 ON YOUR SIDE" OR CALL OUR TOLL FREE HOTLINE...866-236-3401.
I can not get my arms aorund why several folks are arguing WJLA was biased--his office refused to comment, which speaks volumes.
Kudos to WJLA and Russ them for serving the pubic interest--their highest calling.
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