In Dentists

Pennsylvania dentist refused to keep records, lawsuit alleges

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Johnstown, Pa., police allege local dentist Thomas Bach, DDS, failed to keep records and illegally administered controlled substances, according to WJAC, an NBC affiliate.

In February 2017, the DEA first contacted Dr. Bach to conduct an audit of his controlled substances. It was during that time, Dr. Bach allegedly told the officials he did not keep records when prescribing controlled substances.

The DEA reported the audit to the police in July 2018. The audit found Dr. Bach allegedly had large quantities of hydrocodone and ibuprofen ordered to his practice. However, Dr. Bach allegedly told the DEA he did not keep the narcotics at his practice.

Rather, the dentist allegedly kept the narcotics at his home, only brining the necessary drugs to his practices on a daily basis. An order history indicated between Feb. 1, 2015 and Jan. 23, 2017, Dr. Bach ordered 700 tramadol HCL tablets and 1,900 hydrocodone tablets.

When police visited Dr. Bach's practice, the dental assistant claimed she had never seen Dr. Bach give patients medication in the office throughout her 20-year career there. The dental assistant said Dr. Bach wrote paper prescriptions to be filled at pharmacies.

Dr. Bach is facing two felony charges of obtaining controlled substances by using forged prescriptions and falsifying records. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of refusing to keep proper records required by the DEA.

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