Southcentral Foundation, an Anchorage, Alaska-based nonprofit healthcare provider, fired three dentists after conducting an investigation of their record falsifications, according to Alaska Public Media.
Southcentral Foundation fired Kevin Gottlieb, DDS, who was the first dentist it hired in 1982. Dr. Gottlieb, who is also the husband of Southcentral Foundation's CEO, went on to serve as its chief of staff and vice president of resource development. Thomas Kovaleski, DDS, and Clay Crossett, DMD, were also fired.
The terminations, announced July 21, came as a result of an independent investigation conducted after Southcentral Foundation received an anonymous complaint alleging the dentists had falsified health records and created critical compliance problems. Southcentral said it reported the compliance issues to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and will cooperate with any further investigations.
"The investigation showed the dentists falsified health records by attributing one dentist as the provider of routine dental exams when that dentist did not actually perform the procedures,” Southcentral Foundation said in a message to its employees. "All procedures were performed by qualified dentists, and there was no impact to customer-owner safety."
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