18 dentistry updates in Texas, California and New York

Here are 18 dentistry updates from Texas, California and New York that Becker's has reported on so far in 2024:

Texas

1. The UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry opened a 4,300-square-foot special-care dental clinic. 
2. Denver-based Lone Peak Dental Group received an investment from Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System.
3. Clinton Finch Herzog, the former owner of dental practices in Austin, Texas, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for wire fraud.
4. Rene Gaviola, the operator of Floss Family Dental Care in Houston, pleaded guilty to a $6 million Medicaid fraud and kickback scheme.
5. Steven Alexander Smith, of Tyler, Texas, pleaded guilty Jan. 22 to fatally shooting two dentists in 2022 at an Affordable Dentures & Implants office.
6. Fort Worth, Texas-based Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics added four executives to its leadership team.  
7. Irving, Texas-based U.S. Oral Surgery Management promoted Jade Vardeman to vice president of surgeon recruitment. 
8. Irving, Texas-based Specialized Dental Partners added Vaughn Endodontics, which has three locations in San Antonio.

California

1. Salt Lake City-based SPP Dental Partners partnered with Allegra Dental in Tustin, Calif.
2. A California dentist was ordered to pay back $100 million in retirement money taken from employees.
3. A California dental practice is working to resume operations after its office was burned down in a "suspicious" fire.
4. Irving, Texas-based Specialized Dental Partners added Sattva Endodontics in Davis, Calif.  
5. James Rolfe, DDS, extended the operating hours of his practice to become the only dental urgent care center in Santa Barbara, Calif., to offer care 24 hours and seven days a week. 
6. Houston-based Specialty1 Partners expanded its network with the addition of James S. Minutello, DDS & Regina D. Minutello, DMD, MS, Inc. and Associates Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, located in Corona, Calif.

New York

1. Hackensack, N.J.-based Max Surgical Specialty Management added its first New York office.
2. New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health acquired two dental practices to expand services in Nassau County, N.Y.
3. Sarasota, Fla.-based Dental Care Alliance partnered with Gentle Dental World in New York City.
4. The New York City-based NYU College of Dentistry is launching a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene with a concentration in dental science.