Rene Gaviola, 68, was the operator of Floss Family Dental Care. From 2018 to April 2021, Mr. Gaviola submitted false claims to Medicaid for pediatric dental services, according to a June 25 news release from the Justice Department.
Mr. Gaviola employed his son, who is not a licensed dentist, to provide dental services to children and occasionally operated the practice without any licensed dentists present.
Between 2019 and 2021, the clinic billed Medicaid for nearly $6.9 million in dental services, of which Medicaid paid approximately $4.9 million.
Mr. Gaviola also conducted a kickback scheme by paying kickbacks to marketers and caregivers of Medicaid-insured children to bring them to Floss Family Dental Care.
In addition, Mr. Gaviola was ordered to pay $4.9 million in restitution to Medicaid and a personal money judgment of nearly $3 million, the release said.
Mr. Gaviola pleaded guilty to the scheme in January.