Montreal Dentist Repeatedly Overbilled Patients Over $80,000

A Montreal dentist who had repeatedly overcharged his patients by more than $80,000 was recently sanctioned by his professional order, which is concerned that this phenomenon is growing.

The actions of dentist Ali Reza Kordlouie were not an isolated act, according to the Disciplinary Council of the Order of Dentists of Quebec (ODQ). The D^r Kordlouie committed the offenses “over a period of 17 years involving ten patients” for a total of 284 acts.

The unjustified sums amount to $80,084.75.

A growing phenomenon

This is why the Order demanded an exemplary sentence. The trustee, D.^r Mario Mailhot, stated that “unjustified billing of fees by the dentist to patients or third-party payers [les assureurs] is a phenomenon that has gained momentum in recent years.

“In the presence of a scheme similar to that used by [Kordlouie]it is more difficult to investigate and it requires many resources,” added the assistant syndic, D^D Martine Masson, whose investigation lasted more than three years.

It was the insurance company Sun Life Financial that alerted the professional order following the complaint of a patient, who had seen care billed to him, even if his appointment had been canceled.

In some cases, the D^r Kordlouie had also obtained payment for his services in advance, which is prohibited.

Less severe than requested

But while a fine of more than $300,000 and a temporary radiation of five years were claimed from the Disciplinary Council, the D^r Kordlouie eventually got away with just over $50,000 in fines and a two-year disbarment.

The Council considered the sanctions requested to be “unduly punitive”. He nevertheless considers “serious and worrying” the actions taken by the dentist, since they call into question the integrity of the profession.

For her part, the assistant syndic deplored that the Kordlouie dentist had “not expressed any real repentance nor mentioned the measures taken to avoid [de commettre] of the same offences”. The D^D Masson also underlined that he had not “either reimbursed the insurer of his patients for the sums unjustly invoiced”.