New Bedford Dentist Paying Back Nearly Half a Million Dollars to MassHealth

A Massachusetts dentist with 21 practices across the state, including one in New Bedford, has agreed to pay the state's Medicaid program $475,000 to resolve allegations of improper billing practices.

Dr. Julia Faigel operates the Dr. Dental chain of dentistry offices across Massachusetts, with her brother serving as manager of the practices. That includes the Dr. Dental on Coggeshall Street in New Bedford.

Attorney General Maura Healy said Wednesday that the settlement resolves allegations that from May 2010 through December 2016, Faigel's practices improperly billed MassHealth for concurrent palliative treatment of dental pain, along with another code for extraction on the same date, which is in violation of state rules and the American Dental Association's code on dental procedures.

The settlement also resolves allegations regarding the improper submission of claims listing Dr. Faigel as the provider, when the services were provided by other dentists in the offices.

In addition to the settlement, the practices have also agreed to review and comply with all applicable state and federal laws.