Dentist who removed patient’s tooth while riding hoverboard convicted by court
A dentist who was filmed removing a patient’s tooth while riding a hoverboard has been found guilty of dozens of charges.
Seth Lookhart, 34, was convicted of 46 counts including reckless endangerment, illegal practice of dentistry and medical assistance fraud following a five-week trial in Alaska.
According to a lawsuit filed by the state in 2017, a video was recorded showing Lookhart extracting a sedated patient’s tooth while riding a hoverboard.
The dentist is said to have sent the footage to at least eight people while joking that it showed a “new standard of care”.
The female patient seen in the July 2016 video, who gave evidence during the trial, was sedated at the time and was therefore unaware of what was going on.
The first she knew of the video was when she was contacted by investigators.
The patient told the court “it’s crazy,” adding: “I would’ve said ‘hell no, that’s unprofessional’,” according to KTUU TV.
Lookhart was also charged with medical assistance fraud for offering more expensive intravenous sedation to Medicare patients rather than anaesthesia.
Anchorage Superior Court Judge Michael Wolve said the evidence over the course of the trial was “simply overwhelming” in relation to each of the charges, including Lockhart’s own text messages, photos and videos.
He said Lookhart believed he could get away with his fraud indefinitely and that “no one would ever know” unless “someone was standing right next to him at the time.”
Lookhart, who was paid either $240,000 (almost £184,000) a year or 30 per cent of the money he was able to make, depending on which was higher, was also charged with medical assistance fraud for billing Medicaid for procedures that were either unnecessary or not properly justified.
He was also charged with the theft of $25,000 (about £19,000) or more by diverting funds from Alaska Dental Arts.
During Lookhart’s trial, defence lawyer Paul Stockler apologised for his client’s “idiotic” behaviour, Anchorage Daily News reports.
Lookhart is expected to be sentenced on 30 April.
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