Massachusetts Dentist Pleads Guilty To Fraud ~ Used Paper Clips For Root Canals

SO, I'm going through the news... having a nice hot cup of Yuban with Caramel Macchiato creamer, when I come across a story about a dentist that pleaded guilty to fraud for using paper clips when he was doing root canals, instead of steel posts. Then he billed Medicare for the use of steel posts, to get a higher payment for the more expensive material.

Did I just read that right? Yep, it seems that a dentist in New Bedford, MA, Michael Clair, pleaded guilty to fraud for using paper clips while doing root canals. And it can only be guessed that perhaps the price he charged related directly to the cost of the paper clips?

My first thought was what's next? I saw a greeting card a while back that had glued on the inside of it - AS A JOKE - a "do it yourself" plastic surgery kit. It was a rubber band that one could use to do their own "at home" facelift. You know, put the rubber band around one's face and under the chin to "lift" the chin... now anyone knows that won't work! Once that puppy "snaps" the "extra chin" drops back to where it was before. Do they think I was born yesterday?

And I don't even want to think of the possibility of duct tape being used instead of stitches. I mean, duct tape can be used to repair a lot of things... especially if one has a bit of a "redneck nature"... but c'mon, once it's time to remove it, even the most staunch "redneck" would have to agree... probably NOT a good idea! Heck, that stuff will tear the hair right off of Earl's or Darryl's back, making 'em scream like little girls!

All kidding aside, I actually DID read that "superglue" was used back during the Vietnam war to close wounds, and the wounds would stay closed long enough to transport the injured soldier to a hospital. It is possible to use superglue to close a wound, but using the kind you can buy at the local Ace Hardware store is NOT advised.

Superglue contains something called "cyanoacrylate" an ingredient that when it contacts water, forms a "mesh" and forms a strong bond, effectively closing the wound. There IS superglue specifically made for medical purposes, and that is what is used today when it is deemed necessary to use any kind of superglue for this purpose.

Regular over the counter superglue contains something called methyl alcohol, which will create heat to form the bond, and will damage deep skin tissue! So, it was used back in the Vietnam war, but that was under a "MASH" type situation. It worked, but may have also caused some skin damage when used.

Today, this medical superglue is only approved by the FDA for veterinary use, and is advised to be used only on superficial type wounds, not deep wounds, those would require traditional stitches. And the medical superglue used today contains antibacterial agents, so using it not only closes the wound, but treats bacteria as well to help prevent infection.

So, next time you get a cut and think... "maybe I oughtta have some stitches for this", if the doc comes at you with a bottle of superglue, RUN! He might just could possibly be... oh heck, he probably IS ... a QUACK!!!!