SAN MATEO COUNTY – On December 19, 2017, Amishi Patel, 43, pleaded no contest to felony charges alleging she performed unnecessary dental work on at least eight patients in an 11-month time period beginning in April of 2014 while working part-time at a dental office in Daly City. In addition, as the court case was pending against her, Patel reportedly altered a judge’s orders that she not practice dentistry and used the identity of another dentist with a name similar to hers to apply for dental jobs.
“The investigation into Amishi Patel was a partnership between many agencies in several counties, including the Dental Board of California,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona. “State investigators worked with local law enforcement officers and the district attorney’s office to put a stop to this illegal activity and to protect the public. We place trust in our dental professionals. Anyone who suspects fraud should contact the Dental Board of California.”
That’s exactly what a teenager’s father did when he suspected Patel was “filling” cavities that didn’t exist.
Patel pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud, assault, identity theft and forgery in exchange for what some view as a light sentence of up to a year in county jail and a referral to mental health court. Prosecutors were seeking a five-year prison sentence.
