NW Dentist Makes Appointment with Incarceration

United States Attorney Kenneth Wainstein, District of Columbia Attorney General Robert Spagnoletti, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Charles Ramsey and Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Michael Mason announced that Keith Callahan, 48, Alexandria, Virginia, entered a plea of guilty this week in United States District Court to making false statements relating to health care matters as well as practicing dentistry without a license in the District of Columbia.

According to the terms of the plea, Callahan will receive between 12 and 18 months of incarceration when he is sentenced before the Honorable Royce Lamberth on May 18, 2005.

According to the statement of the offense agreed to by Callahan and the government, Callahan was a dentist licensed to practice in the state of Michigan from 1986 until 1996. Callahan’s license to practice dentistry in the District of Columbia was granted on Jan. 1, 1986 and expired on Jan. 1, 1988. It was not renewed. As a result, he has not been licensed to practice dentistry in the District of Columbia since 1988 or in any jurisdiction since 1996.

Beginning in about March 2003, Callahan began working in the District of Columbia as a dentist at Centro Dental, 3463 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. While working at Centro Dental, Callahan reportedly knew that he did not have a license to practice dentistry.

In fact, on July 12, 2003, Callahan received an Order to Cease and Desist from practicing dentistry without a license from the District of Columbia Department of Health. In addition, on Aug. 14, 2003, agents of the District of Columbia Department of Health served Callahan with a Notice of Infraction for working as a dentist at Centro Dental. Furthermore, on Oct. 17, 2003, Callahan was fined $2,600 for two violations of practicing dentistry without a license.

Beginning in July 2003, Gladys Rivera opened a dentist’s office called International Dental Care Inc., which was located at 2108 18th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Although Rivera had received dental training in her homeland of El Salvador, she was not a licensed dentist in the District of Columbia.

Rivera reportedly offered Callahan the position of dentist at International Dental Care. Callahan provided a dentist license number and a DEA license number orally, even though he knew that neither license was valid. When Rivera asked for a copy of his dentist license, Callahan avoided giving it to her. Even though Callahan did not provide a copy of his license, Rivera reportedly continued to let him function as a dentist at International Dental Care. Callahan performed dental procedures at International Dental Care, such as extractions, between July 2003 and July 2004.

Callahan knew both that patients paid for the dental procedures he performed and that Rivera submitted bills to insurance companies for dental services he performed. Callahan also knew that the bills submitted to insurance companies represented that he was a licensed dentist even though he was not a licensed dentist. Callahan further knew that bills were submitted to insurance companies which represented that he performed dental services when, in fact, some of the dental services were performed by Rivera, whom he knew was not a licensed dentist.

Callahan reportedly agrees that the total loss due to payments made by patients and insurance companies that believed he was a licensed dentist was between $30,000 and $70,000.