Delaney
CONCORD, N.H. (Legal Newsline) - New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney announced on Monday that the president of Allcare Dental Management LLC voluntarily surrendered his dentistry license in the state as part of a consent decree.
The voluntary license surrender by Robert Bates, who is also the president of Allcare Dental and Dentures of NH PC, resolves allegations of professional misconduct that were going to be the subject of a disciplinary hearing before the state Board of Dental Examiners. The board approved the consent decree on May 9.
On or around Jan. 1, 2011, Allcare allegedly closed all of its dental offices abruptly in 13 states, including two in New Hampshire. Patients who arrived for appointments found a note on the door telling them that the offices were now closed. Since that time, Allcare has filed for chapter seven bankruptcy protection in United States Bankruptcy Court in Buffalo, N.Y.
After the closure of the dental offices, Delaney's office and the board received more than 134 complaints from patients who alleged that their dental treatment was discontinued.
When Allcare closed, many patients alleged that their teeth were extracted and they were waiting for permanent dentures that they never received. In addition, patients allegedly pre-paid for dental care they never received.
In 2006, Bates incorporated Allcare in New Hampshire after obtaining a state dental license. Bates practiced dentistry but did not treat patients in the state. He was found to be responsible for his and Allcare's alleged failures to fulfill ethical and legal duties arising when the dental practice ceased operations.
Under the terms of the consent decree, Bates acknowledged that he and Allcare failed to inform patients prior to the closure, that neither he nor his company gave further treatment to Allcare's patients after it closed, and that he and Allcare failed to be available for providing emergency care for Allcare's patients after the company closed. Bates has also been the subject of actions taken by dental licensing boards in North Dakota, West Virginia and Massachusetts.