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Dentist and his father on trial for mutilating hundreds of patients in Marseille

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Israel Ojoko
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The two former dentists are accused of performing thousands of unnecessary procedures on unsuspecting patients, such as root canals, extractions and bridges, in order to defraud the social security system and the mutual insurance companies.

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Image Credit: Getty Images

Lionel Guedj, 41, and his father Carnot Guedj, 70, are facing an appeal trial in Marseille for dental mutilation on hundreds of patients from low-income neighbourhoods of the city.

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The two former dentists are accused of performing thousands of unnecessary procedures on unsuspecting patients, such as root canals, extractions and bridges, in order to defraud the social security system and the mutual insurance companies.

Lionel Guedj was the highest-earning dental surgeon in France in 2010, with 2.9 million euros in fees. He used his fortune to buy property, paintings and luxury cars.

A nightmare for the victims

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The victims of the Guedj doctors have testified during the six-week trial about the horrific consequences of their treatments. Many of them went to the dental office for minor issues, such as a cavity or a loose crown, and had scores of healthy teeth removed or mutilated for no medical reason.

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Some suffered from infections, complications, permanent damage, foul odour, pain and shame. One woman said she had 24 of her healthy teeth pulled out by Lionel Guedj when she was 18 years old. Another man said he was left with "mice's teeth" after the dentist filed them down too much.

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The president of the court, Céline Ballerini, said that the two dentists had "destroyed" lives with their "uniform and systematic" treatments.

A verdict awaited

The appeal trial is expected to last until December 2023. The two dentists have appealed against their prison sentences handed down by the first court in September 2022. Lionel Guedj was sentenced to eight years in prison with an immediate warrant, and his father to five years with a warrant as well.

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They were also banned from practising dentistry and ordered to pay damages to the victims. The defence lawyers have argued that their clients were not malicious but incompetent and overwhelmed by their workload. They have also questioned the validity of some of the medical reports and testimonies presented by the prosecution.

FraudCase DentalMutilationTrial MarseilleTrial DentistMalpractice SocialSecurityFraud
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