Dentist in Mt. Vernon pleads guilty to medicaid fraud

A Mount Vernon, Missouri dentist has plead guilty to medicaid fraud. 63-year-old Dr. Thomas Alms Jr. will now have to repay the program $200,000 and surrender his dentist license for five years.

“The Medicaid program provides health benefits to low income families who don’t have access to health care,” said Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. “Cheating the system is actually cheating all the Missourians who rely on Medicaid and the taxpayers of the state of Missouri. When we find cases of Medicaid fraud, we will take action.”

Dr. Alms operated a dental clinic in Mount Vernon where between August 21, 2014 and June 14, 2016 he submitted numerous false claims for bone grafts, fillings, pulp vitality tests, pre-orthodontic visits, and office visits. An investigation by the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, that included expert examination of some of Dr. Alms’ patients, revealed the fraudulent schemes that led to Dr. Alms plea of guilty.