Saratoga Dentist Who Performed 18 Root Canals On Patient Accused Of Fraud

SARATOGA (CBS SF) – A Saratoga dentist who allegedly collected insurance for unneeded procedures on patients is facing more than two dozen charges, Santa Clara County prosecutors said Monday.

John Roger Lund, 66, was charged with 28 counts of insurance fraud for allegedly carrying out unnecessary procedures possibly worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the district attorney's office.

Lund is scheduled for arraignment at the Hall of Justice in San Jose Monday afternoon.

The investigation began in 2012 when another dentist who bought Lund's practice checked his records, which revealed unneeded operations such as root canals and crowns, prosecutors said.

Some of the operations were done on people who had healthy gums and teeth, prosecutors said.

Lund allegedly issued fines for patients and insurance companies for the procedures that were either nonessential or never took place, according to the district attorney's office.

One patient underwent 18 root canals over the course of five years, but the average person needs to undergo the treatment only once or twice in their life, prosecutors said.

If convicted, Lund faces eight years in prison.

Lund obtained his dentist license in 1976 and it is currently inactive, according to online state consumer affairs records.

"All of us trust that our dentist is making treatment decisions based on what is best for our well-being," Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney David Soares said in a statement.

"We would like to thank the state Dental Board for their timely investigation of the complaints in this case," Soares said.

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