GAOL FOR DENTIST ON FRAUD CHARGE

Wanganui Chronicle, 9 November 1950, Page 5

GAOL FOR DENTIST ON FRAUD CHARGE

CHRISTCHURCH, Yesterday (PA). —How a Christchurch dentist has failed to do work on children’s teeth for which he was paid out of Social Security funds, with the result that some of the children have lost many teeth, was detailed to Mr. Rex C. Abernethy, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court today. John Joseph Ardagh, of Cashel Street, pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining from the fund £175 by falsely representing that he had carried out the work. “The facts show a very grave state of affairs,” said Mr. A. W. Brown, who appeared for the Health Department, (“and greatly reflect to the discredit of Ardagh who, as a professional man. has seriously transgressed against the ethics of his profession'* Mr Brown said Ardagh had enrolled as patients under the Social Security Act a number of children and claimed to have done certain work on their teeth, sending details to the Health Department showing the work he claimed to have done. The dental officer’s examination revealed, however, that he had done only a tiny part of Ihe work he had claimed for. Because of Ardagh’s neglect, the children’s mouths were in a shocking state Ardagh was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment