POLK COUNTY, Fla., USA: U.S. detectives have recently arrested an 80-year-old dentist who knowingly overprescribed controlled narcotics. Random checks of patient files revealed that 72 percent of his patients had received such medication in the absence of a diagnosis associated with pain. Earlier this year, the man had facilitated his daughter's drug addiction, they said.

On Sept. 5, William Johnson, owner of Sonrise Dental Clinic in Lakeland, Fla., was placed under arrest by the Polk County Sheriff's Office. According to the authorities, investigations into Johnson's practice began when they arrested his daughter, Stacey Summer, in May this year, who had been working as a receptionist in the clinic. The 46-year-old woman was charged with trafficking in hydrocodone, forgery and obtaining prescriptions by fraud. Over a 15-month period, she allegedly forged her father's name on 519 prescriptions to support her own drug addiction.

In collaboration with the Department of Health inspectors, the detectives conducted a random check of Johnson's patient files and found clear irregularities regarding pain medication prescription. According to the police report, 31 out of 43 patients had been prescribed controlled narcotics (hydrocodone) without a diagnosis that supported chronic pain.

"There is no explanation for the frequency and numbers of prescriptions written for several of the patients and they are not written within the realm of normal dental practice," said Dr. Gregory Scott, who also practices as a dentist in Lakeland.

"We will continue to work with the State Attorney and state agencies to investigate illegal prescriptions and overprescriptions in Polk County. We encourage those in the medical and pharmacy profession to contact us if they believe pain-pill prescription abuse or illegal activities are taking place," announced Sheriff Grady Judd.