A Manhattan dental clinic – which already has held the dubious distinction of being the most sued in the city – dumped hundreds of private records containing intimate patient information right out onto a Midtown sidewalk.
“Why are you making a federal case out of it?” asked Jerry Lynn, founder of Tooth Savers, a low-cost dental clinic with two Manhattan and two New Jersey locations. “I bet one of the assistants just dumped them.”
Actually, Tooth Saver’s careless disposal of its patients’ records – which contain medical histories, Social Security numbers, credit-card numbers and bank-account numbers – are in direct violation of federal privacy laws.
The documents, which The Post will destroy, would have been a treasure trove for identity thieves. They contained enough details for someone to open a new line of credit or even create a new persona, according to security experts.
As for Lynn, he already had his dental license revoked in 2002 for allegedly “rendering substandard dental treatment to five patients and committing two billing errors,” state records show.
He also earlier in the decade had more malpractice and billing-error lawsuits filed against him than any city dentist.
Although he’s no longer a practicing dentist, Lynn is still involved in the day-to-day operations of his clinics, according to his receptionist.
Two weeks ago, a Post reporter stumbled upon the industrial-sized, clear, plastic bag containing the personal records on the sidewalk outside Tooth Saver’s 57 W. 57th St. clinic.
Federal regulations stipulate that records be destroyed in a confidential manner, such as by shredding, according to Michael Robinson, spokesman for Health and Human Services.
“You got to be kidding me,” said Claudette Clayton of Brooklyn whose records were among the pile and who ironically does anti-fraud work for an international corporation. “You can’t leave this on the street.”
Elsie Cestari, a social worker from Teaneck, NJ, whose date of birth and Social Security number were on records in the bag, said “I’m shocked ’cause that’s my personal information.”
Identity-theft experts like Larry Loesch, a former NYPD deputy chief, said careless disposal of such intimate information is a serious matter.
“We can tell everyone to protect themselves personally and shred, shred, shred, but if a small company would do that [what Tooth Savers did], it doesn’t make a difference,” said Loesch, now an executive with AlliedBarton Security Services.
Additional reporting by Richard Murray
cbennett@nypost.com