Seattle dentist clarifies crimes of paperclip wielding dentist

The question is, could office supplies used in surgery pose a danger to patient later down the line? (AP Photo)

A dentist in Massachusetts used paper clips in his root canals, but that’s not why he was sentenced to a year in prison. According to a Seattle dentist, who also suggests you shouldn’t get your teeth cleaned in a van behind Office Depot, this dentist isn’t going to prison over crimes of office supplies.

The crimes Dr. Michael Clair committed include assault and battery, illegally prescribing medication, witness intimidation and defrauding Medicare of $130,000.

It’s about more than just paperclip use in oral surgery, clarified Dr. Mike Mulick.

The question is, could office supplies used in surgery pose a danger to a patient later down the line?

That’s where Mulick (who might also be a part time comedian) has the know-how and instructed Dave and Luke on how to properly use a paperclip in oral surgery.

Yes, that’s right, Mulick says that Clair’s sterilized paperclip wouldn’t behave any differently than stainless steel or titanium.

“If I was on a mission in a third world country and I had a tooth and wanted it to be reinforced, and all I had was a paperclip […] if that was the only thing I had, clinically, that paper clip would be there for 30 or 40 years.”

A paperclip, sealed properly in a root canal would last, but “that’s definitely below the standard of care,” said Mulick.

The real problem came when Clair reported to Medicare that he’d been using the standard post at $50 each, when in reality, he was using paperclips.