A Newport Beach-based “celebrity dentist” is facing multiple allegations that could lead to suspension or revocation of her license to practice in California, according to the state Attorney General's office.
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The Attorney General's filing before the Dental Board of California accuses Dr. Sherri Worth of: incompetence; gross negligence; repeated acts of negligence; clearly excessive prescribing; obtaining fee by fraud and misrepresentation; and alteration of patient record with intent to deceive.
Worth, who has made numerous appearances on television programs, including two seasons as the featured cosmetic and reconstructive dentist on the Fox reality show The Swan, says in a statement to the Weekly that she expects to be vindicated.
“These allegations are more than five years old and they originated as a result of professional jealousy by a competitor,” says Worth. “Highly qualified independent experts have found no negligence on my part. I have and will continue to give outstanding and compassionate dental care to my patients as I have done for more than two decades. I am confident that when the whole story comes out and the final decision is rendered I will be vindicated.”
Her website–www.drsherriworth.com–says she developed a “passion for reconstructive dentistry and helping people achieve a beautiful smile” at a very young age. “Born with two of her front teeth missing, Dr. Worth experienced some of the embarrassment and discomfort that comes with being different.” Her solution came through aesthetic bridges and veneers.
Worth's bio states she went on to be a model and cheerleader at UCLA, where she received her Bachelors of Science and Doctor of Dental Surgery degrees as well as advanced education UCLA Center for Esthetic Dentistry. She touts membership in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, American Academy of Microscopic Dentistry, Association of Women Dentists, Academy of General Dentistry and Academy of Osseointegration.
Her passion for cosmetic dentistry, TV-ready good looks and promotional acumen have led to appearances on Larry King Live, Dr. Phil, Access Hollywood, Inside Edition, The Tyra Banks Show, How Do I Look?, The Today Show and Good Day LA, among others. She estimates she provided smile transformations to more than 40 women on The Swan.
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Saavy in digital media, Worth also has her own YouTube channel. But the married mother of three has also been featured in dead tree media over the years, including pieces in Vogue, In Style, Elle, Marie Claire, Variety, Riviera, In Touch, US Magazine, Men's Health, Cosmogirl, 944, Details, Coast and Orange Coast magazines.
She's also been written about in OC Weekly, but that article is not listed on her bio:
Sherri Worth, Newport Beach Doctor, Loses Malpractice Lawsuit
Yasmin Nouh's story and update were about Worth losing a 2012 malpractice case, being ordered by a judge to pay a patient $641,542 in damages and the dentist's subsequent discontinuation of her membership in the California Dental Association, which meant she was no longer subjected to peer review.
Ingrid Valdez had paid Worth $641k about $50k for multiple procedures in 2009 aimed at correcting the patient's “gummy smile” and some discolored teeth. She wound up needing multiple root canals and complained of ill-fitting veneers, bleeding gums and laser surgery that Worth had not received adequate training to perform.
It was the judgment in Orange County Superior Court that led to Dental Board of California investigation of Worth.
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OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.