Minnesota Dentist Loses Appeal Over Patient’s Fraud Judgment

A Minnesota woman will hang on to $100,000 in damages against a dentist who misrepresented his financial condition to her because state law allows patients to sue medical providers for fraud, a Minnesota appeals court said.

Michael Smilanich’s representation that he wasn’t in any danger of losing his practice was actionable because providers aren’t immune from fraud claims brought by patients and because the fraud claim was separate and distinct from the patient’s medical negligence claim, the Minnesota Court of Appeals said.

Vickie Jones began a course of dental treatment with Smilanich in 2013. In early 2014, a friend told ...