A woman spends $33,000 to change her teeth, the dentist loses his license and she ends up with no teeth: “It was a big decision to do it”

Paying for a major procedure upfront can save you a lot of money. However, should any issues arise, you could be left high and dry as Lynette Smoje discovered. The resident of Karratha, 950 miles north of Perth, Western Australia, visited dentist Rouvin Mahadeva two and a half hours away in Port Hedland to ask about getting ‘All-in-4’ implants.

Smoje only intended to have her upper teeth replaced but the dentist recommended doing both the top and bottom. “It was a big decision to do it,” she told ABC Radio Perth’s WA Mornings host Nadia Mitsopoulos.

Dentist recommends replacing all the patient’s teeth

Mahadeva quoted her $45,000 AUD (around $28,400 USD) for the double procedure but that was more than she could afford. He suggested that she access her superannuation, or super, a fund employers pay into for their workers’ retirement, while at the same time reducing his fee to $37,000 AUD (about $23,350 USD).

Six months later, in March 2023, her application to withdraw from her super was approved and she was able to pay the dentist $28,000 AUD (approximately $17,670 USD). However, while she says she still would’ve gone that route, she wasn’t warned that the early drawdown on her retirement fund came with a $8,000 AUD penalty tax that came out of her super. “It would have been nice to be informed,” she said.

No teeth, no implants

Smoje’s teeth replacement procedure got underway, first with all her teeth extracted and then eight screws inserted that would hold the prosthetics. However, she would have to wait for the next step far longer than anticipated.

Over the ensuing months, she shelled out another $5,000 on scans and molds but when she tried to reach Mahadeva she “had an absolute heart attack.” Smoje was told that he was no longer available and furthermore, the dentist was facing criminal charges. She told ABC Radio Perth that she thought, “I’m never going to get my teeth.”

She was referred to another dentist, Peter Terzi, to continue the work. However, she had to agree to a different procedure, which she did so reluctantly. Additionally, that required going to see him to “have a whole new set of molds [and] x-rays again,” Smoje explained.

While she was awaiting her permanent implants, she went through several sets of temporary teeth that kept breaking. Then, like with Mahadeva before, she couldn’t reach Terzi. He too was facing criminal charges. Both dentists have pleaded not guilty to their respective charges.

ABC reached out to to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) which confirmed that both of them have had their licenses suspended and can no longer practice in Australia.

Smoje has “no qualms” with the work done and is “not asking for the whole $33,000 back”

Smoje says that she has “no qualms” with the quality of the work that’s been done so far but the long delays are causing consternation. “I appreciate that these eight screws in my jaw cost money and his time. I’m not asking for the whole $33,000 back,” said Smoje adding, “I just want what I was promised. Two sets of teeth for $37,000.”

But she would like to get a refund of $13,000 AUD (about $8,200 USD). She says that still wouldn’t cover all of the out-of-pocket expenses she has incurred. When reached for comment, Mahadeva told the ABC that he was “actively working to resolve the situation.”

He has appeal to the AHPRA to get an exemption from his suspension that would allow him to complete Smoje’s treatment saying that it is the “prudent” thing to do.

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