Court of Appeal confirms prison sentence: horror dentist from Marseille must spend eight years behind bars

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On Friday, the court also ordered the seizure of Guedj’s villa, which he had handed over to his wife before the start of the trial. It confirmed the seizure of the wealth the 43-year-old had amassed through his brazen schemes, including cars, a boat, works of art and bank accounts worth more than €2.2 million.

Five years in prison for the father

His now 71-year-old father Jean-Claude Guedj, who supported him, was sentenced to five years in prison. His son “might have been working a little too fast,” he said during the trial. Lionel Guedj followed the verdict via video conference from his prison.

He had promised his patients the smiles of movie stars, only to extract or destroy as many teeth as possible and sell their expensive dentures. This was paid for by health insurers and private insurers.

Many of the dentist’s 374 victims felt ‘betrayed’, ‘used’ and ‘full of shame’, the Public Prosecution Service emphasizes. You can at least now hope for compensation payments.

Among them was a young woman named Sarah, who had 24 teeth extracted at the age of 18. “I had bad breath, I didn’t want to laugh anymore, I had wet speech and difficulty eating,” Sarah later reported to “Closer” magazine. After the treatment she withdrew more and more because she was ashamed.

Maximum 70 patients per day

In 2005, Guedj opened his practice in the north of Marseille, where many people with low incomes and North African roots live. He had a good relationship with his patients and saw as many as seventy a day, many without an appointment. Five years later he was the best-paid dentist in France, with a monthly income of no less than 80,000 euros.

“After the first appointment, a systematic treatment plan was in place to kill and crown as many teeth as possible,” according to an expert report. He carried out his operations quickly and carelessly. Many patients subsequently complained of inflammation and ill-fitting dentures.

His prosthetic manufacturer testified that Guedj ordered bridges from him without adjusting them first. According to his secretary, the dentist did not shy away from manipulating X-rays. Guedj invoices for so many procedures that his working day should have lasted 52 hours.

(AFP)

Source: Blick