An Illinois dentist pleaded guilty Aug. 2 to stealing fentanyl from patients for personal use.
Phillip Jensen, DMD, owned and operated a dental practice in Springfield, Ill., and specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery. From as early as December 2019 until at least August 2020, Dr. Jensen stole fentanyl intended to help patients manage pain by withdrawing part of the substance from single-use vials and refilling the vials with saline. Dr. Jensen obtained a total of more than 40 grams of fentanyl through these actions, according to an Aug. 8 news release from the Department of Justice.
Dr. Jensen pleaded guilty to two counts of drug diversion, two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, one count of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of false statements relating to healthcare matters.
Dr. Jensen is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 78 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,750,000 and up to 21 years of supervised release.