In This Issue:

Mass. AG Puts Some Teeth Into False Ad Complaint v. Dental Chain

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has filed a complaint alleging that a chain of dental care centers engaged in a pattern of false advertising designed to market toothsome deals that turned out to be duds.

Stopping just short of calling the company's tactics crooked, the 123-page complaint seeks to make the case that Aspen Dental Management repeatedly used bait and switch tactics to procure millions improperly from consumers, often targeting those who called in complaining of pain and others with low incomes.

The complaint also alleges that Aspen Dental's conduct violates the terms of its $1 million 2014 settlement in which it agreed to cease promoting similar deceptive claims. Since then, the complaint alleges, Aspen Dental has apparently brushed off any compliance efforts and run multiple ads making misleading promises about its supposedly free services, despite having committed to cease making misleading advertising claims.

According to the allegations, Aspen Dental, which has more than 25 offices in the state, advertised an initial free appointment, but then billed for dental exams. The company also advertised "no hidden fees" while drilling into its staff that it should hide the fees the company charged customers.

Further claims that did not align with reality included: the company claiming it accepted all types of insurance services when it did not; falsely advertising the...

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