A Calgary dentist’s last-minute plea for more time before sentencing was denied as she received a three-year prison term for committing insurance billing fraud over a ten-year period. Alena Smadych, who previously admitted to defrauding five insurance companies of almost $700,000, had her defense argue for an adjournment due to her worsening back pain. However, the court rejected the request, noting that alternative treatment methods had been declined by Smadych.
The prosecutor opposed the delay, highlighting that Smadych had rejected certain treatments in the past and that her condition was not deemed severe enough for injections. Justice Gord Wong ultimately decided against the adjournment, confident that the prison system could address any medical concerns. The defense had proposed a two-year conditional sentence, but the judge settled on a three-year prison term.
Smadych, formerly the owner of All About Family Dental, was found to have engaged in fraudulent billing practices, submitting falsified claims totaling over $684,000 between 2013 and 2023. The investigation was triggered by irregular billing patterns identified by Sun Life, revealing deceptive billing for procedures like repeat root canals.
The judge highlighted Smadych’s continued deceit towards insurance companies even while under investigation, emphasizing her lack of remorse. Business ledgers indicated discrepancies between actual services provided and the billed amounts, with a significant spike in billings observed at the end of each calendar year. Subsequent admissions revealed additional fraudulent billings totaling over $558,000 to multiple insurance companies.
A psychological report indicated Smadych’s reluctance to fully acknowledge her culpability, as she attempted to shift blame onto others. Despite no longer practicing as a dentist in Alberta, Smadych expressed an interest in pursuing dentistry in Australia. Her history includes a prior conviction in 2007 for fraud over $5,000 related to a false return scheme at Home Depot.
