Former Cambridge dentist Vernon Kruger is facing complaints over the abrupt closure of his Panama-based dental clinic, True Alignment Orthodontics, in November 2023. Just days earlier, the clinic had collected thousands of dollars in prepaid orthodontic treatments from families.
Dozens of parents, many of whom had already paid for their children’s orthodontic treatments, were left scrambling to pay for unfinished treatments.
Melissa Ferguson, a Hamilton mother, said she and her ex-husband paid $11,000 for treatment for her son, only for the clinic to close mid-treatment. Ferguson later learned from another dentist that her son likely didn’t need braces at all.
True Alignment Orthodontics promoted “extraction-free” orthodontics, a controversial method of orthodontics that focuses on tooth growth and is considered unscientific by many experts.
Patients were required to pay the full fee upfront, which covered braces, consultations, X-rays, and even “self-scans” submitted via the app. Despite these marketing claims, Ferguson’s son had a tooth extracted early in his treatment.
Shortly after Ferguson paused her son’s treatment to wait for the baby tooth to fall out, she received an email from Kruger announcing the clinic’s closure.
In the email, Kruger blamed regulatory restrictions, claimed to be a victim of unfair targeting, and urged parents to unite and “hold those responsible accountable.”
The clinic’s new owners later told patients they could not complete their treatments for free, citing a large backlog. They confirmed they had neither acquired the clinic from Kruger nor received any upfront payment. They stated that the original company had been dissolved, and no funds were left to refund patients.
Kruger, who had been working remotely from Panama for years, claimed he did not own the clinic but was a consultant who provided braces to New Zealand dentists. However, company records from June 2023 show him as the sole director and shareholder of TSM, a management company operating from the same address as the clinic.
This isn’t Kruger’s first time embroiled in controversy. His previous dental companies, including Gentle Dental and Gentle Orthodontics, went into liquidation in 2010, owing debts of $481,000.
The New Zealand Dental Council confirmed that while Kruger still holds his registration, he does not have a valid practising certificate and therefore cannot legally treat patients in New Zealand.
Affected parents have been trying to retrieve patient records and are filing complaints with the Privacy Commissioner, the Disputes Tribunal, and the police. Meanwhile, Kruger continues to operate dental and orthodontic consultations in Panama, where his website also promotes tours.