The Brief
- Jenny, a domestic violence and cancer survivor, says she paid up to $40,000 to implant dentist Dr. Paul Petrungaro for full-mouth reconstruction but was left with years of painful temporary dentures and unfinished treatment.
- FOX Chicago found Petrungaro had a long history of disciplinary actions, including suspensions, negligence allegations, and a lawsuit tied to a patient’s death; his Illinois dental license was permanently inactivated in 2025.
- Other patients reported similar problems with delayed care and unexpected costs, while Petrungaro denied intentionally taking patients’ money and said he hopes to repay some of them.
OAK BROOK – After surviving domestic violence and cancer, Jenny believed she was finally getting her life back.
The Illinois mother says she turned to a suburban implant dentist in Chicago’s western suburbs hoping full-mouth reconstruction would restore more than her teeth. She wanted to eat without pain. Speak clearly. Smile again.
Instead, she says she experienced years of delays, repeated temporary dentures, mounting pain and a dental practice that patients say abruptly closed without clear notice.…