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Short Hills Man Accused Of Stealing Dead Dentist's Identity

NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Roben Brookhim of Short Hills is accused of having seen patients at Associated Dental offices in New Providence, Springfield, West New York, and West Orange even though his dental license was revoked in 2004.

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"What he was doing was continuing to practice using the license of a dentist who was deceased," New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said.

Chiesa said the dentist who died, Dr. James Kirkland Jr., applied for a license a day before he died last year. So, he said, Brookhim stepped in and used it.

"Which creates health issues. It creates safety issues and it creates public confidence issues," Chiesa said.

There is no word on any relationship between the dead dentist and Brookhim, who Chiesa said lost his license eight years ago after he was suspected of insurance fraud.

Brookhim was held on $75,000 bail and charged with unlicensed practice of dentistry, identity theft, and heath care claims fraud.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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