Patients of former Jacksonville dentist want justice after he's ruled incompetent to stand trial

The dentist accused of performing unnecessary procedures on children for Medicaid money has been found incompetent to stand trial.

At the age of 3, Summer Akerley saw Dr. Howard S. Schneider for the first time when she chipped a tooth

Her mother, Heather Hatton, said she was told he was going to pull just one tooth.

"He took it upon himself to do four root canals and four crowns without permission," Hatton said.

Hatton said gauze filled her daughter’s mouth and she couldn’t stop crying when they left.

"It caused a massive infection because he didn't clean them out when we went back for the crowns," Hatton said.

The infection caused Summer to be hospitalized for several days.

And she isn’t the only patient with allegations of abuse against Schneider.

Action News Jax has investigated more than a hundred claims from former patients.

Schneider faced Medicaid fraud charges, but this week he was found incompetent to stand trial.

"He had the gumption to do this to the children, but doesn't have enough heart to face the parents to tell us why," Hatton said.

Paulette Gutierrez said she was a victim more than three decades ago and is still waiting for justice.

"Somebody that does that to a child shouldn't be able to walk away from what he's done all these years," Gutierrez said.

Hatton said she plans to protest this upcoming week to hold Schneider accountable for his actions.

"It makes it look like other dentists can continue to do what he did and get away with it by pleading incompetent," Hatton said.

The next protest outside Schneider’s former office is Monday at 9 a.m.

Cox Media Group