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KSL team coverage reportingDoctor Dale Hibbert was being allowed to supervise a colleague who was on probation for substance abuse. Now Hibbert's facing felony drug charges.
Investigators say he also betrayed a friend's trust, tricking her into taking a drug by telling her it was medicine. She called police, and last night, they arrested Dale Hibbert and searched his home, finding about 50 ecstasy pills.
The drug charges aren't the only problems Dale Hibbert is facing. Investigators say they've also received multiple complaints about his prescribing practices. He could go to jail, and he could lose his dental license.
Special Agent Michael Root, with the Drug Enforcement Administration, says, "We found ecstasy in the residence of Mr. Hibbert. We found ecstasy on his person."
But the real story, investigators say, is what led them to Dale Hibbert's door. According to prosecutors, Hibbert was at dinner with a woman when she said she wasn't feeling well. He gave her what he claimed was cold medicine. She later woke up in his house, unsure how she got there. A blood test showed ecstasy in her system.
She teamed up with investigators, who moved in with a search warrant last night. They found about 50 ecstasy tablets. Root says, "We believe he was using it more for friends, acquaintances, parties at his residence."
Dale Hibbert lives in North Salt Lake and works in a pediatric dentistry office in Layton. Investigators don't believe he was giving patients drugs and don't know if he was ever under the influence of ecstasy while working.
Root says, "I'd be real concerned about anybody who's operating on me or working on me in that manner, that they're using illicit drugs, if that's the situation."
KSL did some digging and discovered that in 2004, Dale Hibbert was charged with filing a false income tax return. In 2006, a child protective order was filed against him. And in 2007, he supervised another dentist who was on probation for substance abuse.
Wayne Holman, Chief Investigator of The Department of Professional Licensing (DOPL), says, "We had no idea of any improprieties from Dr. Hibbert at the time."
The DOPL now will carefully monitor the court case to decide what steps to take. "Most severe would be loss of license," Holman said.
Dale Hibbert bailed out of jail earlier today. We attempted to contact him at home but were unsuccessful.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
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