Trial date set for Spokane dentist accused of fraudulently prescribing himself opioids

A Spokane dentist accused of fraudulently prescribing his sister opioids and taking them himself will be tried on drug charges in February as the state Department of Health also investigates his license to practice dentistry.

Dr. Nicholas Harker, 36, was arrested by Washington State Patrol in May for suspicion of driving under the influence after he drove his BMW over a concrete median and knocked over a yield sign at the North Spokane Corridor roundabout at Freya Street. WSP troopers said Harker appeared to be impaired after the crash and that they found a half-empty hydrocodone acetaminophen pill bottle prescribed by him for his sister, leading to an investigation for illegally prescribing opioids.

Investigators found Harker, who practices at My Dentist in north Spokane, had prescribed his sister the painkillers the day before the crash. Video footage showed he picked up the prescription for 28 pills that afternoon, according to court records. The bottle found in Harker’s car after the crash had 15 pills left. The dosage was for four pills per day.

Prescription records showed Harker, a licensed dentist since 2013, prescribed hydrocodone and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxer, to his sister 21 times since December 2016, according to court documents.

Harker first appeared in court Aug. 21.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Health opened an investigation into Harker’s credentials, according to a public records request. If violations are found, such as self-prescribing or substance abuse, a panel can decide to take disciplinary action, including the suspension or revoking of his practitioner’s license.

Harker’s license remains active.

Before practicing at My Dentist, Harker worked in the Tri-Cities and was negotiating to purchase Grande Smiles on the South Hill while working there for several weeks in early 2015. The deal fell through, leading to a lawsuit that was settled outside court in 2018.

In the middle of the lawsuit, allegations surfaced that Harker exhibited unprofessional conduct while at Grande Smiles and completed dental work on several patients that was below the standard of care.

Some of his patients later received corrective care to address pain, according to DOH records.

During a DOH investigation, Harker declined to answer most questions about specific patient cases, denied he provided substandard care and asserted that he never received any complaints from the patients.

A DOH panel closed the case without disciplinary action, citing that the circumstances were unlikely to reoccur and there was “minimal risk of harm to public health, safety or welfare.”