Deadline nears for former patients of late Pittsburgh-area dentist to file estate claims
Former patients of Dr. Carl Medgaus are running out of time to try to recover money for unfinished dental work.
Hundreds of people contacted KDKA Investigates last year after the sudden death of beloved Pittsburgh-area dentist Dr. Carl Medgaus in April 2025. Many said they had already paid thousands of dollars for procedures that were never completed. Others said they were left with dental work only partially finished.
Now their path to potential reimbursement is filing a creditor claim against his estate, and the deadline is March 12, 2026.
A review of the publicly posted estate records shows more than 150 creditors have already filed claims with the Westmoreland County Register of Wills.
An attorney representing the estate said they are gathering documentation and will evaluate all creditor claims. Under Pennsylvania law, claims will be reviewed and prioritized before any payments are made.
Mark Dzura said he filed his claim months ago.
"We filed it in — what do I have written down here? — May 22 of '25," Dzura said. "We haven't really heard anything from anybody until, like I said, I got that very brief letter maybe, I don't know, three months ago or four months ago, and we haven't heard anything else."
Dzura said he paid $21,000 with help from his sister for Stabili-Teeth, a full-mouth dental implant solution. Dzura said Medgaus completed only about half of the procedure before his death.
Despite the difficult situation, Dzura spoke warmly about his former dentist.
"Dr. Medgaus was such a beautiful soul," Dzura said. "You know, he tried to help me out as much as he could."
After months of uncertainty, Dzura sought care elsewhere. He consulted with dentists in Gibsonia and Hermitage before ultimately paying about $7,500 to complete the work.
"But I'm pretty darn happy with it, because I'm able to eat now. It worked out good," he said.
Former patients who believe they are owed money should file a creditor claim with the Westmoreland County Register of Wills before March 12. People can monitor the estate's updates online by searching "Medgaus."
