9/11 dentist sentenced in drug case

The dentist in charge of using teeth to identify people killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was sentenced Wednesday to five years' probation for writing illegal prescriptions for his girlfriend.

Jeffrey Burkes, 59, who pleaded guilty in November to criminal sale of a prescription for a controlled substance, also was ordered to do 150 hours of community service and to continue psychiatric treatment.

He admitted he gave Shari Perl Herman, 42, illegal prescriptions for Vicodin and other drugs.

The judge said that while he "never thought jail was appropriate in this case," he was surprised that the plea deal did not require Burkes to give up his license to practice dentistry.

Assistant District Attorney Rahul Kale told Carro that Burkes, who has offices in Manhattan and Leonia, N.J., will face a hearing later before a state licensing board, which will review his right to practice dental medicine.

Burkes, of Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., said in a statement that he planned to return to his dental practice, adding: "It is what I do best."

"I am very, very sorry for what I have done. It was wrong, and it will never happen again," he said.

An oral surgeon, Burkes is former chief forensic dental consultant in the city medical examiner's office. A spokesman for the office said the dentist went on unpaid leave from that position in November 2006, when he was arrested.

After the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Burkes led a team of volunteer forensic dentists who analyzed the dental data of those killed.

Burkes faced up to 15 years in prison had he been convicted at trial.