Patient at centre of ex-London, Ont., dentist's misconduct case files $2.15M suit alleging abuse
CBC
WARNING: This story references actions deemed as sexual abuse by the dental profession's regulatory college.
A former London, Ont. dentist whose licence was revoked last month for having sexual interactions with a female patient is being sued by her for $2.15 million on allegations of sexual assault and medical malpractice.
The lawsuit, filed in November 2022 in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto, names Brock Rondeau and his dentistry corporation as defendants and the plaintiff is referred to as "Jane Doe."
The lawsuit seeks $750,000 in general damages for pain and suffering, $150,000 in aggravated damages, $1 million in special damages, and $250,000 in punitive and exemplary damages.
The statement of claim alleges Rondeau used his position of trust and power to "access her sexually, while knowing that she had a brain injury, was in pain," and that sexual contact with her as a patient constituted sexual abuse under provincial law.
Rondeau had sex with her against her will, subjected her to verbal and sexual abuse, and threatened to pull treatment if she reported him, according to the claim. It also alleges Rondeau and/or his business are liable for burns she suffered during a procedure for which she never provided informed consent.
Statements of claim contain allegations not proven in court and Rondeau is not facing criminal charges. He has denied the allegations in a separate statement of defence.
The plaintiff's lawyer, Joanna Birenbaum, declined to comment.
Rondeau's lawyer, Matthew Gourlay, also declined to comment, but confirmed the plaintiff is the same patient in the case before the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) last month that involved his client.
On July 15, the college stripped Rondeau of his certificate of registration and fined him after he admitted to a sexual relationship with a patient. Under the Regulated Health Professions Act, physical sexual relations between a patient and practitioner are considered sexual abuse.
The plaintiff was referred to Rondeau in 2018 through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) after two head injuries left her with a cognitive impairment, the claim says.
Rondeau, registered with the RCDSO since 1966, specialized in orthodontic, orthopedic, and temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, disorders and practised out of a northeast London clinic.
The lawsuit alleges "poor dental services" by the defendants to fix the position of her jaw caused her teeth to shift, requiring braces. While working on the braces in October 2020, a dental assistant spilled an acidic product, severely burning her, it alleges.
The plaintiff claims she hadn't given informed consent and was discouraged by Rondeau from reporting the incident. Further, Rondeau knew the employee had been making mistakes and was not competent, the claim alleges.
This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.
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