Walter Villanueva, DDS, the owner of Kidiatric Dental & Orthodontics in Chandler, Ariz., has been indicted on charges of failing to report the abuse of a pediatric patient at his practice.
In 2022, Dr. Villanueva met with the mother of a patient who said that a dental assistant at the practice had abused her during a dental exam. Dr. Villanueva did not report the abuse to the police, according to a May 6 news release from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
Deion Garcia, the dental assistant, was charged with sexual exploitation and molestation of pediatric patients in May 2024. Mr. Garcia and Kidiatric Dental & Orthodontics were sued in October 2024.
The practice implemented additional safety measures, and Dr. Villanueva agreed to have chaperones in the practice.
Dr. Villanueva was required to immediately make a report of the suspected abuse under Arizona’s Mandatory Reporting law. He was indicted on one count of failure to report nonaccidental injuries and physical neglect of minors, the release said.
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