Steven Krieger fined, practice suspended after patients claim 'excruciating' pain

A former B.C. dentist sued by a dozen patients has been fined and temporarily barred from practicing after an investigation by the College of Dental Surgeons of B.C.

In a consent order agreement published Tuesday, Steven Krieger admitted to performing sub-standard fillings, crowns and a root canal. He also copped to charging patients for "complicated" extractions, when they only needed a simple removal.

The former dentist,who worked at the Clover Care Dental Clinic in Surrey, agreed that some of his actions amount to professional misconduct.

Lawsuits

Krieger was sued by at least 12former patients last year. Some alleged he drilled too deeply into their gums andperformed fillingsthey didn't need.

Two women claimed his alleged mistakesledto "excruciating" pain and "dead" teeth.

Krieger "voluntarily" withdrewregistration as a dentist in January and wasordered not to practice pending a public hearing as the college conducted its investigation.

The CDSBC said the discipline hearing was cancelled when he admittedmisconduct.

The college has fined Krieger$10,000 and banned him from performing any dentistry work for one year.If he wants to return to work after that, the college said hemust complete a multi-step remediation program and undergo an examination process.

If, or when,Kriegerreturns to work, he'll be under several limitations, including:

• Treating no more than five patients a day.
• Subjecting his practice to monitoring, random checks and reviews by the college.
• Posting a sign in his office notifying patients he is being monitored.

'It was excruciating'

A Go Public investigation last fall revealed Kriegerwas being sued by eight former patients. At least four more came forward after the information was published.

Tami Conlin, 37, claimedKriegergave her four fillings and a root canal she didn't need in the spring of 2016. Months later, she told CBCNews, she was still "in agony."

"My tooth is basically dead," Conlin said,"And because of him."

Kathe Atkinson also saw Kriegerand asked tohave four teeth bonded, hopingto make them whiter. Instead, she said, he suggested she havethree mercury fillings replaced.

Weeks later, Atkinson saidshe was still inmisery.

"My whole side of my face I had shooting pain up, shooting pain down, into my ear I just kept popping Advil, Advil, Advil," she told CBC News in October 2016. "It was excruciating."

B.C. woman suing dentist; 7 other ex-patients also filing suit

8 years ago

Duration 3:12

Kathe Atkinson says a dentist botched routine work three years ago, and it has caused lasting pain

Atkinson ultimately had the the three teeth Krieger worked on extracted and filed herlawsuit against the dentist.

In statements of defenceresponding to several of the suits, the former dentist denied the allegations and said he treated patients with "reasonable care, skill and diligence."

The college's investigation is separate from the lawsuits, which are still proceeding in court.

With files from Erica Johnson