A Minnesota woman alleges in a lawsuit against her dentist that the doctor performed four root canals, eight dental crowns and 20 fillings in a single visit, which she claims left her mouth disfigured.
Kathleen Wilson filed the lawsuit last week in Hennepin County District Court. In it she accuses Dr. Kevin Molldrem, of the clinic Molldrem Family Dentistry in Eden Prairie, for negligent treatment in July 2020, which caused substantial injuries.
The woman also alleges that the doctor administered an unsafe dose of anesthesia and falsified medical records to cover it up, the Star Tribune reported.
Molldrem and his attorney, Nathaniel Weimer, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from on Thursday.
According to the Star Tribune, Wilson’s legal team hired Dr. Avrum Goldstein, a Florida dentist, to provide an expert opinion and review Wilson’s dental records at the defendant clinic, as well as other subsequent providers. Goldstein’s report, dated Nov. 14, identified several medical violations.
Goldstein said in the report that Molldrem made the correct diagnosis but provided poor-quality treatment.
They worked on 28 teeth for 5 hours
Wilson had cavities in “virtually every tooth in his mouth, which is quite rare,” Goldstein wrote. The clinic’s attempt to restore all of Wilson’s teeth in a single visit did not address his susceptibility to disease or the possibility of losing teeth, he explained.
“Katie needed a slow, thoughtful, careful and measured response to her illness. Trying to fill every gap in every tooth in her mouth in a single visit is not only the antithesis of what is indicated, but it is not humanly possible to achieve it effectively or constructively,” Goldstein added, noting that it is “inconceivable” to work 28 teeth in 5 and a half hours.
One of the challenges of a long appointment is maintaining adequate anesthesia, Goldstein said. The maximum dose is 490 mg, but Molldrem administered 960 mg to Wilson.
Wilson’s records show Molldrem said he administered eight tubes of dental anesthesia, known as carpules. But Goldstein discovered that the first dose alone was eight capsules and he administered 15 throughout the visit.
Wilson went to another dental office for an evaluation that showed recurring cavities and other damage. For several months in 2022 she was treated at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry “to repair and replace many of her restorations in an attempt to stabilize her mouth,” Goldstein said.
If all of Wilson’s teeth ultimately have to be removed and replaced with implants, Goldstein said “all the work that was done and all the expenses associated with it will have been for nothing.”
Beyond the medical costs, Wilson said he suffered pain, embarrassment, disfigurement and anguish. He demands at least $50,000 in damages.
