There’s still no word on when a Guelph dental clinic closed for the past three weeks due to sterilization issues will reopen – and now it’s facing a legal challenge as well.
The Eramosa Road practice known as both Guelph Dental Associates and Growing Smiles has been closed since late June.
A public health inspector – called in to investigate after a young Guelph Dental Associates patient developed a bacterial infection – found that the clinic wasn’t properly sanitizing its equipment.
As of Tuesday, nothing had been said publicly about when the clinic might reopen. Public health authorities have said it will only happen once they are certain the clinic will abide by proper sterilization practices.
While the clinic remains closed, an Oakville-based lawyer has started the process of filing a class-action lawsuit against it.
Gary Will of Will Davidson LLP says he has signed up three Guelph Dental Associates patients, and believes hundreds more will eventually join up.
“What we will seek to do is hold the dental clinic accountable for its (wrongdoing) and get compensation for people who have been put through enormous unnecessary stress,” lawyer Gary Will said in an interview.
In theory, all of the practice’s 3,600 patients would be eligible for the lawsuit.
A claim will be brought forward this week, after which the lawsuit will need a court approval before it can move ahead. Will says the suit will be seeking millions of dollars in damages.
With reporting by Abigail Bimman
