A pediatric dentist in Nova Scotia has been accused of traumatizing generations of children in a case raising questions about whether the Nova Scotia Regional Dental Board should be allowed to discipline its members.

After a 15-month investigation, Halifax police charged 78-year-old Errol Gaum with eight counts of assault on eight separate patients dating back to the 1970s. Dr. Gaum worked from three clinics in the Halifax area and was licensed to practice in 1971, specializing in pediatric dental care.

Although the criminal allegations are concerning, they represent only a small fraction of the complaints against the now-suspended dentist. Nearly 500 former patients have joined a proposed class-action lawsuit with disturbing claims that young patients were subjected to yelling, slapping, covering their noses and mouths simultaneously, threats of pulling all their teeth, and procedures performed without freezing or anesthesia.

A former assistant who worked with Dr. Gaum in the 1990s, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation, claimed "Catherine" that she witnessed physical and emotional abuse of children in the chair; "He was a monster in the office."

The case against Dr. Gaum began after Cape Breton father Ryan Binder posted his daughter's experience on Facebook in 2020. Seven-year-old Binder alleged that the dentist told her to be quiet, pinched her nose and mouth, and the post spread with thousands of interactions and hundreds of claims from people alleging similar experiences.

Just one week after the post, the Nova Scotia Regional Dental Board held an emergency meeting and the next day suspended Dr. Gaum's license. However, some former patients said they had tried to file complaints with the dental board over the years but were ignored.