The location of the office of Molldrem Family Dentistry, P.A., is seen in Eden Prairie, Minn. (via Google Maps). Inset: Dr. Kevin Molldrem (via Molldrem Family Dentistry website).
A dentist in Minnesota allegedly performed dozens of procedures on a patient in one day, overdosed her with anesthesia, and falsified medical records — and now that patient wants the dentist to pay.
Kathleen Wilson says Dr. Kevin Molldrem and his dental practice, Molldrem Family Dentistry, negligently performed more than 30 procedures in a single day, leaving her disfigured and seriously injured. According to a lawsuit filed in Hennepin County, Wilson “has endured and will continue to endure pain and suffering, embarrassment, emotional distress, and disfigurement as a direct result of Dr. Molldrem’s negligence.”
Specifically, Wilson alleges that on July 14, 2020, Molldrem “attempt[ed] to provide 8 crowns, 4 root canals, and 20 restorations in a single visit, and perform[ed] this work improperly.”
An expert dentist hired by Wilson’s attorneys said that it is simply impossible for Molldrem to have done all of this work in one day, especially considering that Wilson had a “very rare” condition in which many of her teeth were susceptible to decay.
“[Wilson’s] required a slow, thoughtful, careful and measured response to her disease,” wrote Dr. Avrum Goldstein, a dentist retained by Wilson’s lawyers to provide an expert opinion about Molldrem’s alleged negligence and the cause of Wilson’s injuries. “Trying to fill every hole in every tooth in her mouth in one visit is not only the antithesis of what was indicated, it is not humanly possible to achieve in an effective or constructive manner.”
“It is inconceivable that Dr. Molldrem could have prepared and placed 8 crowns under these circumstances in the time allotted, not to mention the additional 20 restorations,” Goldstein also said in his report.
In addition, Goldstein’s report says, Molldrem dosed Wilson with unsafe levels of anesthesia for her procedures, during which she was under IV sedation while also receiving local anesthetic.
“There are finite amounts of anesthetic that can be administered over a 5- or 6-hour period, and exceeding that amount places the patient at risk for an overdose of anesthetic and potential harmful effects,” Goldstein wrote. Records show that Molldrem nearly doubled the standard number of units of anesthesia — in just under three hours, the lawsuit alleges.
In doing so, Goldstein concluded, Molldrem “grossly exceed[ed] what would be considered safe,” the report said. “Any negative cardiovascular or central nervous system outcomes could be tied to the local anesthetic overdose. While Ms. Wilson may have been fortunate to not experience these side effects, that does not absolve Dr. Molldrem from administering an overdose of medication.”
According to Wilson’s complaint, Molldrem falsified medical records regarding how much anesthesia Wilson received for the procedures.
Within a year, Goldstein says, nearly all of Molldrem’s work needed to be repaired.
Wilson says that since the procedures, she has had to seek treatment from other providers “to examine and repair the negligent work performed by Dr. Molldrem.” She also says her injuries and medical costs are ongoing, and she has lost income and the capacity to work due to the treatments. She alleges more than $50,000 in damages.
Lawyers for Wilson declined to comment to Law&Crime. Molldrem’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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