Thomas P. Floyd, West Palm Beach, Florida Pediatric Dentist, Arrested for Child Abuse
September 20, 2012 , by Elaina Robbins
Thomas P. Floyd, a West Palm Beach, Florida pediatric dentist, was arrested Friday after he was accused of handling one of his 4-year-old patients roughly, reports say. Floyd, 61, was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on a single charge of child abuse. Officials also suspended his dentistry license following his arrest. It is unclear whether a bail bond was set for the defendant. It is also unknown whether Floyd has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.
Reports say that Floyd operated a pediatric dental office out of the 400 Executive Center in West Palm Beach prior to his arrest. His office specialized in dental care for children, teens, and young adults. However, earlier allegations about malpractice against certain patients reportedly surfaced in 2010. During one of those occasions, a 7-year-old female patient accused Floyd of placing her apron in her mouth during a procedure. The doctor reportedly did this to quiet the patient down. The girl apparently removed the apron, citing that she experienced difficulty breathing with it in her mouth. Reports indicate that Floyd did not face charges regarding this allegation.
In this more recent incident, a 4-year-old patient accused Floyd of striking him in the face several times during his appointment. The patient was not publicly identified by police because he is a juvenile. The case opened after a witness phoned police from Floyd's office, stating that a toddler in one of the office's examination rooms was making distressful noises. When detectives arrived, they located the frazzled boy, who reportedly explained to officers that "the doctor went pow pow on my face, and it hurt."
Investigators found that the child's lip was injured (Floyd purported was a result of the child nipping himself during the exam) and that the child's gums were inflamed. The mother took the child to St. Mary's Medical Center, where doctors located a small laceration under the boy's tongue. He also sustained several cuts to his lips and another cut to his gums. Investigators from the police department and Child Protection services cross examined the child and found the details to his story to be congruent.
A while after the incident, an employee at Floyd's office decided to speak to authorities regarding the boy's treatment. The witness, who remains anonymous, purportedly claimed that Floyd placed the boy on a medical stabilization board, which limited the child's mobility during his examination. He then attempted to perform a dental procedure, but the boy allegedly refused to open his mouth. Floyd then made several alleged attempts to open the mouth with what was described as an irritated mood.
During those purported attempts to open the child mouth, Floyd allegedly pried at the child's jaw with a pair of dental clamps.
However, the child reportedly spit the clamp out and the doctor attempted to force them back in, sources say. When that failed, the assistant alleged that Floyd "jammed" the child's mouth with a dental bit. At one point during the procedure, the assistant claimed that child's mouth began to bleed. The assistant then reportedly asked the patient in the waiting room to call police.
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Saturday, September 22, 2012
More on the brutality of Dr. Thomas P. Floyd
This report on Dr. Thomas P. Floyd - West Palm Beach dentist- holds true to the first hand reports I've received. In addition, it was reported to me, that the police received complaints "a couple times a week" about abuse taking place in Dr. Floyd's office. His ex-wife is an orthodontist in the area. Some reports about this brutal dungeon master go back years. To think this man is walking free is infuriating! HE BEAT CHILDREN on a regular basis!!!!!
Debbie