A Korean-American dentist in his 70s who ran a clinic in Los Angeles Koreatown for decades has been accused of repeated sexual assault of a female employee.
The dentist allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted the woman under the guise of dental work and took photos and videos of molestation.
According to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, a Korean-American woman in her 40s filed a lawsuit against a dentist, 76, who practices dentistry in a clinic on Westmoreland Avenue in LA Koreatown.
The plaintiff has requested a jury trial, alleging 13 counts of wrongdoing against the defendant, including sexual assault, failure to pay wages, and constructive discharge.
The complaint was filed with the court in November of last year, and the plaintiff’s attorney referred to the plaintiff as “Jane Doe” due to the personal nature of the sexual assault case.
According to the complaint, Doe began working at the defendant’s dental clinic as a receptionist and dental assistant member in October 2016.
The complaint details the date, time, and circumstances of her sexual assault. The complaint alleges that the sexual assaults occurred repeatedly in the hospital from January 2017 until late November 2022, just before she was constructively discharged.
“Doe received dental treatment and implant procedures with an employee discount, and the defendant allegedly had Doe take a high dosage of sedative medications, then sexually assaulted while she was unconscious,” said Jinni Kang, an attorney for the plaintiff. “Doe was sexually assaulted for years, but was unable to come forward because she feared that she believed he would report her to immigration authority and that she would lose her job.”
According to the complaint, on April 6, 2022, at approximately 9 a.m., when Doe was lying on the dental bed for treatment, the dentist covered Doe’s mouth with his hand and attempted to sexually assault her while pressing her with his arms and upper body as Doe screamed and resisted.
“Doe vomited and suffered a stomachache, saying, ‘Please stop,’ the defendant took off her pants and raped her, claiming that it is ‘part of the treatment,” the complaint states.
“The dosage of ‘Triazolam,’ a sedative hypnotic medication, that the defendant administered to the woman is believed to be 12 times the amount typically recommended for a dental procedure,” Kang claimed, adding that the woman was sexually assaulted multiple times while she was unconscious from the drugs administered by the defendant.
According to the complaint, these instances came to light when the plaintiff stumbled upon the defendant’s clinical notes on his work computer.
“Doe uncovered photos and videos of the dentist sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious,” the complaint alleges, adding that “Doe was constructively discharged given the intolerable working environment and the traumatic experiences of sexual abuse and exploitation.”
The complaint also includes text messages that the defendant sent to the plaintiff. The defendant sent Doe messages stating that “we should become one body,” “your physical and mental beauty contributes to my success,” and “my aim is not your body but attending church services together,” according to the complaint.
The Korea Daily reached out to the clinic to hear from the dentist but did not receive a response as of 2 p.m. on January 25.
“We deny all of the contents of the complaint and have sent a response to the plaintiff,” said Jiyoung Kim, an attorney for the defendant, in a phone call with the Korea Daily on January 24, adding, “I cannot speak further at this time.”
The defendant of the complaint is an orthodontist and implantologist who has practiced in Los Angeles for more than 40 years. He graduated from Seoul National University and the USC School of Dentistry and was licensed by the Dental Board of California in May 1979.
BY YEOL JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
