Quote at 35,000 euros, cocktail of tranquilizers: struck off in England, the dentist worked in France, a patient dies

The dentist was recently indicted for “involuntary manslaughter” and “failure to assist a person in danger” (illustrative photo). Caroline LM – UNSPLASH

Justice is investigating the death of a sixty-year-old who came to seek treatment in Gironde, in the southwest of France, in the summer of 2023, by a British dentist who had been disbarred for two decades in England.

Recently indicted for "manslaughter" and "non- assistance to a person in danger", this practitioner of around sixty years is under judicial supervision with a ban on leaving France and practicing his profession.

A year after the death, the victim's children are still trying to understand the circumstances, even though the suspect had been sanctioned across the Channel for a series of professional misconduct and embezzlement, including the fact of having billed patients large sums for interventions deemed "useless", according to d& #39;old articles from BBC and Guardian.

She tells him "know someone"

In the summer of 2023, having not found a solution for her implant problems in Guadeloupe, where she was retiring, Florence Taillade, 68, had contacted a dentist in mainland France on the advice of a relative, says his son Guillaume Bonvoisin, 48 years old.

The latter, based in Gujan-Mestras near Arcachon, now indicted for failure to assist a person in danger, then told him "know someone" who could intervene: a British colleague practicing in Paris and Bordeaux, relates Me Philippe Courtois, lawyer for the civil parties.

Extraction of six teeth then installation of implants: this major operation is initially estimated at 20,000 euros. But "the next day, she received the quote and it rose to 35,000 euros", adds Guillaume Bonvoisin, supporting document.

Her mother nevertheless accepts, believing that the one she took for "a big brood" granted her "a favor", explain Marjorie Bonvoisin, 44 years old, daughter of the victim, and her brother. The British lawyer's French lawyer, Me Rudyard Bessis, denied any "mercantile drift".

Cardiac arrest

On July 3, 2023, a few hours after dropping his mother off at the Gujan-Mestras office, Guillaume Bonvoisin learned from the municipal police that she had done & quot;a heart problem" and he needs to come "immediately".

First gray area: emergency services would have been called late, "15 minutes after the first signs of cardiac arrest", according to Me Courtois. Questioned by the regional daily Sud-Ouest, Me Bessis contested this deadline.

In cardiorespiratory arrest, Florence Taillade died the next day at Bordeaux University Hospital. She will then be cremated.

Valium, Stilnox and Xanax

According to the children, the hospital first suspected "an allergy" to the anesthetic. Subsequent analyzes having shown a possible "toxic reaction", the family approached an association to help victims of medical error and calls for more in-depth research.

The analysis of a blood sample preserved in virology – the family having authorized an organ donation – reveals "Valium, Stilnox and Xanax", three tranquilizers including the first "in good quantities", underlines Guillaume Bonvoisin. Questioned on this point, the prosecution did not respond.

Me Bessis asserts for his part that his client only gave "a tablet" to Ms. Taillade for < em>"relax her", "taking into account her psychological state" . "It was a person who came urgently, stressed for over a month, (with) disproportionate dental pain (…) she was screaming& ;quot;, he assures.

Cocktail of medicines ?

According to the children, before the intervention, Ms. Taillade had agreed to take Valium: "It reassured her", indicate -they, adding that their mother usually only resorted to homeopathy.

"He had promised mom that she wouldn't feel anything, he had to give her the dose", supposes Marjorie Bonvoisin.

The dentist's lawyer responds that his client did not administer all of this "cocktail" of medicines. He appealed the orders of the investigating judge and requested access to the "shared medical file" to understand "where this cocktail comes from".

"Abnormal to exercise"

He deplores that the "past" and the removal across the Channel of his client, also subject to an ordinal procedure in Paris, be "put forward&quot ; in this "drama".

For Me Courtois, "these are not the same mistakes" but & quot;from the moment you are deregistered in a country, it is abnormal to be able to practice elsewhere.

"When you are deregistered in England, it has nothing to do with France", retorts his colleague – himself a former dentist disbarred in France, by his own account.