Alberta dentist facing sexual assault charges

An Alberta dentist is facing sexual assault charges stemming from alleged incidents dating back more than a decade in Edmonton.

Dr. Shouresh Charkhandeh is accused of committing several crimes and was formally charged on Aug. 21. The charges are for alleged crimes said to have happened between January 2012 and May 2013.

Charkhandeh faces four charges of sexual assault and one of threatening to cause bodily harm while committing a sexual assault.

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Court documents do not provide details on what led to the criminal charges.

Charkhandeh was previously being investigated by the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta.

In 2022, a college tribunal found Charkhandeh guilty of unprofessional conduct in relation to allegations of non-consensual sexual acts.

According to the tribunal, those alleged acts occurred between November 2012 and February 2013. The college was investigating allegations that Charkhandeh forced a staff member to perform various sex acts on him and forced her to have intercourse.

 The CDSA ruled that Charkendeh’s permit to practice should be cancelled. He appealed that decision and most recently, appealed the decision of the appeal panel. That most recent decision has not been rendered.

In a statement to Global News, the CDSA said that “at this time, as a result of the Alberta Court of Appeal’s stay of the Appeal Panel of Council’s decision pending the appeal, Dr. Charkhandeh’s permit remains active on the main register.”

Charkhandeh’s first court appearance is slated for Sept. 23.