Later this month, an Alberta dentist will face court over allegations of se*xual assault. Shouresh Charkhandeh is facing multiple charges including four counts of se*xual assault, one count of se*xual assault with a weapon, threats, or causing bodily harm. These accusations are linked to incidents that reportedly occurred between 2012 and 2013.
The exact timing of Charkhandeh’s criminal charges is not specified, and it remains unclear whether Edmonton or Calgary police were involved in his arrest. In a related development from 2022, the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta (CDSA) found Charkhandeh guilty of unprofessional conduct, which included several se*xual assault allegations.
Charkhandeh has escalated his case to the Alberta Court of Appeal following the CDSA tribunal’s findings, with a decision expected in 2025
The tribunal’s findings revealed that Charkhandeh was accused of various offenses against a staff member, including unwanted kissing, masturbating in the complainant’s presence, and other non-consensual acts of se*xual nature between November 2012 and February 2013.
Following these findings, the tribunal, consisting of two dentists and two public members appointed by the government, decided to cancel Charkhandeh’s registration and practice permit. Additionally, he was fined $50,000—$10,000 for each charge—and ordered to cover 75 percent of the investigation and hearing costs.
Charkhandeh’s appeal of the tribunal’s decision was upheld by the CDSA appeal panel on January 19. He has since escalated the matter to the Alberta Court of Appeal, with a decision expected no earlier than 2025.
The Calgary and District Dental Society notes that Charkhandeh previously ran private dental practices in Edmonton and Calgary, specializing in dental sleep medicine.
