Fort Dodge Dentist Surrenders License After 'Chaotic' Procedure

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A Fort Dodge, Iowa dentist named Corey Jerrod Williams has agreed to surrender his license after being sued by a patient, Drew Ewing, over a 'chaotic' dental procedure in which Williams mistakenly extracted Ewing's healthy tooth without using any painkillers. The incident occurred in June 2022 at the Aspen Dental Clinic in Fort Dodge, where Williams was performing a series of procedures on Ewing.

Why it matters

This case highlights issues around patient safety, dental malpractice, and the importance of proper training and competence for healthcare providers. It also raises questions about oversight and accountability in the dental industry, as well as the challenges patients can face in getting proper recourse when things go wrong during a procedure.

The details

According to the lawsuit, during the procedure Williams struggled to remove temporary crowns that had been mistakenly adhered with a permanent adhesive. In the chaos, Williams accidentally extracted one of Ewing's healthy front teeth without using any painkillers. The procedure continued to be 'chaotic' as the new permanent crowns did not fit properly. Ewing was left bleeding as Williams left the room to consult with a hygienist, before ultimately reinstalling the temporary crowns. Ewing later had to seek corrective work from another dentist to address the 'permanent damage' to his mouth and teeth.

• On June 28, 2022, the botched dental procedure took place at the Aspen Dental Clinic in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
• In May 2022, Ewing initially went to the Aspen Dental Clinic complaining of molar pain.

What’s next

A trial-setting conference is scheduled for March 6, 2026 to determine next steps in Ewing's lawsuit against Dr. Williams.