The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) has launched an internal review of its reporting processes and begun outreach to police services after two cases exposed gaps in how the regulator learns of criminal charges against Ontario dentists. As of July 2026, the review raises fundamental questions about self-reporting obligations under the Regulated Health Professions Act and the mechanisms that protect patients between offences and regulatory action.
As of July 2026, the RCDSO — the regulatory body overseeing more than 11,000 dentists in Ontario — is conducting a formal internal review of its processes for tracking criminal charges against registrants. The review was prompted by two unrelated cases that exposed significant gaps in the regulator's ability to identify and respond to criminal conduct by licensed dentists.
Two Cases That Triggered the Review
The first case involves Ottawa dentist Mohammed Al-Lami. According to reporting by Oral Health Group, Ottawa police said Al-Lami is believed to have killed his two sons, aged seven and 12, who were found dead inside an Ottawa home on June 29. Al-Lami was later found dead following a vehicle fire near Kemptville, Ontario. Police also linked him to a fire at a dental office in Iroquois, Ontario, where he practised.
According to CTV News, citing court documents, Al-Lami had been found guilty in April 2026 and received a conditional discharge with 12 months of probation following charges of threatening to harm his former wife and her partner. The RCDSO has stated it was not aware of any findings of guilt, charges, bail conditions, or restrictions involving Al-Lami.
"The college was not aware of any findings of guilt for any offences, charges for any offences, bail conditions or restrictions and any subsequent variations," RCDSO spokesperson Lesley Byrne told Oral Health Group.
In a separate case, the RCDSO posted a sexual assault charge against Ajax dentist Sunilkumar Patel on its public register and imposed an interim suspension effective July 10 following a review by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee.
How Ontario's Dentist Reporting System Currently Works
Under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), dentists in Ontario are required to self-report criminal charges to the RCDSO. Beyond this self-reporting obligation, the college relies on three additional channels to learn of criminal conduct: annual renewal declarations, information from police services, and media monitoring.
The problem, as the Al-Lami case illustrates, is that this system depends heavily on the dentist's own compliance. When a registrant does not self-report, and police do not proactively notify the regulator, criminal charges can go undetected through an entire conviction and sentencing process.
What the RCDSO Is Doing Now
"We are currently working on a plan to strengthen relationships with police services and have begun outreach," RCDSO spokesperson Lesley Byrne told Oral Health Group. "It would be premature to speculate on what those changes might include."
Byrne described the college's existing relationships with local and provincial police services as "excellent" but acknowledged that no specific new tactics have been identified. She indicated that establishing a formal notification process for criminal charges or convictions involving dentists would require involvement from multiple parties.
"The matter of a formal notification process is something that many system partners would need to be involved in, including the Government of Ontario, as well as other health regulators and police services," Byrne said.
The RCDSO has not provided a timeline for completing its review of the Al-Lami case or for developing a more consistent notification process with police services.
The Self-Reporting Obligation Under the RHPA
Under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), Ontario health professionals — including dentists — are legally required to report criminal charges and findings of guilt to their regulatory college. This obligation exists independent of any police notification mechanism. A failure to self-report can itself become the basis for a professional misconduct finding.
However, the Al-Lami case demonstrates the practical limitation of this system: a registrant who does not comply with the self-reporting requirement may not be detected until the situation has escalated. The annual renewal declaration provides one checkpoint, but charges laid and resolved between renewal periods may never reach the college's attention if no other channel surfaces them.
Pro Tip: Ontario dental practice owners should ensure their employment agreements include clauses requiring associates to immediately disclose any criminal charges or investigations. While this does not replace systemic reform, it adds a contractual layer of protection for the practice and its patients.
Broader Implications for Ontario's Regulatory Framework
The RCDSO is not the only Ontario health regulator facing questions about criminal charge notification. The issue extends across all 26 regulated health professions governed by the RHPA, each of which relies to varying degrees on self-reporting.
In other Canadian provinces, some regulators have established formal information-sharing agreements with police services. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, for example, has protocols for receiving notification when a physician is charged with certain offences. Whether Ontario will move toward a similar model remains to be seen.
For dental practices across Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area, these developments underscore the importance of maintaining robust internal compliance processes. Practice owners cannot rely solely on the regulatory college to flag potential issues with associates or locums.
Pro Tip: Before hiring a new associate or locum, always verify their standing on the RCDSO public register at rcdso.org. Check for any notations, conditions, or disciplinary history. Repeat this check at least quarterly for all clinicians practising at your location.
What Ontario Dentists Should Know About Their Obligations
Every dentist registered with the RCDSO has a legal obligation under the RHPA to report the following to the college:
- Any criminal charge, regardless of whether it relates to clinical practice
- Any finding of guilt for a criminal offence
- Any bail conditions or court-imposed restrictions
- Any variation to existing conditions
Failure to report these matters constitutes a breach of professional obligations and can result in additional professional misconduct proceedings.
Pro Tip: If you are unsure whether a particular legal matter requires disclosure to the RCDSO, consult a lawyer who specializes in professional regulation. The cost of a brief consultation is far less than the professional consequences of a failure to report.
What Happens Next
The RCDSO's internal review is ongoing. The college has not set a public timeline for recommendations or policy changes. Any formal notification agreement with police services would likely require legislative or regulatory amendments, involvement from the Ontario Ministry of Health, and coordination with multiple police services across the province.
In the meantime, the current system — which places the primary burden of disclosure on the registrant — remains in place. For Ontario dental professionals, this is a reminder that regulatory compliance is not passive. It requires active engagement with professional obligations, including the duty to self-report.
EBIKO Dental will continue monitoring the RCDSO's review and any resulting policy changes that affect Ontario dental practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are Ontario dentists legally required to report criminal charges to the RCDSO?
Yes. Under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), Ontario dentists must report any criminal charge, finding of guilt, bail condition, or court-imposed restriction to the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO). This obligation applies regardless of whether the charge relates to clinical practice. Failure to self-report can lead to additional professional misconduct proceedings.
Q: How does the RCDSO currently find out about criminal charges against dentists?
As of July 2026, the RCDSO relies on four channels: self-reporting by the dentist, annual renewal declarations, information from police services, and media monitoring. There is no automated system that cross-references police or court records with the RCDSO register, which is the gap the college's current internal review aims to address.
Q: What should dental practice owners in Ontario do to protect their practices?
Practice owners should verify every clinician's standing on the RCDSO public register before hiring and at least quarterly thereafter. Employment agreements should include clauses requiring immediate disclosure of any criminal charges or investigations. These steps supplement — but do not replace — the regulatory college's oversight role.