A dental practice in Arizona is facing a second lawsuit related to one of its former dental assistants who is accused of inappropriately touching and taking images of undressed pediatric patients during dental x-ray exams, according to a story published on April 10 by ABC15 Arizona.
The parents of the alleged victim claim that their 6-year-old child went to Kidiatric Dental & Orthodontics in Chandler, AZ, and while alone with dental assistant Deion Garcia to undergo x-rays, he pulled down her shorts and underwear, inappropriately touched her, and took photos of her with his phone, according to the story. In October 2024, one of the victims' families filed a lawsuit against Garcia and Kidiatric, citing negligence.
Deion Alexander Garcia. Image courtesy of Maricopa County's Sheriff's Office.
The family who filed the most recent lawsuit triggered the initial investigation into Garcia, 27, who pleaded not guilty to 12 felonies, including sexual conduct, sexual exploitation, and molestation, involving at least three young girls. Garcia's trial is set for later in 2025.
In the new lawsuit, the parents accuse Garcia and Kidiatric of negligent training, hiring, and supervision. The newest lawsuit alleges that the practice and its owner, Dr. Walter Villanueva, failed to properly train and supervise Garcia and that office knew or should have known about a 2022 incident against Garcia, which didn't result in charges, was "criminal," according to the story.
In 2022, while Garcia was working at Kidiatric's practice, a 6-year-old girl reportedly told her parents that the dental assistant touched her inappropriately during her x-ray exam. The parents told police that their daughter purportedly acted differently after Garcia took her x-rays, and she allegedly said she never wanted to go back there again, according to reports.
The girl was interviewed by authorities, but no DNA evidence linked Garcia to these claims, and the investigation was closed due to a lack of evidence.
In February 2025, the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners required Kidiatric to have chaperones for minor patients due to Garcia's alleged inappropriate conduct.
Villanueva signed an agreement with the board that chaperones will monitor minor patients at both offices. The chaperones must be from a third-party company and must be preapproved by the board, according to the board. The practice will remain under these restrictions until Garcia's criminal case is resolved.
