Marie-Ève Sturrock, who was working as an apparent breastfeeding consultant at a dental clinic in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., has been accused by Quebec’s Order of Dentists (ODQ) of illegally exercising a profession reserved for its members. This comes after the death of four-week-old Jules Beauchemin on June 28, 2023, whose parents say had a slight tongue-tie. At the office of dentist Marie-Ève Grégoire, Jules’ parents say they met with Sturrock, who explained that she was a lactation consultant with the clinic. The International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) states that it does not have Sturrock in its database. Jules’ parents say she recommended they have his tongue-tie clipped using a simple surgery called a frenotomy, which would help with breastfeeding, language development and social skills later in life. “Everything that she told us made it seem like it was the best decision to go forward with this procedure,” Nicolas Beauchemin, Jules’ father, told CTV News at the time. However, after the procedure, things quickly took a turn for the worse. “As soon as the surgery finished, I handed my son to my wife, and things went badly from there,” he said. “His cries were different, and he stopped breathing, and shortly after, we were escorted to the hospital where … he died." According to the ODQ, Sturrock “unlawfully engaged in a professional activity reserved for members of that professional association, namely, diagnosing a patient’s impairments and illnesses during a consultation … in violation of Article 32 of the Professional Code.” As such, the Order has brought forth four charges against her, including illegally determining a treatment plan and prescribing necessary procedures, with fines totalling $41,250. Six disciplinary charges were also filed against the dentist, including recommending the procedure without complete knowledge of the facts, failing to inform the parents of the risks and benefits and allowing Sturrock — a non-member of the Order — to prescribe the frenotomy. Grégoire pleaded not guilty to professional misconduct charges.
