Sophie Couto

Listed here are the member’s dental practices, health profession corporations of which the member is a shareholder, and information related to any sedation and anesthesia facility permits held by the member.

This is the university from which the member received their dentistry degree and the year they graduated. Information about any specialty training is also given.

• Certificate of Registration is also referred to as licence throughout the site. 
• Initial Date of Registration gives the first date of registration with the College. 
• Current Certificate(s) of Registration and Date(s) of Issuance shows current licences and the date the licence was issued by the College. Examples include general, specialty, academic. 
• Previous Certificate(s) of Registration contains information about certificates a dentist held along with start and end dates related to each certificate. Reasons associated with certificate end dates may include death, resignation, suspensions and/or revocations, or the termination of a particular class of certificate such as Graduate Student Certificate or Education Certificate.

• The deepest level of sedation the dentist may provide is shown.
• Minimal sedation can be provided only by authorized dentists in any dental office in Ontario that is in compliance with the Standard of Practice for the Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia in Dental Practice. No Facility Permit is required for dental offices that only offer minimal sedation.
• A dentist allowed to act as a visiting provider may administer sedation in dental offices that hold a Type B Facility Permit up to the level of sedation they are authorized for. Visiting providers may also administer sedation in dental offices that hold a Type A Facility Permit but cannot exceed the level of sedation displayed on the Facility Permit.
• A dentist who is not allowed to act as a visiting provider may only administer sedation in dental offices that hold a Type A Facility Permit.

Specified allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence against the member have been referred to the Discipline Committee for a hearing.  These allegations arise from an investigation conducted by the Inquiries, Complaints and Report Committee.    

Shown below, for each case listed, is the date of referral, the status of the pending hearing, a summary of the specified allegations, and a link to the full Notice of Hearing.  Discipline hearings are open to the public.

Some decisions of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) are public.  Public decisions of the ICRC made on or after October 1, 2015 are shown and may include: 

Caution:  a requirement for the dentist to appear before a panel of the ICRC.

Specified Continuing Education or Remediation Program (SCERP): a requirement for a dentist to upgrade their skills typically in a clinical area of practice.

Interim Order: if the ICRC decides the conduct of the dentist may expose patients to harm or injury, it may suspend or  impose terms, conditions or limitations on the dentist’s licence until changed by the ICRC, or until the matter is finally disposed of by the relevant committee. An interim order can be made any time during the investigation.

Voluntary terms, conditions and limitations: a member’s voluntary undertaking to the College to satisfy concerns (for example, to restrict the member’s practice; to retain a practice mentor; to submit reports or documentation to the College)

The Discipline Committee  considers allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence.   Because of changes to the law, the amount of information provided may be different from case to case.

Below are  discipline proceedings since March 2000.  Full results are shown for findings of professional misconduct or incompetence that occurred on or after June 4, 2003.  Contact the College for information on any proceedings before June 4, 2003.

For proceedings on or after May 30, 2017 where no finding was made, the result of the proceeding will appear for 90 days, as required by the Regulated Health Professions Act.

If there is an appeal, the Order of the Discipline Committee does not take effect until the appeal is decided.  However, if the Discipline Committee finds a member guilty of incompetence, or guilty of sexual abuse that would require revocation of the member’s licence, the order takes effect immediately.

The question of the member’s possible incapacity has been referred to the Fitness to Practise Committee for a hearing. 

“Incapacitated” means, in relation to a member, that the member is suffering from a physical or mental condition or disorder that makes it desirable in the interest of the public that the member’s certificate of registration be subject to terms, conditions or limitations, or that the member no longer be permitted to practice.

“Incapacitated” means the dentist has a condition or disorder that makes it a matter of public interest that they do not practise, or that their practice is restricted.

This report includes findings made after June 4, 2003. Details of previous findings (if any) may be obtained by contacting the College directly.

An order made by the Fitness to Practise Committee on the ground of incapacity takes effect immediately, despite any appeal.

Shown are details of findings of negligence or malpractice made by a court of law in Ontario after June 4, 2009, and reported by the dentist to the College.

Any criminal charges, conditions of release, and findings of guilt, that are known to the College, against the member under the Criminal Code (Canada) or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) are shown below.

It may also include findings of guilt made by a court under other legislation on or after January 1, 2015 that the Registrar of the College believes is in the public interest to post on this Register.

Note:  The summary is based on information provided to the College.  For complete information, contact the court.  

Current licence or registration held by the member to practice another profession in Ontario or a profession in another jurisdiction.