More Dastardly Dentists

By Susan Richards

The term “going postal” entered the American lexicon after a series of prominent murders began in 1986, all involving disgruntled or unbalanced U.S. postal workers. While the expression “going dental” isn’t likely to replace it in the near future, we can’t help but notice the number of dastardly dentists who continue to make headlines.

In contrast to the criminal mayhem perpetrated in all other lines of work, news of another dental professional with murder on his mind or blood on her hands is not all that common. But since it’s our line of work, we can’t help but look, being the car-crash-voyeurs we humans are.

That said, let’s satisfy our morbid curiosity with more dark stories of people going dental. (Hmm, no, it will thankfully never catch on.)

A Delayed Crisis of Conscience

Colin Howell was a dentist and former church layman in Northern Ireland who was devoted to his faith but not so much to his marriage – or the sixth commandment. In 1991, Howell’s wife Lesley was found dead in a car, the result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Despite the fact that she was discovered with the also-deceased husband (Troy Buchanan) of the woman Howell was having an affair with and that Lesley’s own husband benefitted monetarily from her death, the coroner ruled it a double suicide.

Police and family members naturally had their doubts, but it wasn’t until 2010 that Howell finally confessed to church elders and then police. It took the accidental death of his oldest son and financial catastrophes to weigh upon his dormant conscience. His former lover and Buchanan’s widow was also found guilty.

“Somewhere Along the Way, I Lost My Mind”

It didn’t take twenty years for Roman Rezanowicz to confess to the 1996 murder of his wife, Kelli, also staged to look like a suicide. The case of the Ottawa, Canada, dentist who strangled his wife while she slept was featured in the true crime series Deadly Dentists.

Rezanowicz admitted to the crime less than a few months after it happened, and despite his claims he wasn’t responsible due to a mental disorder, he was found guilty of first-degree murder in 1997.

Somewhere along the way, he took his own life in prison in 2014 at the age of 57.

Are You Beginning to Sense a Pattern?

Georgia dentist Barton Corbin and his wife Jennifer appeared to have an idyllic life in 2004 with two small sons and close friends and family. That is, until the wife and mother’s lifeless body was discovered next to a gun, a near-empty glass of wine, and divorce papers.

The apparent suicide had several red flags, and Bart Corbin’s ensuing behavior didn’t help his case. Authorities soon made shocking discoveries while working on their investigation.

When arrested weeks later, Corbin was surprised to discover it was for another staged suicide in 1990 – that of his former girlfriend and dental school colleague, Dolly Hearn. He was charged with his wife’s death soon after, and in 2006, he avoided the death penalty by publicly admitting to both murders.

Deadly Family Loyalties

In a twist on marital woes resulting in murder, South Florida periodontist Charles Adelson was convicted last year in the 2014 murder-for-hire of his former brother-in-law. Daniel Markel, a Florida State University law professor, was gunned down following a contentious divorce and custody agreement with Wendi Adelson, Charles’ sister.

Investigators determined – and the jury agreed – that Adelson enlisted his ex-girlfriend and two others to carry out the hit. They are already serving time, and Adelson was given a life sentence for first-degree murder.

Shortly after that conviction, Donna Adelson – mother to Charles and Wendi – was arrested at the airport with a one-way ticket out of the country. Her trial is scheduled for later this year, and while prosecutors have indicated involvement, additional family members have yet to be charged.

Nova Scotia Nightmare

Mass shootings are increasingly identified as an American problem, but even our polite neighbors to the north are not immune. Over 13 hours in April 2020, a 51-year-old denturist named Gabriel Wortman murdered 22 people, wounded several others, and set 16 separate fires in Nova Scotia before being killed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

In addition to illegally obtained weapons, Wortman had several replicas of RCMP cruisers, which made it easier for him to evade capture. His victims included people he knew as well as random, unsuspecting strangers. It is the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history, and no motive was ever uncovered.

Colorado Dentist Keeps Digging His Hole

In a brief update to our previous coverage of deadly dentists, things are not looking good for James Craig, the Aurora, CO dentist charged with the 2023 murder of his wife, Angela. After allegedly poisoning her protein shakes and getting his hand caught in the Google cookie jar (“Is arsenic detectible in an autopsy?”), Craig has since been accused of asking an inmate to plant evidence before his pending August trial – in exchange for FREE DENTAL WORK!

Perhaps his philanthropic offer will move the jury when the time comes, but this writer has her doubts.

A Skewed Perspective?

Even if the media tends to demonize dentists and postal workers, we know that these cases are isolated incidents spread over time and geography. In fact, mail carriers and dental professionals are at more risk of being crime victims than perpetrators.

For example, the 2015 case of a jealous dental hygiene student who arranged the murder of her romantic rival, a Dallas, TX dentist named Kendra Hatcher. Or the popular Southern California dentist who was allegedly killed by a disgruntled former patient earlier this year.

However, the postal worker ultimately wants you to get your snail mail on time, and the dentist wants to relieve patients’ pain, not cause it. But this article should satisfy your sweet tooth for true crime in dentistry …for now.

Author: Susan Richards is a staff writer at DOCS Education who confesses to a fascination with true crime. With over 20 years of experience in local journalism and business marketing, Susan’s career includes award-winning feature writing, as well as creating content with context for a wide variety of industries.