Thomas Floyd, West Palm Beach dentist arrested for child abuse, police say

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Dentist, Thomas Floyd was arrested Friday morning for reported child abuse, according to West Palm Beach Police.

Floyd, 61, is currently charged with cruelty towards a child.

The Department of Health investigation also indicates there were numerous incidents of child abuse over the past two years.

According to the investigation released by the Department of Health, “Floyd’s behavioral control methods with his patients fall well below acceptable standards of practice in treating pediatric patients.”

A patient claimed Floyd punched a 4-year-old boy during a routine dental procedure. The child suffered swelling, abrasions, and bruises on his lips, according to West Palm Beach police.

A witness stated after the boy bit the doctor, Floyd used a drill and the palm of his hand to force a dental instrument into the child’s mouth, causing the injuries.

The Health Department received an anonymous complaint stating Floyd abused children in his office “by putting his hand over their mouths and calling them names.”

On another occasion, Floyd reportedly prevented a child from screaming by stuffing a dental bib into the child’s mouth, the Health Department report stated.

The Department of Health suspended Thomas Floyd’s license to practice dentistry in Florida on Thursday, September 6 after conducting a full investigation.