Texas Dentist Kelly Buck Arrested for Allegedly Performing Surgery While Intoxicated

A 36-year-old pediatric dentist in North Texas has been arrested and charged with a felony after police say she performed a dental procedure while intoxicated.

According to authorities, officers were called on Feb. 16 to Pediatric Dentistry of Sherman in Sherman, Texas, after staff raised concerns that the dentist was showing signs of impairment during a surgery on an 8-year-old patient.

When police arrived around midday, the dentist, identified as Kelly Buck, allegedly displayed visible symptoms of intoxication and failed a field sobriety test. She was subsequently taken into custody and charged with “performing surgery while intoxicated,” a state jail felony.

A dental assistant is credited with noticing unusual behavior and stopping the procedure before more extensive work was done. After the interruption, the child’s father reportedly contacted emergency services.

Buck, who has been licensed in Texas since 2016 and has no known disciplinary record, was not a regular employee of the practice but was working there temporarily through a staffing agency, authorities said. She posted $10,000 bond and was released from custody following her arrest.

Through her attorney, Buck has denied the allegations, stating she is not guilty and is confident that blood tests will prove she was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time.

If convicted, she could face up to two years in prison under Texas law.