- Robert Bruce Howell, 69, faces charges of object rape and sexual abuse.
- The alleged victim, a high-school intern, reported inappropriate conduct by Howell.
OREM — An Orem dentist arrested last week for alleged sexual abuse of a high school senior doing an internship at his practice is now facing formal criminal charges.
Robert Bruce Howell, 69, of Pleasant Grove, was charged Monday in 4th District Court with object rape, a first-degree felony; forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; and unlawful and unprofessional conduct, a class A misdemeanor.
Howell runs Orem Pediatric Dentistry, 442 W. 800 North, according to the business website.
A woman contacted police recently, stating that beginning in January 2024, when she was a senior in high school, she started an internship at Howell's dental practice, according to charging documents. She told investigators that "overall she was happy with the work (and) needed it for high school credit to graduate," but Howell "asked her increasingly personal questions, including about her boyfriend," the charges state.
The woman said Howell bought her clothes and asked her to send him photos of herself wearing them, according to the charges.
In March 2024, the woman needed a physical to participate in high school athletics.
"(Howell) offered to do the exam for her. (The woman) questioned whether or not he could do it because he was a dentist, not a physician. (He) told her he was still a doctor and was qualified to do it," according to charging documents.
Prosecutors say Howell inappropriately touched the woman during the exam under the guise of giving her a physical, even though "a female genital exam was also not included on the high school physical paper," the charges state.
Howell signed his name on the exam form and marked the box claiming he was both a doctor of medicine and a nurse practitioner, according to the charges.
"The investigating officer reviewed (Howell's) Division of Professional Licensing record and confirmed he was only licensed to practice dentistry," the charges state.
