WALLA WALLA, Wash. — A former Walla Walla dentist is facing potential sanctions from Washington authorities.

In a statement filed Nov. 24, 2020, by the state Department of Health Dental Quality Assurance Commission, Mackenzie H. Craik allegedly practiced unprofessional conduct in his pediatric dental office here.

The commission said Craik violated his duty of full disclosure to a patient’s mother by changing her 2-year-old’s treatment plan without giving her all the information.

Department of Health documents released Thursday, Jan. 21, stated the child was referred to the dentist because of tooth decay. He and his mother arrived for treatment of cavities at Craik Pediatric Dentistry on Cherry Street on Aug. 21, 2019.

The boy was scheduled to have three fillings done while under general anesthesia, due to his inability to cooperate with staff and procedures. The mother agreed to the plan, including extra work if needed as determined by a more thorough exam.

She did not, however, waive her right to informed consent of any revisions of the original treatment plan, or of being told of any revised risks and benefits, officials found.

Craik did 12 tooth restorations on the patient, including the use of stainless steel crowns without the mother’s knowledge or consent.

By not advising her of the substantially revised plan for the child’s teeth, Craik violated his duty to keep her fully informed of the changes, the commission found.

At the time, Craik was licensed by Washington to practice dentistry and to perform moderate sedation; both licenses are currently expired.

A notice posted on Oct. 20, 2020, on social media by Craik’s Walla Walla practice noted the dentist office would permanently close to patients on Nov. 25, 2020, due to “the abrupt departure by Dr. Craik from the clinic to pursue other interests.”

Craik also worked at Advanced Pediatric Dentistry of Hermiston. A staff person there said he left the practice in early spring of 2020. His Oregon dentist license expired March 31, 2020.

Craik is now listed as a dentist and co-owner at The Center For Pediatric Dentistry in Augusta, Georgia, on his LinkedIn account, which states he left his Walla Walla practice in September 2019.

He was licensed as a dentist by Georgia’s Department of Community Health, under his Walla Walla home address, on November 20, 2019. He was licensed to practice conscious sedation in Georgia on Jan. 13, 2020.

Craik had 20 days from the charging document’s Nov. 23, 2020, issue to respond in writing to the commission’s allegations. On Friday, Jan. 22, state investigators said Craik did not respond to the charges against him and the next steps — which could include a suspension of his Washington license — are up for review.

If a suspension or revocation is approved, that information gets entered into a national data bank, officials said.

Craik did not personally respond to a request by the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin for comment, but told a DOH staffer he had been unaware of the state’s charge.