Marie-Ève Sturrock, a breastfeeding consultant based in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, is facing legal action from the province’s Order of Dentists for allegedly practicing dentistry illegally. According to filings from the regulatory body, the unauthorized practice involves performing frenectomies, a surgical procedure that cuts tissue restricting infant tongue movement to aid breastfeeding.
Order of Dentists Action Against Unauthorized Frenectomies
The Ordre des dentistes du Québec filed an injunction application in the Superior Court against Marie-Ève Sturrock. According to the regulatory body, performing frenectomies falls under the exclusive scope of dentistry. The Order states that only licensed dental professionals possess the legal training and authority to perform surgical interventions inside an infant’s mouth. The legal filing seeks to halt Sturrock from conducting the procedures immediately, citing patient safety risks and the protection of the public. Investigators from the Order flagged the procedures after reviewing complaints and promotional material regarding tongue-tie releases for newborns.
Scope of Lactation Consultant Practices and Legal Boundaries
Lactation consultants provide feeding support, positioning guidance, and education to nursing mothers. Under Quebec law, however, breaking mucosal tissue or performing surgical tongue-tie revisions exceeds the professional boundary of lactation support. Medical and dental regulations strictly restrict surgical procedures to qualified practitioners, such as dentists, oral surgeons, and physicians. The case highlights a growing tension between specialized allied health providers seeking to resolve infant feeding difficulties quickly and traditional provincial health regulations governing surgical acts.
Public Safety and Regulatory Enforcement in Quebec
Regulatory authorities in Quebec maintain strict oversight of clinical procedures to prevent complications such as excessive bleeding, infection, and improper anatomical alterations in infants. The Order of Dentists enforces the Professional Code, which reserves acts that alter human tissue for licensed practitioners. Court dates for the injunction hearing are pending in the Quebec Superior Court, where a judge will determine whether Sturrock’s procedures constitute the illegal practice of dentistry.