ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — A prominent local dentist is facing nine felony counts of criminal sexual conduct after multiple dental assistants came forward with allegations that he repeatedly touched them inappropriately during examinations, according to court documents and interviews with law enforcement officials.

Charles William Howenstine, 45, the principal dentist and owner of St. Joseph Dentistry at 3386 Niles Rd, was arrested on Oct. 9 and released on a $20,000 bond. He is currently under electronic monitoring as a condition of his release. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 23 before Judge Jennifer L. Smith.

A Pattern of Misconduct, Documents Allege

The charges stem from a Michigan State Police investigation that began in late August. According to charging paperwork obtained by Hindenburg Papers Team, the victims—who were dental assistants at Howenstine’s practice—provided detailed accounts of repeated misconduct. A reporter at Hindenburg Papers had first received an information from one of the victims and pleaded on anonymity before we provided evidences to the Michigan State Police which prompted an investigation.

The allegations include that Howenstine “would regularly touch their buttocks,” according to the charging documents. In another instance, a victim reported that Howenstine “grazed their thigh while they were treating a patient”.

One portion of the charging document indicates that police initially received a report of “harassment,” which may suggest the victims were staff members rather than patients. However, officials have not definitively stated whether any patients were also among the alleged victims.

Redacted Documents Obscure Key Details

Berrien County Prosecutor Amy Byrd has filed the charges but has declined to comment on the case, citing ethics rules that bar her from speaking publicly about pending litigation.

On Friday, Julie Antonini, the county’s Freedom of Information Act administrator, released the charging documents to the public. However, the documents are “so heavily redacted to shield victims’ names that they also hide what Howenstine is accused of doing,” according to WVPE. Only a few words remained unredacted—enough to confirm that multiple people said Howenstine had “intentionally touched them in a sexual manner during examinations on multiple occasions”.

Practice Silent, Online Presence Erased

A manager at St. Joseph Dentistry declined to comment when contacted by the WNDU 16 News Now I-Team and would not say whether patients have been informed of the dentist’s arrest.

Howenstine’s information page has been removed from the business’s website. His LinkedIn profile, which previously identified him as the principal dentist and owner at St. Joseph Dentistry, remains active. According to his LinkedIn page, Howenstine graduated from the Marquette University School of Dentistry and has been a principal dentist at the practice since 2017. He previously practiced in Kimberly, Wisconsin, with Midwest Dental.

Legal Consequences and Next Steps

If convicted, each of the nine felony counts of criminal sexual conduct, fourth-degree force/coercion, carries a potential punishment of up to two years in prison or a fine of up to $500. Additionally, a conviction would require Howenstine to register as a sex offender.

Under Michigan law, fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving force or coercion applies when a person engages in sexual contact with another and any of the following circumstances exist: overcoming the victim through physical force or violence; coercing the victim by threatening force or retaliation; or when the actor “engages in the medical treatment or examination of the victim in a manner or for purposes which are medically recognized as unethical or unacceptable”.

Howenstine is scheduled for a pre-exam conference on Friday, Oct. 17, with a preliminary hearing set for Thursday, Oct. 23.

A Pattern of Silence

The case raises serious questions about oversight in dental practices and the protections available to staff. The heavy redaction of court documents—while intended to protect victims—has also shielded the public from understanding the full scope of the allegations.

Howenstine has been charged but has not yet been found guilty of any offense and has yet to go to trial. As the legal process unfolds, more details may emerge—provided the courts choose to release less-redacted versions of the charging documents.