A Pennsylvania dentist is accused of sexually assaulting one of his patients.
The investigation began on Jan. 5 when Tredyffrin Township Police met with an unidentified woman who accused James Godorecci, 56, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, of sexually assaulting her two days prior on Jan. 3.
Godorecci was a dentist at Main Line Dental Aesthetics on Chestnut Road in Paoli, Pennsylvania.
The woman said she and her husband both went to Main Line Dental Aesthetics for the past several years for routine dental care. The woman said she developed a condition known as Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ).
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The woman told investigators she had been receiving treatment for her condition which involved massage therapy to help with pain and discomfort in her jaw, face, neck, chest and shoulder. During the treatment, the woman would lie on her back in a reclined dental chair as Godorecci worked above her, investigators said.
The woman said she began scheduling appointments with Godorecci after he offered to treat her directly. The appointments normally took place on Friday nights after Godorecci’s practice closed, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
The woman said she began experiencing significant pain and discomfort related to her TMJ over the holidays and reached out to Godorecci’s office to schedule another appointment. After the woman learned there weren't any available appointments, Godorecci offered for her to come to his office on Jan. 5 in the afternoon, according to the affidavit. The woman told investigators she was uncomfortable with that until Godorecci told her to come in at 4:15 p.m. on Jan. 3, which she believed were his normal office hours.
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The woman said she then realized the office was closed when she arrived and she and Godorecci were the only two people there. The woman said Godorecci then fondled her without her consent while conducting the treatment.
Following an investigation, Godorecci was arrested and charged with indecent assault and harassment. His bail was set at $25,000 unsecured under the restrictions that he must not contact the victim and also must notify the state licensing board, officials said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22.
Tredyffrin Township Police continue to investigate the incident. If you have any information, please call Detective Michael Cermignano at 610-408-3651.
NBC10 reached out to Godorecci’s attorney for comment. We will share his response as soon as we hear back from him.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.
