Plano Dentist Kelly Buck Arrested for Allegedly Performing Surgery While Intoxicated

Kelly Buck, 36, a Plano dentist licensed in Texas since 2016, was arrested Feb. 18 at Pediatric Dentistry of Sherman on Loy Lake Road and booked into the Grayson County Jail on a charge of performing surgery while intoxicated, a state jail felony. Sherman police say officers responded around noon Monday after a caller reported a dentist showing signs of intoxication and found Buck exhibiting visible signs of impairment; she failed a field sobriety test and was released the next day after posting $10,000 bond.

Sherman Police Lt. Sam Boyle said, “The caller alleged that there was a dentist practicing and showing signs of intoxication.” Boyle described the case as rare for his department: “It’s definitely a very unusual case.” He added, “Very serious, especially if you were the patient or the victim in this case and for the whole practice as well. So we’re thankful that we were notified and we’re able to prevent dangerous situation from continuing.”

Police reports and investigators indicate Buck had been treating patients at the pediatric clinic since the office opened that morning before officers arrived around noon. Investigators obtained a search warrant for a specimen of Buck’s blood as part of the probe; Sherman police have not specified whether suspected impairment involved alcohol or drugs. Detectives continue to examine evidence gathered at the Pediatric Dentistry of Sherman office, which sources identify in the 2800 block of Loy Lake Road.

Sherman investigators also reported Buck was working at the clinic in a temporary capacity through a staffing agency rather than as a full-time employee. That staffing connection is central to questions raised about oversight and how temporary clinicians are vetted and supervised at practices serving children; police records show only that Buck was not a permanent staffer at Pediatric Dentistry of Sherman at the time of the incident.

Professional records indicate Buck has held a Texas dental license since 2016 and has no prior disciplinary actions on file, a detail cited in multiple police and media reports. Under Texas law cited by authorities, a conviction for performing surgery while intoxicated as a state jail felony carries statutory exposure of up to two years in prison.

Buck was booked into the Grayson County Jail and released Tuesday after posting $10,000 bond, according to arrest records. Sherman police have not provided a court date or additional charging documents as of publication; the investigation remains active and the department is handling forensic testing tied to the blood-draw warrant.

No statements from Kelly Buck, a representative of the staffing agency that placed her, Pediatric Dentistry of Sherman, or the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners were included in police releases available to reporters. Local parents and community members who had appointments at Pediatric Dentistry of Sherman on Feb. 18 may contact Sherman Police Department for updates, and public health officials say incidents involving potential impairment during clinical care raise urgent questions about patient notification, record reviews, and regulatory oversight in North Texas pediatric practices.