Families react to pediatrician's suspension over allegations of 'sexual' and 'disruptive' behavior

ROANOKE, VA. (WDBJ) – Families in the Roanoke Valley are in disbelief after state health officials suspended the medical license of Dr. Dalton Renick, a well-regarded local pediatrician.

“I was completely shocked,” said one mother. “I just kept reading, and it just felt like it kept getting worse.”

The suspension follows a detailed report from the Virginia Department of Health Professions (VDHP), which outlines allegations against Renick.

“I couldn’t imagine taking my daughter to someone I was supposed to trust and having those things said to me or towards my child,” said another mother. “I was just speechless.”

Both mothers, who asked to remain anonymous, took their newborns and children to Renick while he was a doctor at Carilion Clinic.

The VDHP report, which covers events from August 2021 to February 2024, details accusations of sexual misconduct and “disruptive” behavior during Renick’s tenure at Carilion Clinic. The report includes complaints from both patients and coworkers.

Among the allegations are claims that Renick used inappropriate and offensive language in the presence of patients, including children. He is accused of making sexually explicit comments about newborns, comparing medical procedures to sexual acts, and making racist and derogatory remarks about patients’ appearances. For a more detailed list, click here.

When confronted about his behavior, Renick allegedly claimed that his comments were meant as jokes and that his sense of humor was misunderstood.

He also admitted to making disturbing comments about wanting to have sex with newborns, telling his superiors in a meeting that “when you love something so much, you just want to f— it,” according to the report.

Renick was voted a top pediatrician in The Roanoker in 2023.

Nikki Goins, whose four children were patients of Renick, said, “He’s a young doctor, and seeing how good he was with the kids made my mommy heart so happy. So, it was very sad when this keeps getting all over social media.”

She asks everyone to be considered. “I just find it heartbreaking for him and his family and that he’s going through this,” added Goins.

The other two mothers who sought care from Renick during the period in question shared their experiences.

“The only thing was he would cuss a little bit, but that was always with my baby and not my older child. It wasn’t a lot. It didn’t make me feel uncomfortable,” explained one mother. “It made me feel like we weren’t in a stiff doctor’s office.”

“I had several friends who also saw him and had positive experiences,” said the second mother. “But those positive experiences don’t take away from what those other families experienced.”

Renick worked at Carilion Clinic before being fired this past February. He recently worked at New Beginnings Pediatrics in Blacksburg, which announced it fired Renick after learning of the allegations.

Carilion Clinic released the following statement to WDBJ:

“The claims contained in the BOM Notice of Hearing are concerning to us, and we take such allegations very seriously. While we can confirm that Dr. Renick’s employment was terminated on February 8, 2024, at the conclusion of a confidential employment investigation, we are unable to provide any comments or details regarding this personnel matter. We continue to cooperate with the Board of Medicine as they investigate this matter.”

New Beginnings Pediatrics also released a statement online Saturday saying:

“On August 22, we were made aware of concerning allegations against Dr. Dalton Renick. This information was not accessible to the public, including us, until then, and we responded as quickly as possible. As a result, effective immediately, Dr. Renick is no longer employed by or associated with New Beginnings Pediatrics. While we have not received any complaints at New Beginnings, we are taking this seriously and will cooperate with the investigation as needed. He will no longer be seeing any of our patients. We remain committed to providing the best care possible to our families and will protect our patients and their families at all costs.”