MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. -- A dentist accused of sexually assaulting some of his female patients after using anesthesia to numb them turned himself in to Allegheny County police Thursday morning.

A warrant was issued for Dr. Robert J. Boyda Jr., a Harvard-educated oral surgeon from Mount Lebanon who has offices in Scott and Robinson townships.

Police said they have filed 16 charges against Boyda, including indecent assault, sexual assault and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

Four patients, two of whom are juveniles, told Scott Township police that Boyda sexually assaulted them while they were under anesthesia in his office.

Some of the less graphic details in the criminal complaint allege that the first victim, who asked to remain anonymous, recalled Boyda exposing himself three to four times.

Another woman claimed he climbed up on the dentist's chair to assault her.

A third victim said that Boyda would dismount from on top of her when anyone came near the treatment room door, and a fourth victim reported that Boyda was rubbing her stomach and inner thigh.

Another patient said she woke and "the dentist had his hand under the blanket," which was covering her.

The criminal complaint alleges that the women were assaulted between August 2006 and December 2007 after they had had their wisdom teeth taken out.

Boyda's attorney, Bill Difenderfer, calls the accusations ludicrous, saying the doctor is never alone with a patient and blames this all on anesthesia.

"You don't criminally charge somebody based on hallucination," said Difenderfer. "And anesthesia is a hallucinogenic. You base them on very firm facts that don't exist in this case. These girls are in and out of consciousness and saying they're having these dreams or visions. The one girl on the most serious charge says it was a flashback. And clinically, I don't think you have flashbacks based on anesthesia."

There is no word on a hearing date.

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