According to an explosive lawsuit, a melodramatic love affair unfolded inside an unassuming dental clinic in a quaint town in Maine.
Dr. Aaron Palmer had a 10-year affair with dental assistant Lucina “Tera” Burns, 37, and then dumped her and fired her after his wife found out about the affair. This was revealed in a federal complaint obtained by The Post.
“Although Burns and Dr. Palmer's sexual relationship was consensual, Dr. Burns conditioned the terms and privileges of her employment and privileges on sex, and repeatedly contacted her over the years before firing her. He also made her feel uncomfortable about quitting her job and ending the affair,'' the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Palmer and Burns' secret relationship began in 2013, a year after she began working as a dental assistant at Palmer's Smile Design Ellsworth (PC) dental office.
The dentist allegedly began their relationship by secretly touching her while she was working in his office, including when the two were performing patient procedures, but one day, as planned, The relationship escalated when the two staff members were alone.
“There was only one patient that morning. After Dr. Palmer completed the procedure, he immediately kissed Ms. Burns and they ended up having sex in the basement,” the complaint states.
Burns, who was married at the time, immediately felt guilty, but continued an on-and-off relationship with her boss over the next 10 years.
She claimed that Palmer tried to placate her with gifts, including a $5,000 American Express credit card and a cushy job that paid her $2,000 a week and required her to come to work several times a month.
Despite compliments and reassurances given to Burns, Palmer allegedly refused to pay his mistress and other employees his required weekly overtime pay. Calculates that this is equivalent to $50,000 per year.
The dentist appears to have had other issues with employees in the office, and Mr. Burns provided one of his employees with an antique car to resolve a payment issue, and over the course of two weeks gave another He claimed that the two women were suddenly fired.
In her 29-page complaint, Burns said she discovered her husband was having an affair in October 2022 and requested a divorce, even though he had a history of infidelity himself.
Desperate to stop her scorned husband from spying on Mr. Palmer's wife, the dentist offered the couple tens of thousands of dollars and a car if Mr. Burns agreed to remain silent and continue working at his clinic. Then he made an offer.
However, Palmer's wife apparently discovered the relationship herself after Burns “accidentally left his toothbrush and toothpaste in the car” after a meeting.
“Dr. Palmer called the rest of the week and Burns continued to go to work. I did not hear from her until Saturday, January 21, 2023, when he sent an email firing Mr. Burns.” The complaint states:
He offered to pay her eight more weeks of wages, but did not pay her the last $2,000 or years of overtime she had accumulated, the lawsuit alleges.
Burns was also forced to look for another job at half the salary she was previously earning, a devastating blow to her new position as a single mother.
Mr. Palmer has since sold his Smile Design practice to another dentist, but he still owns and operates the second location. A message left by the Post at a number listed for Palmer was not returned.
The 11-count civil lawsuit filed in federal court in the U.S. District of Maine accuses Palmer of violating the Maine Human Rights Act by sex discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and retaliation, and charges him with unspecified financial penalties. They are seeking compensation for damages.
