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Pediatric dentist accused in a child porn case

Melvin A. Ehrlich of Millis, a pediatric dentist, is facing pornography charges.Middlesex District Attorney

A pediatric dentist with an office in Framingham is facing child pornography charges after authorities allegedly found illicit images on a laptop computer that he brought to a service provider for repairs, prosecutors said.

Melvin A. Ehrlich, 52, of Millis, was arrested Wednesday and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Framingham District Court on charges of possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography, according to the office of Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr.

A call to a number listed for Ehrlich in Millis was not returned on Wednesday night.

According to prosecutors, Ehrlich brought his laptop to a service provider to remove a suspected virus.

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While working on the machine, the technician discovered suspected child pornography and alerted Framingham police, prosecutors allege.

Authorities alleged that after an extensive investigation they concluded that Ehrlich used the laptop to download and distribute commercially traded child pornography, according to Leone's office.

"While the case remains under development and investigation, there is currently no evidence that presently leads law enforcement to believe that Ehrlich physically abused any children or manufactured any images of child pornography," the statement said.

A spokeswoman for Leone declined to identify the service provider that examined Ehrlich's laptop, but said the inquiry was "monthslong."

Ehrlich has been licensed to practice dentistry in Massachusetts for more than 20 years, according to the state Board of Registration in Dentistry. His entry on the board's website does not indicate that any disciplinary actions have ever been taken against him. He is a graduate of Emory University's dental school, according to the board.

Ehrlich wrote in his autobiography posted to his professional website that he received a psychology degree from Boston University before attending and graduating from Emory, which is located in Atlanta.

"I chose a career in Pediatric Dentistry because I love being around children," Ehrlich wrote.

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He wrote that he enjoys spending his spare time with his sons, as well as skiing, playing racquetball, swimming, and reading. Other hobbies include playing the harmonica, stained glass, and digital photography, as well as studying Spanish and sign language, Ehrlich wrote in his autobiography.

He was scheduled to conduct a free oral health seminar on Jan. 6 at his office for toddlers under the age of 3 and their parents, according to a listing that he posted on Framingham Patch.

He told the Globe in 1994 that parents should wipe their babies' gums with a damp washcloth or gauze pad even before the first teeth emerge because it makes "their breath a little more pleasant.''

Ehrlich told the Milford Daily News in 2003 that he passed out toothbrushes, stickers, and toys on Halloween instead of candy. He joked that some trick-or-treaters enjoy visiting his home, while others do not.


Globe correspondents Melanie Dostis and Jeremy C. Fox contributed to this report. Travis Andersen can be reached at tandersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.