A class action lawsuit has been filed against the City of Prince George, seeking damages on behalf of those who suffer from a degenerative dental disease allegedly caused by drinking the city’s fluoridated water.

A notice of civil claim was filed Tuesday by Kevin Millership, a Slocan resident who brought a lawsuit against the City of Kamloops more than 10 years ago seeking compensation for himself for a mild form of dental fluorosis, which causes a mottling of the tooth enamel.

Millership, who is not a lawyer but argued his case himself, was unsuccessful in part because he had taken too long to launch the action.

However, in dismissing the case in 2003, a B.C. Supreme Court Justice found that on a balance of probabilities, Millership had established causation between his condition and drinking fluoridated water. But the Justice also concluded MIllership’s condition was a cosmetic problem that did not affect the function of his teeth and rejected a claim for psychological and emotional damage.

This time, Millership is going to bat in the name of those who’ve been drinking Prince George’s water and have “objectionable” dental fluorosis, ranging from moderate to severe trouble. He said most dental plans do not cover the cost of treatment and can range from $1,000 to $100,000 per person with treatment ongoing for a lifetime in some cases.

Between 14 and 18 per cent of Prince George residents have moderate dental fluorosis and a further 0.4 per cent have severe dental fluorosis, according to Millership, who plans to bring in an expert witness, Dr. Hardy Limeback of Canadians Opposed to Fluoridation, to testify about the extent of the problem and its causes.

Millership will also seek compensation for psychological damages for the victims and intends to put a victim of moderate dental fluorosis on the stand to testify about the emotional trauma she has suffered.

Millership said he is looking for a lawyer to argue the case but will step in if need be.

Millership’s case against Kamloops was dismissed after 21 days of proceedings that required a review of thousands of pages of supporting material.

City officials declined to comment on the cases while it’s before the court.

Millership, who has contacts with the PG Fluoride Free, can be reached at kevinmillership@live.ca.