In all, 20 female patients have testified that a South Hills oral surgeon sexually assaulted them or exposed his genitals while they were recovering from anesthesia. The last four of the alleged victims took the stand yesterday, wrapping up testimony in a two-part preliminary hearing that a veteran defense lawyer said involved more victims than he's ever dealt with in his career.

Defense attorney William H. Difenderfer requested a few extra days to review a hearing transcript and prepare his closing argument. Next week, his client, Dr. Robert John Boyda Jr., 43, of Mt. Lebanon, will learn whether District Judge Gary M. Zyra of Scott will hold him for trial on the litany of charges. Dr. Boyda faces charges brought by patients at his practices in Scott and Robinson.

The witnesses yesterday were 18, 20, 21 and 40 years old. Each told the judge that after surgery in the recovery room they believed the doctor touched their genitals, made them touch his genitals or exposed his genitals to them.

The 21-year-old witness said she saw a hand that looked hairy touching her breasts and saw a white coat, but under cross examination, admitted she was not awake enough to able to look up and identify who had assaulted her.

The 40-year-old woman said Dr. Boyda extracted three of her wisdom teeth during an appointment in Robinson in September 2002. She said she awoke from the anesthesia to discover Dr. Boyda rubbing her vaginal and breast areas.

"I'd only been awake for a few minutes at that time, so I was just dumbfounded. It was brief," the woman said.

However, she acknowledged that she returned for two to four office visits with Dr. Boyda, a point emphasized by Mr. Difenderfer. She and the other witnesses could not recall all the details of their procedures.As he left the court with his wife and mother, Dr. Boyda heard crude insults about the alleged assaults from a passenger inside a vehicle in the parking lot.

Michael Silverman, 42, of Mt. Lebanon, was one of several friends who came to support Dr. Boyda. He said the defendant "is entitled to justice" and the prosecution's "burden [of proof] that society demands."

"What it takes is more than fleeting memories," he said.