A Connecticut dentist has had his licence suspended after a patient died while undergoing a procedure to remove 20 teeth and install six implants. The Connecticut State Dental Commission voted 5-0 to suspend Dr Rashmi Patel's licence, citing failures in patient care and sedation practices.
The commission found that Patel improperly cared for 64-year-old Judith Gan, who died in February after her oxygen levels dropped during conscious sedation. Officials said Patel failed to respond adequately to her decreasing oxygen levels, respiratory distress, and cardiopulmonary distress. Gan's medical history included a heart attack six months prior, two strokes in the previous two years, and medication that could have affected her response to sedation.
The commission also found that Patel violated care standards in December 2013 when another patient under conscious sedation inhaled a throat pack designed to prevent swallowing foreign objects. The patient was rushed to hospital but recovered. Additionally, Patel was found to have improperly delegated sedation duties to untrained assistants on several occasions.
Patel's licence will remain suspended until he undergoes a review by the American Association of Dental Boards, which may take several months. He is permanently banned from performing conscious sedation and will be on probation for five years after the suspension is lifted. Patel denied wrongdoing, and his lawyer indicated they would consider an appeal.
