Dentist is charged with criminally negligent homicide in patient's death due to tooth extractions
A Connecticut dentist who reportedly ignored repeated low-oxygen alarms and warnings from assistants that a sedated patient was deteriorating, continuing with tooth extractions until the patient flatlined in his chair last year, has been charged with criminally negligent homicide.
In addition to that misdemeanor, Rashmi Patel, 45, also faces a felony charge of evidence tampering, according to the Associated Press and the Hartford Courant. He turned himself in Tuesday and has been released on $25,000 bond.
The state dental commission suspended his license to practice in December, finding, among other issues, that Patel should not have attempted to extract 20 teeth and install several implants during a single procedure, given the patient’s medical history. Judith Gan, 64, had experienced a heart attack six months earlier, and had two strokes during the two-year period prior to the extractions.She was also taking medication that could have adversely interacted with the sedation she received for the extractions, the commission found.
Attorney Paul Knag represents Patel. He told the Courant that his client’s monitoring equipment was not functioning correctly and said expert witnesses testified during an administrative hearing that Patel was not negligent.
A court hearing is scheduled next week in superior court in Enfield.
