Dentist Loses License Again After 20 Years Of Bad Behavior

How many times can you lose your dental license? For an Arizona dentist, that number will soon be three times. After a patient died in his office, the dentist is possibly losing his license for the third time.

The man lost his licenses in Michigan and Illinois due to criminal charges. He pled guilty to healthcare fraud and overprescribing narcotics. He also pled guilty to attempted criminal sexual conduct after pinching an employee on the buttocks. The dentist had to register as a sex offender.

However, in 2012, he got licensed in Arizona after disclosing his criminal history to the Arizona dental board and writing a three-page letter to plead his case. The dentist was originally denied a license, but he appealed and was granted a license.

However, it wasn’t long before the dentist was up to his old tricks. After two years, he was disciplined after he gave a patient a root canal that damaged her tooth. He was disciplined again that same year for being late in completing his continuing education.

However, a patient wouldn’t be able to see all these offenses against the dentist because the dental board’s website posts just five years’ worth of board actions. Anything further back has to be requested from the board.

According to dental board records, there are 13 different dental offices where the dentist has worked over the years. In 2018, he did not inform the board that he was arrested for not having a current address on file. He was ordered to take ethics training.

In 2021, a patient died after a dental procedure. A 72-year-old woman was undergoing a procedure to remove a dozen teeth for upper and lower dentures. She started to experience breathing difficulties after being given anesthesia. She lost consciousness and the dentist gave her CPR. Paramedics took her to the hospital, but she was dead on arrival.

Board members were concerned about the dentist’s attempts to resuscitate the patient. He claimed to be CPR-certified, but stated he used five chest compressions to two breaths. However, the correct ratio for giving CPR is 30 compressions to two breaths.

The board tried to get the dentist to surrender his license, but he declined. The board is now setting up a formal hearing to revoke his license. Meanwhile, the dentist is now practicing in Utah, where he has been licensed since 2016. He currently has a dental license free of restrictions.

Keep Your License With Help From a Tampa Dentistry License Lawyer 

Dentists have a responsibility to act in an ethical manner. They should not have patients dying in their offices nor should they be registered sex offenders. These are serious acts.

If you are facing license loss due to criminal and administrative acts, seek legal help from a Tampa dentistry license lawyer from The Law Offices of David P. Rankin, P.A. I can help resolve your issues. Fill out the online form or call (813) 968-6633 to schedule a consultation.

Source:

abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/arizona-dentist-with-criminal-history-has-license-suspended-after-patient-dies-in-his-chair