Dr. Rashmi Patel tried to extract 20 teeth from 64-year-old woman in CT.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: An Indian American dentist has had his license revoked over an incident that led to the death of one of his patients.
Dr. Rashmi Patel has come under fire after he operated on a patient named Judith Gan on February 17. The Connecticut-based dentist was performing an elaborate teeth extraction operation on Gan, a 64 year-old grandmother who required 20 teeth to be removed from her oral cavity.
According to statements given by Patel’s assistants, Gan’s vitals began dropping at some point during the procedure, causing assistants to implore Patel not to continue with the operation. Patel did so anyway, and Gan eventually expired, making gurgling noises as her body apparently struggled for oxygen before eventually becoming unresponsive.
On April 21, the Connecticut Department of Public Health revoked Patel’s license, which he obtained in 2003, pending an investigation into whether there was any malpractice involved in Gan’s death.
According to the Hartford Courant, investigators believe that Patel ignored the patient’s medical history, which included cardiac-related issues, and did not make necessary adjustments when Gan’s oxygen and vitals went down.
Local news station WFSB-3 broke the story on Wednesday, and spoke to several of Patel’s patients who claim that while he is a passionate and well-educated dentist, he has a history of ignoring protocol and safety precautions, which have led to complications in the past.
One patient, speaking to WFSB-3, recounted an experience in which Patel performed surgery on him and removed a significant portion of gum from the man’s mouth, leaving his bone exposed. Patel denied that it was his doing, saying that it was normal and nothing to worry about, but the area eventually became infected and forced the patient to go to the emergency room, where it was finally treated.
Patel – who has offices in Enfield and Torrington, the former of which is where Gan perished – earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Washington, followed by his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He completed residencies and certifications in New York before moving to Connecticut.
Patel’s hearing at the Connecticut Department of Public Health will be held on June 18, at which point it will be determined if he can continue to practice dentistry or not. There has been no indication that criminal charges are pending regarding Gan’s death.