Enfield Dentist's License Suspended

The state Dental Commission voted Wednesday to suspend the license of Enfield dentist Dr. Rashmi Patel pending a full review of his practice after finding he didn’t properly care for two patients, including an Ellington woman who died in February.

The commission also voted that Patel be permanently banned from performing conscious sedation and to place him on five years of probation should his dental license be restored, according to WTIC.

Patel, who lives in Suffield and has offices in Enfield and Torrington, including Enfield Family Dental Care, has denied any wrongdoing. The state has maintained that Patel violated care standards while treating Judith Gan, 64, of Ellington. She died after being placed under conscious sedation to have 20 teeth extracted and bone grafts done at Patel’s Enfield office.

Officials said Patel failed to respond appropriately when Gan’s oxygen levels dropped and should not have planned so many procedures on her in one office visit, according to WTIC.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health also posed multiple allegations against Patel, including improperly delegating sedation and patient monitoring, retaining expired medications, failing to monitor a patient on Dec. 19, 2013, who aspirated a throat pack.

Photo credit: enfieldfamilydentalcare.com

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