PHOENIX – Zion Gastelum was two years old when he died days after undergoing root canal treatment on his primary tooth during a visit to a dentist in Yuma in 2017.

Lizez Lares was just four years old when she died a year ago after a tooth was pulled out at the same dental office.

And this year, two more died after visiting the dentist, according to conference minutes. Arizona Dental Examination Board show.

But Arizona people don’t know about these cases from the State Dental Commission, a 110-year-old body that regulates the dental industry, licenses dental professionals, and investigates complaints against dental professionals. would be difficult.

Details about problematic dentists are hidden under layers of bureaucracy, complex complaints systems, and virtually inaccessible public websites, an investigation by the Howard Center for Investigative Reporting found.

And in the rare case that a patient dies or is seriously injured during a procedure, the committee has found little liability for the dentist.

State audits document similar failures dating back almost half a century.

“This is the worst operation of any agency I’ve ever been with,” Ryan Edmondson, executive director of the board, told The Howard Center in an interview.

Boards have undergone several major changes in recent years. 2018 Managing Director of the Board of Directors I retired rear Survey by ABC15 It turns out that she ignored a warning about a dentist who falsified her anesthesia credentials.

State laws that protect dentists and limit public disclosure of misconduct regulate some of the board’s actions. But boards have room to develop best practices.

The state commission consists of 11 members appointed by the governor: 6 dentists, 2 dental hygienists, 2 members of the general public, and 1 member of a business. They are each allowed to serve two consecutive four-year terms.

Because the committee is dominated by dental professionals, decisions are made that are intended to help dentists learn from their mistakes, which can infuriate patients’ families.

“There is nothing worse than the death of a baby,” said Mike Polli, who settled a malpractice lawsuit against a dentist and dental office on behalf of Zion’s family. “If that doesn’t give[the board]an incentive to keep busy with regulatory oversight, I don’t know what will happen.”

In 2017, Zion was put under anesthesia for root canal treatment. He never regained his consciousness. Records from the dental board found that the oxygen tanks used to supplement his breathing were either empty or not working properly. He was diagnosed brain dead at the hospital and died four days later.

Board Generosity

The Board accused Zion City Anesthesiologist Dr. Aaron Roberts of failing to follow proper procedures and gave him three years of probation while still under the supervision of another licensed anesthesiologist. allowed treatment in Roberts did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Zion University dentist Stephen Montoya signed a non-disciplinary consent agreement with the board. The Board determined that his error was not too serious and not outside standard care. The board required him to undergo 10 hours of continuing education.

“It wasn’t an ideal situation. It’s been so long, and I often look back and feel that the board did it fairly,” Montoya told Howard Center reporters. .

Sion’s mother, Veronica Gastelum, said she expected a more severe outcome.

“This was a child,” she said.

Commission-mandated continuing education courses are offered through groups such as: Arizona Dental Association Or in dental school. Some involve face-to-face seminars. Others are online webinars. All courses are subject to board approval to ensure that the syllabus meets consent agreement requirements.according to Board policyis intended to help dental professionals understand current best practices regarding procedures and treatments.

But Craig Voightman, a dental malpractice attorney who has handled hundreds of cases in his 15-year practice, said the mandatory continuing education is the board’s default punishment.

“Dentists have a perception that the board will come out and beat them up, but I don’t think that happens very often,” Voigtmann said. “What’s really happening is that they’re just being publicly reprimanded by the letters in the file and continuing their education.”