In Dentists

California oral surgeon reprimanded after patient dies following dental surgery

Long Beach, Calif.-based dentist David Kim, MD, DDS, was placed on three years of probation after being found negligent for a patient's death, the Long Beach Post reports.

On May 2, 2014, Dr. Kim performed surgery on a 56-year-old patient. The patient visited Dr. Kim to have the roots of three teeth removed to have a dental implant. Dr. Kim put the patient under general anesthesia.

During the operation, the patient began having respiratory issues and suffered severe lack of oxygen to the brain. After Dr. Kim tried to perform a tracheotomy, the patient was taken to the hospital. There, physicians noticed the tube was misplaced.

The patient was taken off life support three weeks after the surgery.

State regulators suggested Dr. Kim should have used a local anesthetic because of the patient's history of hypertension.

Dr. Kim agreed to the three-year probation period. While under probation, Dr. Kim must be supervised by another physician, attend training courses and meet various benchmarks to have his license reinstated.

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