Washington health department suspends dentist's license, anesthesia permit: 5 things to know

The Washington State Health Department has suspended a dentist's dental license and general  anesthesia permit for allegedly failing to document biological spore testing and missing emergency drugs. 

 Five things to know: 

1. Walter Foto, DMD, is the owner of Myers Road Oral Care Center in Bonney Lake, Wash. 

2. The department said in an Aug. 2 news release that an infection inspection and sedation audit showed multiple errors, including failure to provide documentation showing that biological spore testing was conducted at least weekly when scheduled patients were treated and that his practice was missing emergency drugs and did not have defibrillators. 

3. The department also said Dr. Foto's assistant did not have adequate training to serve as an anesthesia monitor and that Dr. Foto treated at least 10 general anesthesia patients without an appropriately trained anesthesia monitor.

4. Dr. Foto cannot practice in Washington until the charges are resolved, according to the news release. 

5. Dr. Foto has 20 days to respond to the charges and ask for a hearing.

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