A California dentist, Dr. Ryan Watkins, who treated a 9-year-old girl, Silvanna Moreno, hours before her death following a routine procedure, was on probation for a 2016 incident where a patient’s heart stopped during anesthesia. Documents show that Watkins was disciplined over the 2016 incident, resulting in a 35-month probation period and a $19,000 fine, according to the Dental Board of California.
Back in 2020, Watkins was disciplined for the 2016 incident in which a 54-year-old man’s heart stopped after Watkins administered anesthesia during a dental procedure. The complaint filed with the Dental Board of California alleged that Watkins engaged in ‘unprofessional conduct’ by ‘clearly excessively administering drugs or treatment’ to the patient, identified only as ‘MK.’
The man had seen Watkins approximately three times before the dental surgery and was considered to be in ‘excellent health’ and a triathlete. However, the patient had a low resting heart rate, dental phobia, and a history of fainting, which the complaint said Watkins did not investigate or document. The patient’s heart stopped during the surgery, and Watkins performed CPR until EMS arrived. Hospital staff noted that the victim’s ribs were fractured due to the chest compressions. The man was later diagnosed with a mild neurocognitive disorder caused by cardiac arrest.
The medical report concluded that the administration of ephedrine likely caused MK’s tachycardia, which would have subsided, and that the use of adenosine was unnecessary and led to the patient’s heart stopping (asystole). Watkins was placed under probation for 35 months, which allowed him to continue practicing at his clinic as long as he complied with additional requirements and oversight. He was also ordered to pay more than $19,000 to cover investigative and prosecution costs.
Watkins confirmed the previous incident to Fox News Digital, stating that ’emergency protocols were immediately activated’ once the patient developed cardiac arrhythmia during the procedure. He explained that ‘regulatory proceedings were initiated. Throughout this process, we maintained that comprehensive safety protocols were followed, all medications were administered according to manufacturer guidelines based on the patient’s age and weight, and the patient received continuous monitoring.’ A settlement was reached without admission of wrongdoing, and probation orders were completed.
Watkins is still practicing at Dreamtime Dentistry and denied any wrongdoing in Silvanna Moreno’s death, stating he was not aware of her health issues. The coroner’s report showed her death to be an accident due to a pre-existing medical condition unknown prior to the procedure. The Medical Examiner ruled it an accident, and Watkins expressed deep sorrow for the loss of Moreno and emphasized their commitment to learning from the tragedy and implementing additional safety measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Moreno had been referred to the practice for dental treatment under general anesthesia ‘due to her young age and situational anxiety,’ according to a previous statement obtained by Fox News Digital. Watkins asserted that ‘the dosage administered was appropriate for the patient’s age and weight, following established medical protocols.’ He added that ‘any interactions or negative side effects were not due to dosage but instead due to her rare but undiagnosed/undetected medical condition.’ The autopsy report from the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that her death was an accident caused by ‘methemoglobinemia in the setting of recent nitrous oxide administration.’