A patient died after a dentist did not take into account her severe medical conditions before pulling teeth, and that dentist has been charged with unprofessional conduct, Department of Health staff said Thursday.
Dentist Keith Antonio Salvatori was charged in October 2015. Charges say Salvatori didn't report the death to the state dental commission, and didn't allow an investigator to examine patient monitoring and emergency equipment. The incident happened in 2014.
According to state charging documents, Salvatori did not consult the patient's cardiologist or pulmonologist before pulling her teeth.
The charges say the patient stopped breathing during the extraction and couldn't be revived.
Follow this link to read the statement of charges from the state.
Use this link to read the dentist's formal response to the DOH charges against him.
Salvatori still has an active dentist license in Washington and told KIRO 7 he is still practicing. He also has practiced in Massachusetts, where an administrative issue led to him to voluntarily surrender his license for a year.
In a statement, Cass wrote "Dr. Salvatori was and is deeply saddened by his patient's death while under his care."
Cass wrote that Salvatori contests the charges and that "it is important to understand that the patient needed heart surgery, and her cardiac team at UW Medicine would not operate unless all of her teeth were extracted.
Dr. Salvatori recommended that the patient see an oral surgeon but she was unable to afford one so he agreed to help the patient but only if she was medically cleared by her family doctor."
Cass wrote that the patient's primary care provider "approved her suitability to have her teeth extracted, got her diabetes under control and specifically approved the use of benzodiazepines for sedation."
Salvatori said the Burlington office of Affordable Dentures and Crowns is closing as of Feb. 26, with all the patients being switched to the Tacoma location.
Salvatori said the reason was financial. Cass wrote the closure was "not related in any way to this patient."
Affordable Dentures is a national company. The number for a spokeswoman provided by call center workers rang busy during multiple attempts on Thursday.
State officials said Salvatori has formally responded to the charges and has a hearing scheduled for May.
Cox Media Group
