A California dentist is under fire after 9-year-old Silvanna Moreno died following a routine dental procedure under anesthesia… years after he was placed on probation for a similar case.
Dr. Ryan Watkins had been disciplined in 2020 for administering excessive medication to a healthy 54-year-old man, causing cardiac arrest. That patient survived but suffered long-term effects. Watkins was put on 35 months of probation but allowed to continue practicing under strict oversight.
On March 18, Moreno was treated at Dreamtime Dentistry and died hours later. The medical examiner ruled her death accidental, caused by methemoglobinemia linked to nitrous oxide. Watkins claims the dosage was appropriate and her underlying condition was unknown.
He says the tragedy is being taken seriously and an internal review is underway to improve patient safety.
