The family of a 33-year-old man who lapsed into a coma and died following a tooth extraction is suing an oral surgeon, a dental service organization (DSO), and a Texas practice where the procedure was done, according to a story published on November 12 in Houston Public Media.
Donzell J. Conrad.McDuffie Mortuary.
De’Andreal Jackson, the mother of 33-year-old Donzell Conrad, Dianna Carr, the mother of the victim’s two children, and the children filed a lawsuit on November 12 against oral surgeon Dr. Pasha Sanders of DSO Smile Brands, which is affiliated with Castle Dental in Spring, TX, where the procedure was performed. Castle Dental is being sued as well.
In the wrongful death suit, the family claims Sanders performed the tooth extraction on Conrad, who had diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, without having a dedicated anesthesia professional present. Sanders allegedly operated as the surgeon and anesthetist during the procedure, according to the story.
On October 7, 2024, Conrad, of Houston, went to Castle Dental with a chipped molar. The next day, Conrad returned to have the recommended tooth removed. The family claims that Conrad informed Sanders of his medical history and told her he was taking medication to control his blood pressure.
Conrad reportedly was given Versed, ketamine, ketorolac, and propofol. Then Sanders removed his tooth and cut off his anesthesia. About two minutes later, the man’s blood oxygen levels started dropping, according to the story.
Emergency medical personnel were called to the practice, and Conrad was transported to the hospital. Conrad remained in a coma for four weeks until he died on November 12, 2024.
The family accuses Sanders of medical malpractice, claiming she did not adequately respond to Conrad’s falling blood oxygen levels and for recommending that he receive sedation given his medical history.
Additionally, the family accuses Castle Dental and Smile Brands of negligence. The family’s attorneys claim that DSOs skirt Texas law banning corporate dentistry practices, which can lead to systems that prioritize patient volume, incentivize conversions from exams to operative treatment, and pressure dentists to meet productivity benchmarks regardless of patient needs or clinical judgment, according to the story.
