9-Year-Old Girl
Tragic Death After Dental Procedure Under Anesthesia
Published
Tragedy has hit San Diego … a 9-year-old girl died just hours after undergoing dental surgery under general anesthesia.
The unnamed girl had surgery at Dreamtime Dentistry in Vista, California on March 18, according to NBC 7 San Diego and Fox 5 San Diego. She was moved to a recovery room, discharged, and slept during the car ride home. She continued to sleep at home … her parents said she was unresponsive in bed when they checked on her later.
She was rushed to Rady Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Dr. Ryan Watkins, a licensed dentist at Dreamtime trained in anesthesiology, expressed deep sadness over the young girl’s tragic passing just hours after her dental surgery.
His statement said the girl was referred to Dreamtime Dentistry for dental treatment under general anesthesia due to her age and anxiety. She was closely monitored throughout the procedure by several experienced dentists, with no complications observed.
He added when she was discharged into her mother’s care, she was in stable condition — awake, with stable vital signs, and protective reflexes intact.
The girl’s cause of death has not been determined yet, and an investigation by the medical examiner is underway. The San Diego Police Department is also investigating the death.