Dentist Bobby Rishiraj suspended, fined after leaving patient with severe brain damage

A B.C. dentist has had his licence suspended for three months and will have to pay more than $100,000 in fines afterhe administered deep sedation that led to a heart attack that left a patient with severe brain damage.

The College of Dental Surgeons of B.C. (CDSBC) issued its penalty decision on Oct. 19, butfirst reviewedDr. BobbyRishiraj'scase in November 2014.The Collegeallowed himto continue practising as an oral surgeon in Kamloopsuntil it held the penalty hearing in October.

Rishirajruns a private clinic known as the KamloopsOral Surgery and Implant Centre.

Other penalties include a reprimand and the completion of a multi-day ethics course.

College describes case as tragedy

In its July ruling, the College'spanel found Rishirajwas only authorized to provide moderate sedation when apatient came to see himin November 2012 to have her wisdom teeth removed.

Instead, it said,Rishirajadministered deep sedationwithoutfollowing the proper medical procedures for this type of drug.

When things began to go wrong, the dentistfailed to recognize "in a timely way" that his patient was having aheart attack, accordingto the panel. As a result,resuscitation was delayed.

The panel also saidRishirajranhis practice to promote "efficiencies" by treating as many patients in as short a time as possible and failed to adequately monitor patients that were under sedation.

In a statement, the college'sCEO JeromeMarburgdescribed the case as a tragedy.