A dentist who lost his license after a patient's death is not allowed to practice dentistry for at least another year.

The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners recently denied the reinstatement request of Dr. Christian Anderson. The findings explained the board believed he "has not demonstrated substantial reformation."  

WRAL Investigates previously reported Anderson's license was revoked after 63-year-old Timothy Nerius, Sr. went to the dentist and didn't come home.

"He had just retired the year before and was living his best life," his daughter, Angela Dees, told WRAL. "My little brother was getting married, and he decided that he wanted to have dentures for the wedding. He went under anesthesia and never woke up."

According to documents from the dental board, Anderson "over-sedated" Nerius in September of 2021, giving him sedatives that "far exceeded the amounts appropriate and necessary."

The documents describe how Nerius struggled to breathe and went into cardiac arrest. They state he never regained consciousness and died at the hospital. The findings state Anderson's actions "caused or contributed" to Nerius's "eventual death."

Riccobene and Associates released a statement confirming that the dentist involved is no longer employed by the practice.

“While laws and regulations prevent us from discussing patient or employment specifics, I can confirm that we no longer employ the dentist in question,” Line Dempsey, chief compliance officer for Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry said.

“In addition, although moderate sedation-permitted dentists are not required to do so, since 2021, our practices have used a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) who is present with the patient and dentist throughout the entire procedure.” 

WRAL Investigates found numerous incidents in recent years in which families experienced similar heartbreak. 

According to the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, there have been eight anesthesia-related deaths in the last 13 years statewide. 

Now, some of those families are among those pushing for stricter regulations in the dental industry.

That includes Shital Patel, whose husband, Wilmington-area cardiologist Dr. Henry Patel, died after a dental visit in 2020. 

"It continues to happen, yet we make no real progress toward change," Shital Patel said. 

After the death of her husband, she lobbied for the dental board to require a second anesthesia provider in the room when dentists perform deep sedation. In 2022, the dental board did add some protections, but stopped short of what she wanted, citing a lack of workforce as part of the problem.

In 2023, State Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican who represents Wilmington, sponsored “Henry’s Law” – named for Dr. Henry Patel – that would have required stricter anesthesia guidelines. The bill went nowhere. WRAL reached out to Lee for an interview, but did not hear back.

Despite those defeats, Patel's widow says she is not giving up.

"Since this happened to my husband, my main goal is that no other family should have to go through what we’ve gone through because it is preventable," she said. "It is absolutely preventable.

"If physicians in a hospital setting cannot conduct a procedure and administer general anesthesia at the same time, why are dentists allowed to do it outside of a hospital setting?"

WRAL Investigates asked State Senate leader Phil Berger if he believes the state needs additional protections surrounding dental anesthesia to protect patients, and, if so, what protections, and if he would take action to pursue them. We did not hear back.

In the case of Anderson in Garner, the state dental board revoked his sedation permit and suspended his license to practice dentistry for 10 years. WRAL Investigates attended a hearing in November in which Anderson and his attorney argued to get his license back sooner.

In tears, Anderson testified that he accepted responsibility for his actions, felt remorse and hoped to be able to return to work.

"I don’t think anyone else in this room can tell me how I feel," he said, in tears. "Because I don’t think anyone else has been here."

The board has not yet announced a final decision, yet Nerius's daughter hopes he will not be allowed to practice again.

"Our lives have changed forever," she told WRAL News. "And I just don’t think he should be able to go back to the daily norm. Because we can’t."

As the victims' families continue to mourn their loved ones, they worry there is nothing stopping similar situations from happening again, to someone else.

"Who is monitoring this?" Patel asked. "Where are our government officials? Where are the dental board?"

Patel and Dees both advise ensuring your dental provider has a plan in case of an emergency and that they are aware and have taken precautions pertaining to any relevant medical history. 

Anderson can apply for reinstatement in another year.

To search a dentist's disciplinary history, visit the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners website.

Disciplinary actions against dentists are rare. Recent actions taken by the dental board can be found here.